WACO, Texas – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) has announced the departure of Dr. Leah Fiorentino as the association’s Executive Director, with her moving into a consultant role to help the transition of the NCEA’s new leadership.
 
After giving 10 years of incredible service to the NCEA, “Doc” is handing over the reins to a new Executive Director, to be announced in the coming days, with a deputy director to be announced at the end of August.
 
Fiorentino knows about women in sport. She understands the importance of opportunities for women to compete at the highest level in what they love as a result of her own collegiate competitive experience in a time ripe for Title IX legislation, and with both her daughters competing in their respective sports as collegians.
 
A competitive swimmer, she joined the Stony Brook University all-male swim team, becoming the first female on the roster. The firsts would continue to roll in as she simultaneously rolled out the path for other collegiate female athletes, being the first to win a gold medal at the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Swimming Association Championships. She won the 1,000-meter freestyle against a field of men, and in 1974, she was on the record-setting 800-meter freestyle relay team. That was the first gold medal awarded to a woman by the NCAA – at the time, the NCAA was a male-only sport organization. 
 
She went on to graduate from Stony Brook in 1976 with her degree in psychology. Fiorentino holds a Master of Arts degree in physical education from Adelphi University, a Master of Education in movement science and education from Columbia University and a Doctor of Education in movement science and education also from Columbia. She has worked in higher education for more than 30 years and has been elected to a litany of boards and associations.
 
Fiorentino was inducted into Stony Brook’s Hall of Fame in October 2023.
 
All the right pieces to the puzzle, she joined the NCEA as the Executive Director in 2014 and has been an invaluable resource to the organization and its members over the last 10 years.
 
Her eldest daughter, Logan, was what originally brought “Doc” to the equestrian world. Logan rode as a young child, and then the family was introduced to the sport at the collegiate level when Logan joined the team at Georgia. Logan was with the Bulldogs for three seasons, 2005-2007, during the Varsity Equestrian days.
 
Having seen the NCEA before it was known as such, and seeing it from a parental point of view, Fiorentino joined the organization in hope of providing additional support to the good work that the coaches were handling.
 
“In the fall of 2014, the NCAA was talking about eliminating the sport of equestrian from the emerging sport program,” said Fiorentino. “At the time I was an academic dean at a university, but I had worked with athletics on many different projects and programs. I had been an athlete myself in the old, old days, and in addition, knew all the SEC coaches from the time that Logan was a student-athlete. I had a lovely relationship with Boo at South Carolina - my other daughter was a Gamecock - and Greg [Williams] at Auburn in addition to Meghan Boenig at Georgia. When things got dicey at the NCAA, they asked me to come to a meeting. From the very start, the coaches were carrying the sport. I was able to offer some insights, and they brought me on as executive director.”
 
“When Leah came in,” said longtime Baylor administrator Nancy Post, “There wasn’t a whole lot of guidance or structure for her, but she jumped in feet first and figured it out. What things would make a difference, what connections did she need to make? What could help solidify us? We had and have continued to fight long and hard from every angle we could come up with to get us out of the emerging sport status to championship status with basically one arm tied behind our back. She came in at a time when we had the needs for leadership, guidance, for a spokesperson, for oversight, and she filled that void.”
 
Fiorentino assisted in putting the National Advisory Board, or NAB, in place during that first year. It was first to be called the NCEA Foundation Advisory Council, but the mission stayed the same, a group comprised of expert stakeholders to provide a crucial link to the equine industry and equestrian community leadership.
 
“It was a large group then, and very active, very interested in saving the sport,” said Fiorentino. “You know, they truly believed in it, and their involvement was critical because they had a different view on how to coalesce energy. They were all corporate leaders, and that was very different for the sport, and a great relief to the coaches.”
 
The NAB was able to take some decision-making off the coaches’ plates, but more importantly, help successfully retain equestrian as an Emerging Sport for Women under the NCAA. That final decision came in the spring of 2015 when the Division I Strategic Vision and Planning Committee supported a continuation of equestrian in the NCAA.
 
That first year under her belt with success, the future was ahead for Fiorentino. 
 
