WACO, Texas – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) welcomes Samantha K. Huge as its next Executive Director, effective August 1.
 
Huge joins the NCEA as the Executive Director while continuing to serve RealResponse as Executive Vice President, a role she has held since 2021.
 
“Within the first moment of meeting her, we knew Samantha Huge was the right leader for the future of NCEA,” said Meghan Boenig, president of the NCEA and head coach of the University of Georgia. “A former eventing competitor, Samantha exudes passion, deep appreciation, and genuine interest in NCAA Equestrian. Combining these traits with her knowledge and experience within NCAA governance and on-campus administration, you have a dynamic leader poised to ensure our success. It’s exciting to think of our future as we follow Director Huge’s vision and rise to conquer the challenges ahead.”
 
The South Carolina resident is an influential and respected leader with more than twenty-five years of experience in NCAA Division I athletics and the sports industry as a whole. Huge currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Collegiate Athletics at RealResponse, a technology platform that provides athletes with a protected space for communicating sensitive issues. Huge held senior-level positions at Wake Forest University, Texas A&M University, Georgetown University, and the University of Delaware before serving as the Director of Athletics at the College of William & Mary.

In addition to her campus work, Huge was a member of several league and NCAA committees, including the NCAA Division I Council, the Division I Football Oversight Committee, and the Division I Basketball Competition Committee. She earned her law degree from Campbell University after graduating from Gordon College, where she played four years of varsity basketball. Huge previously served as board president and executive committee member of WeCOACH, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches in all sports and levels.

Huge has deep ties to the equestrian world as well. She grew up as a member of the Pony Club, where she developed her commitment to horsemanship and love of eventing. Her family farm, Godspeed Farm, hosted multi-division horse trials in the early days of eventing in South Carolina. She spent her teenage years competing in horse trials through the preliminary level in the US and trained in Great Britain, competing through the intermediate level. 
 
“I am excited to have someone of Samantha Huge’s experience - both in the equestrian world and in NCAA athletics - to lead the NCEA into the future,” said Tom O’Mara, president of the United States Equestrian Federation, the national governing body for equestrian sport. “As one of two educational partners of the USEF, the NCEA plays an important role in the development of young equestrians in this country. I look forward to collaborating with Samantha and the team at the NCEA to ensure a successful future for NCAA equestrian.”
 
The NCEA looks forward to Director Huge’s strategic leadership and vision as she brings her extensive experience in collegiate athletics to advocate for NCAA equestrian. 
 
“I am honored to be selected by President Meghan Boenig and the search committee, and I want to thank David Chadwick, CEO of RealResponse, for supporting my appointment to this role as I continue to serve RealResponse’s partners and clients on campus,” said Huge. “I am confident that my experience in NCAA athletics and its governance, coupled with my passion for equestrian sport, will serve the association well. I knew the smell of a barn before I could walk, joined the pony club, and went on to compete for years until I had to choose between riding and college. Thankfully, today, young women don’t have to make that choice with the opportunities that the NCEA provides. I understand the challenges and opportunities facing our sport, and I am eager to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure its continued success and growth. I am confident that together we can navigate the complexities of collegiate athletics and position the NCAA equestrian for a strong future.”
 
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.