Jennifer Ridgely has been the head coach of Delaware State University’s equestrian team for 14 years. She’s been named the Eastern Collegiate Athletics Conference (ECAC) Conference Coach of the Year, DSU Coach of the Year, United Equestrian Conference (UEC) Conference Coach of the year—twice. She’s also coached four All-Americans and led the team to win the school’s first-ever UEC Conference Champion.
Thinking about her years with Delaware State, Ridgley says two things stand out as personal highlights.
“Winning our first ever conference championship and getting a championship ring was definitely a highlight for me,” Ridgely said. “The second was the first time I was named Coach of the Year for Delaware State.”
Delaware State is a Historically Black College and University (HBCU)—a unique category for equestrian sports.
“I am proud of us being the only HBCU equestrian team in the country—we are really diverse,” Ridgely said. “We might be the underdogs, but we’re coming.”
The coronavirus pandemic has brought challenges to all NCEA’s teams. DSU was set to host the ECAC conference, but two weeks before the competition at the end of March, schools were shut down. Slowly this fall they have navigated school mandates and got the riders back into the program. Ridgely says despite the added protocols and hurdles, they are grateful to be able to practice, work out and fundraise again.
Before she was Delaware State’s equestrian coach, Ridgely spent 20 years as a pro rodeo barrel racer. When asked about advice she consistently administers, you can see how that competitive drive has inspired her coaching.
“I always say ‘refuse to lose.’” Ridgley said. “And I always say ‘Grit and Grace.’”
Ridgely’s time in her coaching role has meant a lot to her. More than just shaping their horsemanship skills, she’s also a part of their lives.
“What I love most is the relationship we get to have with these young, awesome women, and that we get to have front row seats to them maturing and growing, not only as a rider, but just as a young woman,” Ridgley said. “I think the mentoring part of it is, for me, the most rewarding.”