WACO, Texas – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association has announced the Educated Rider Standout Student-Athlete and NCEA Horse of the Month awards for the month of November, as voted on by the NCEA Awards Committee, released Thursday.
 
Bridgewater's Margaret Brown is honored as the Educated Rider Standout Student-Athlete of the Month, while TCU's Katie is given the spotlight as the Horse of the Month.

Educated Rider Standout Student-Athlete of the Month
Every month the NCEA recognizes student-athletes for their accomplishments in the ring, however the NCEA would like to highlight athletes on their outstanding performances outside of the ring, including academics, philanthropy, outstanding attitude, and embodiment of an ideal teammate.
Name of Student-Athlete: Margaret Brown
School & Year: Bridgewater College, Sophomore
Hometown: Chesterfield, Va.
Major: Political Science & Business Administration
Highlighted Accomplishments: 
Margaret was inducted into the National Leadership Honors Society on Nov. 19, 2025.
She also attended the Virginia Government Simulation at Virginia Commonwealth University in November and the bill that she had written at Bridgewater College was chosen as the bill to be presented during this event at Virginia Commonwealth University. 
Coach’s Comments:
"Margaret is a Co-Captain for our NCEA team where she leads by example and has been a great support for the team and especially the two new freshmen. She is a leader in and out of the classroom."
 
Horse of the Month
This highlight is focused on an outstanding horse, not just one that gets high score every meet or an “MOP horse” but one that shows heart and represents the values of its respective school.
Name of Horse (Barn & Show Name): Katie
Discipline: Flat
School: TCU
Highlighted Accomplishments: 
Against Oklahoma State in the season opener, she scored an 81 which was the high score for the event and enough to earn her an MOP accolade. She followed that up with an 85.5 the following week against Baylor, the second-highest score at the event. She wasn’t done there, scoring a 94 and 89 against Auburn, and the 94 tied the event high score. She closed out her fall with another stellar ride, scoring an 81 during the Georgia Meet.
Coach’s Comments:
"Katie was donated in April 2024 and has been steadily learning and improving in her role on the team. This fall, she has really stepped up on the flat, consistently earning top scores throughout the fall season. Against Oklahoma State in the season opener, she scored an 81 which was the high score for the event and enough to earn her an MOP accolade. She followed that up with an 85.5 the following week against Baylor, the second-highest score at the event. She wasn’t done there, scoring a 94 and 89 against Auburn, and the 94 tied the event high score. She closed out her fall with another stellar ride, scoring an 81 during the Georgia Meet."

About Educated Rider
Educated Rider empowers young equestrians to take their collegiate recruiting journey by the reins. Founded by former Division I NCEA athlete Raegan Rast, Educated Rider provides courses, one-on-one coaching, and practical tools built from firsthand experience in the sport and the recruiting process. Since launching, Educated Rider has supported more than 30 riders in committing to top Division I equestrian programs across the country. With a focus on clarity, confidence, and long-term success, Educated Rider helps student-athletes and their families navigate recruiting with a trusted partner by their side.
 
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.