“I thought it would be a very short, quick flip, and we’ll be able to turn this around,” she said of her time in the role. “We would be a championship sport and then I wanted to not be needed anymore because it was successful.” But that wasn’t the case, Fiorentino staying on with the NCEA for a total of 10 years. “Well, I can’t leave now, we’re making progress. I can’t leave now, we’re going to do this for lobbying.”
 
With Fiorentino as the figurehead of collegiate equestrian, she engaged with the NCAA quite often and became their point of contact for the sport for all things legislative and more. 
 
“She really has been behind the scenes for us,” Post said. “In terms of the NCAA’s inner workings, she worked a lot with the USOPC, the NCAA’s Office of Inclusion with Dr. Amy Wilson, and just garnered a lot of respect from those groups personally and for her representation of the sport. She really has broadened the horizon for the sport, trying to see a bigger picture for it. Leah was an integral part of forming the USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final with the US Equestrian Federation. She touched all the ancillary items that go along with sport and trying to help equestrian emulate other NCAA sports, so our student-athletes have the opportunities for recognition much like their peers.”
 
Fiorentino feels the time has come for the NCEA to coalesce under new leadership, with direction from those who have a different skillset than she does. However, it doesn’t mean we’ve seen the last of “Doc” in the NCEA.
 
“I’m going to help our new leadership transition,” she said. “Help them understand the history and who the players are. I’ll be their little personal consultant as they try and figure everything out. I’m going to try to give them historical context, so that they can be successful in looking at next steps, instead of repeating some of the things that didn’t work. I think in understanding that historical piece, they are going to make great strides going forward.”
 
Fiorentino will continue to serve Jacksonville University as the Program Director for Sport Business program in the Davis College of Business & Technology.
 
“I have some fun classes to teach this fall. They let me do special topics again, and I’m excited to go to equestrian meets as a fan.”
 
Looking back on her time with the NCEA, Fiorentino is proud that the sport is still standing and making strides.
 
“Every year we meet opposition and every year we write reports,” she said. “I’m proud of where we are. I’m excited about the expanded opportunities at the World Equestrian Center; I think that’s been tremendously fun for the student-athletes. Our equine athletes are enjoying it, our student-athletes are excited about going every year, and so are our fans. I’m excited about the involvement of the external folks on the NAB, I think the fact that people like Kelly Chapman, John Hull and Tom O’Mara are still so committed to the sport after all these years is amazing. We still rely on them heavily now, but I think it’s a passion for them.”
 
Throughout her time as the executive director, she’s brought about change, such as the several iterations of championship and organization structure.
 
“We’ve tried a variety of new initiatives and, for example, found success in reaching some of the different equestrian programs focused solely on the Jumping Seat discipline and then provided a pathway for them to the national championship.”
 
Her sights set, she wanted a single-discipline component, and she went and got it.
 
“We’re up to nine member schools this year with Centenary, so it’s an area that shows the most opportunity for growth. I think positioning the NCEA for that championship pathway was a good thing.”
 
Dr. Fiorentino helped usher in the Distinguished Alumni program as well as the Hall of Fame, which saw its first inductions this year.
 
“The Distinguished Alumni Program … the things that those women have done since graduation are just incredible. I think recognizing them was so cool. The Hall of Fame exceeded expectations significantly, and I think it’s important to recognize those individuals that are the reason the sport is where it’s at.”
 
Much has happened with Fiorentino as the figurehead for collegiate riding, but she still has hopes for its future.
 
“I don’t know what college sports are going to look like a year from now, but I’m hoping that equestrian still provides a pathway for educational opportunities for these women. It’s been great for the women who came through the programs,” she said.
 
“[The NCEA], it’s really the backbone that’s made sure that the sport has stayed viable, that these women were treated the same as other student-athletes on their campus and had the same opportunities. The cohesiveness of the coaches in supporting each other and now rallying their athletic administrators to a much higher level, I think that’s been a real success for them. It really was the perfect blend, to have people from very different perspectives on very different campuses come together because they all cared about the student-athletes. And that’s a cool thing.”
 
