WACO, Texas – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) welcomes Hollins University as its newest member, the organization announced on Monday, October 13, 2025. With the addition of Hollins, located in Virginia, the NCEA now includes 24 member institutions across 14 states.
“We are proud to have the Hollins University equestrian program join the NCEA beginning in the 2026-27 season,” said Lynn Hickey, NCEA Executive Director. “It is an honor to add an academic institution like Hollins University to our membership, which also has an established, competitive, and successful equestrian program. The addition of Hollins University to the NCEA helps us to continue to strengthen our growing Single Discipline Division of teams that are currently competing in the NCEA. We welcome them and look forward to assisting them as they expand their competitive athletic opportunities for their students.”
Hollins will introduce its NCEA Division III equestrian program in the 2026-27 academic year, marking an exciting new chapter in the university’s storied riding tradition. Hollins will retain its membership with the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) while expanding into NCEA competition, offering student-athletes enhanced opportunities to compete and excel.
“We are thrilled to join the NCEA and continue our tradition of excellence in Riding,” said Chris Kilcoyne, Director of Athletics at Hollins. “This opportunity enables our student-athletes to compete at the highest level, showcasing the strength of our program on a national stage. Our commitment to the NCEA will not only advance our equestrian program but also open the door to broader, more competitive opportunities that will enrich the student-athlete experience for years to come.”
The Green and Gold will compete as a single-discipline Jumping Seat team, becoming the 10th program of its kind within the NCEA and the sixth NCAA Division III program institution to adopt the NCEA format.
About Hollins University
Hollins University is a private liberal arts university set on a picturesque 475-acre campus in Roanoke, Virginia. Founded in 1842 as Valley Union Seminary in the historic community of Botetourt Springs, Hollins is one of the nation’s oldest institutions of higher education for women. Today, it enrolls approximately 800 undergraduate and graduate students and is nationally recognized for its academic excellence, creative focus, and dedication to developing women leaders.
Signature offerings include the Batten Executive Certificate in Leadership, a nationally competitive equestrian program, the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum, the acclaimed Jackson Center for Creative Writing, and the Wyndham Robertson Library—designated Virginia’s first National Literary Landmark. The university’s historic Front Quadrangle is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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.
- collegiateequestrian.com -