WACO, Texas – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) is thrilled to promote Lynn Hickey to Executive Director after a year in the Deputy Director position.
 
Hickey’s official start date with her new title will be September 1. 
 
“I am truly honored and thrilled that the NCEA has chosen me as their Executive Director and given me their support,” said Hickey. “Serving as the Deputy Director this past year, and working under Samantha Huge, I gained knowledge about the sport and have had the opportunity to develop relationships with coaches, student-athletes, and administrators. I gained experience both in the internal structural operations of the NCEA and the external needs of the organization. 
 
Our primary goal is to move Equestrian from NCAA emerging sport status to NCAA championship status. As a former administrator at Texas A&M, who had the opportunity to help add the sport of equestrian to the athletic program, it is rewarding to be able to help the sport to continue to grow. The NCEA has a solid foundation led by outstanding coaches and built on the skill and dedication of incredibly talented student-athletes. We have a remarkable story to tell and a group of passionate competitors, coaches, alumni, and fans to help showcase the sport.”
 
Hickey is a pioneer in collegiate athletics, working in and around it for over 50 years as a student-athlete, coach, and administrator. The beginning of her career coincided with the start of Title IX and Hickey is an excellent example of what it has done for women in sport. 
 
“I am very excited that Lynn will be serving the NCEA as the Executive Director.  She has proven herself to be invaluable over the last year as the Deputy Director and the NCEA Board of Directors unanimously agreed Lynn will be an asset in the role of Executive Director.  Her role within the organization over the last year has helped us to restructure our internal operations and set new goals to enhance and support the national championship. Lynn’s wealth of experience in college athletics as a coach and an athletic administrator will serve the NCEA as we work towards NCAA championship status.”
 
The Hickey History
She began her career in intercollegiate sports as a women’s basketball coach with stints at the University of Oklahoma, Kansas State University, and Texas A&M University. She started her career in athletics administration at Texas A&M in 1984, holding the dual position of Head Women’s Basketball Coach and Assistant AD for Women’s Sports/SWA. In 1994, after taking Aggie women’s basketball to the NCAA Sweet 16, she transitioned out of coaching to full-time administrative work serving as the Senior Associate AD/SWA until 1999. During her administrative tenure at Texas A&M, she assisted in initiating the start of the sport of equestrian to Aggieland.
 
In the fall of 1999, Hickey became the Director of Athletics at the University of Texas, San Antonio (UTSA) where she served the Roadrunners in that role for 18 years. Hickey was the only female Division I athletics director to oversee both men’s and women’s sports in the state of Texas at the time. While there, she spearheaded the addition of football, women’s golf, and women’s soccer to the sports slate in San Antonio. Hickey was also instrumental in helping UTSA receive invitations to join the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA. During her tenure, UTSA was an integral part of the San Antonio Local Organizing Committee, bringing numerous NCAA events including Men’s and Women’s Final Fours to the city. 
 
In the spring of 2018, Hickey became the Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics for Eastern Washington University. While at EWU, the football team made an appearance in the FCS Championship game and men’s basketball won two Big Sky regular-season championships and one postseason championship. She retired from athletic administration in June of 2023 and has moved back to Texas to be closer to family.
 
Hickey has served on various NCAA Committees during her career including the Nominations Committee, Strategic Vision and Planning Committee, Championships and Competition Cabinet and the Women’s Basketball Rules Committee. She was appointed to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee in 2007. Hickey, whose five-year term expired in 2012, became just the second female ever selected to the committee. She also served on the Board of Women Leaders in College Sports and as their President in 2015-16.
 
Hickey has been honored nationally and locally for her work in collegiate athletics. She was named the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators 2005 Division I-AAA Administrator of the Year. Hickey earned her second national award in June 2006 as the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics/General Sports TURF Systems Division I-AAA West Region AD of the Year. The San Antonio Express-News tabbed her as its 2010 Sportswoman of the Year, and she also was selected to and completed the Masters Leadership Program of San Antonio and Bexar County. In September 2011, she received the ATHENA Leadership from the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. In 2020, she was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame. Hickey is also a member of the Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame, the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Honor, the UTSA Athletics Hall of Fame and the NACDA Hall of Fame.
 
About the NCEA
The National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing collegiate equestrian, an emerging NCAA sport for women. In partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), the NCEA provides opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the highest level while achieving excellence in academics and athletics.
 
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.