Dr. Leah will be missed amongst coaches and administrators alike. The NCEA extends its heartfelt gratitude to “Doc” for her countless contributions of time, talent and treasure for collegiate equestrian.  
“Dr. Leah Fiorentino continues to be an ardent supporter of Women's Equestrian. She stepped in during the threat of removal from the emerging sports list ten years ago.  She quickly strategized, organized, and collaborated with all the power groups to continue our sport.  Her willingness to lean into hard conversations and bring opportunities for women to the forefront of conversations made progress forward possible.  From the addition of universities, to recognition of distinguished alumni, to the increased visibility of our sport, Dr. Fiorentino molded us. We owe much to our advocate, our leader, and our friend. For many years I have enjoyed both thoughtful and humorous discussions with Doc, those won't stop as she continues to be the NCEA’s biggest fan. Thank you Doc for your exemplary leadership and service!” – Meghan Boenig, Georgia
 
“Dr. Leah was a main part of adding the single discipline which revitalized the Sweet Briar riding program at a time when we needed such an opportunity.  She has always looked for ways to give more student athletes opportunities and I will be forever grateful for all she has done for the sport of equestrian and Sweet Briar College.  I wish her the best of luck in all she does and look forward to seeing her cheering in the stands!!” – Mimi Wroten, Sweet Briar
 
“We’d like to thank Dr Leah for her support and encouragement throughout the growth of our program. As a new team, UC Davis experienced many exciting new moments in the past few years, and Dr Leah has been there to guide our team through these experiences. Hosting this year’s ECAC conference championship was a huge and exciting event for our team, and Dr Leah was there from the early planning meetings to the final awards presentation, helping us make this championship a memorable experience for each of the teams. We’re so grateful for not only what she has done to support our team, but also what she has done to support our sport nationwide. The positive impact of Dr Leah’s work with NCEA has touched so many lives, and we are so grateful for all that she has done.” – Jill Humphrey, UC Davis
 
“We are so thankful for the leadership and guidance that Dr. Fiorentino brought to the sport of college equestrian.  We have seen many changes over the years and she has been instrumental in shaping the progression of our sport.” – Tana McKay, Texas A&M
 
“Dr. Leah did a tremendous job working on our behalf with the NCAA and the Committee for Women’s Athletics. Her drive to promote and grow NCAA Equestrian was greatly appreciated and her efforts will truly be missed.” – Larry Sanchez, Oklahoma State
 
“Dr. Leah has been the driving force in the success of NCEA Equestrian over the last several years, and we cannot be more grateful of what she has done for us. Our student-athletes, our teams, and our coaches are all so thankful that she has been in our corner and are incredibly appreciative of her dedication and time spent on moving our sport forward! Thank you Dr. Leah!” – Anna Becker, Georgia
 
"While Dr. Leah has been vital to the operation and the external work of the association, she has also been an instrumental supporter of the Single Discipline schools. She has helped to ensure the single discipline ECAC and ODAC conferences have been successful in many ways outside of her prescribed role with the NCEA and continues to support the efforts of new schools as they add the sport. Additionally, she has always reminded the coaches of the value of recognizing athletes for their sportsmanship and scholarship at the conference level." – Phillip Williamson, Lynchburg
 
“I am so grateful for the many contributions Dr. Fiorentino has made to NCAA Equestrian.  She has worked tirelessly to grow the sport and be a voice and advocate for coaches and student-athletes.  The NCEA organization has grown during her tenure.  Dr. Fiorentino was instrumental in making many different ideas a reality for the NCEA such as the NCEA Medal Class, ECAC conference affiliation, Distinguished Alumni recognitions, and the Hall of Fame just to name a few.  I want to extend my gratitude to Dr. Fiorentino for her passion, vision, and investment in the NCEA and equestrian sport.” – Jessica Braswell, Auburn
 
"Dr. Leah has been a confident leader and a supportive member to lean on as we have expanded our equestrian program at the College of Charleston. I am grateful for her genuine interest and long-term vision for D1 Women's (equestrian) athletics." – Natasha Vitkovic, College of Charleston
 
“I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Fiorentino for all of her dedication and hard work within the NCEA over the past 10 years. Her commitment to advocacy for Equestrian and women’s opportunities have helped the sport of Equestrian reach new heights. We will be forever indebted to her for helping advance and educate others about the sport of the Equestrian and the NCEA. Outside of her working role, Dr. Fiorentino has been an incredible friend and mentor to so many of us in the coaching realm, including myself. I am forever grateful for the time I have gotten to work alongside her.” – Casie Maxwell, Baylor
 
“Our organization would not be what it is today without Dr. Leah Fiorentino! I know I speak for the ECAC in gratitude to Doc for helping create and build our conference. She has helped us navigate challenges, overcome setbacks, and celebrate our successes. I personally want to thank Doc for all the guidance in navigating this sport as a new head coach, and as an incoming NCEA president.  She has been tireless in answering my questions, will listen and give advice when needed, all while making you feel supported and cared about. Doc, on behalf myself, UT Martin and the ECAC,  Thank you for all you have done for the sport of Equestrian. You will be missed.” – Kim Leiter, UT Martin
 
“To have raised two elite athletes is an accomplishment in itself. I appreciated the support Leah gave to us and like to think the Gamecocks have a special place in her heart because of the impact her daughter, Kendall, had on our athletics dept as a swimmer. Before becoming our director, Leah could always be seen supporting UGA and her daughter Logan as she competed on the flat and over fences.  She always had an interest in what we were doing and I enjoyed sharing stories with her. Leah has done an excellent job establishing the role of executive director of NCEA and helping progress the NCAA sport of equestrian. I’m sorry to see her go but know she has left NCAA equestrian in a great spot for the future.” – Boo Major, South Carolina
 
“We are all going to miss Dr. Leah so much, she has elevated the collegiate level of the equestrian sport. Dr. Leah has devoted so much time and energy to developing the single-discipline conferences and has helped run the conference tournaments for the last several years. I will never forget Dr. Leah helping me run a conference tournament at Dartmouth College during a winter storm and how positive she was despite the freezing temperatures. Thank you for all that you have done for the equestrian sport, for NCEA, and for me, thank you!” - Tenley Walsh, Dartmouth
 
“Dr. Fiorentino’s efforts allowed thousands of women to have incredible experiences as collegiate student-athletes.  Thank you isn’t enough.” – Haley Schoolfield, TCU
 
“It’s hard to put into words what Dr. Leah has meant to the sport of NCAA Equestrian and the NCEA.  Through her extraordinary efforts and unrelenting commitment, she has provided countless opportunities for young women to compete, and then go on to coach, and work in college athletics.   Without her passion for opportunities for women in athletics, I would not have had the opportunity to chase my dreams and passions.  She is truly a trailblazer and I could not be more proud to also call her ‘Mom.’” – Logan Fiorentino, TCU
 
“Dr. Leah has forged an amazing path for the NCEA and the sport of Equestrian.  She has impacted thousands of student athletes and fans.  We are lucky to have had her lead us.” – Carol Gwin, SMU
 
“Dr. Leah was instrumental in securing the ECAC as a conference for Delaware State University to belong to. This was crucial for DSU and several other institutions to be able to offer post season competition and valuable conference accolades. Her consistent work, communications and connections added a 3rd conference to the NCEA which offers new teams not in the Big 12 or SEC a place to compete.  Dr. Leah is always available for words of wisdom, encouragement and solutions to all the ECAC coaches as we navigated new territory establishing the ECAC.  Her unbiased support of all teams, student athletes and coaches is something that will be greatly missed.” – Jennifer Ridgely, Delaware State
 

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About the NCEA
A non-profit corporation, the NCEA is a governing body to advance the sport of equestrian. The NCEA is responsible for the development and administration of equestrian rules and guidelines. Equestrian is subject to all NCAA policies and procedures in the same manner as other sports. In 1998, Equestrian was identified and adopted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) as an emerging sport for women at the Division I and II levels. 
 
NCEA competitions are in a head-to-head format, and schools may choose to compete as a single or dual discipline team (Jumping Seat and Western). Each discipline has two events: in Jumping Seat, Fences and Flat, and in Western, Horsemanship and Reining. Teams can have five riders per event, with horses assigned by random draw at the start of the competition. Riders from opposing teams compete on the same horse, and whichever rider receives the higher score earns one point for her team. The level of difficulty is demonstrated by the accuracy of the pattern and how the competitor uses the horse to the best of her ability.
 
To stay up to date all year long on all things NCEA Equestrian, follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @NCEA_Equestrian and @ncea_eq.