WACO, Texas – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) welcomes Washington & Lee as its newest member, the organization announced on Monday.
The Division III Generals join as an associate member for the 2026-2027 season and become a full member with postseason eligibility beginning in the 2027-2028 season.
The move expands competitive opportunities for the Generals while preserving the program's long-standing participation in the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) and Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC).
"The National Collegiate Equestrian Association is honored to have the Washington and Lee University Equestrian program become part of the NCEA beginning in the fall of 2027," said Lynn Hickey, NCEA Executive Director. "W&L is recognized nationally as an outstanding academic institution with a storied athletic history. Under the leadership of Athletic Director Jan Hathorn, they consistently are recognized as a top tier program in the ODAC and nationally in the Learfield Director Cup standings. We are confident that the long tradition of equestrian at Washington and Lee, along with the experienced leadership of Coach Chris Mitchell, will make the Generals a strong contender in NCEA Single Discipline competition."
Washington and Lee, led by second year head coach, Chris Mitchell, has a storied riding tradition, competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA). Since its establishment in 1999-2000, the Washington and Lee riding program has produced 15 IHSA National Championship Qualifiers, nine Zone Champions, 23 Regional Champions and 67 All-ODAC honorees. As a team, the Generals have captured four championships, including three ODAC titles and the 2022 IHSA Zone 4, Region 2 Team Championship.
"We are excited that the W&L equestrian program will become a member of the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) in 2027-2028 season," said the Michael F. Walsh Director of Athletics, Jan Hathorn. "We believe this opportunity will showcase the excellence of our riding program regionally and nationally and enhance the opportunities of our student-athletes by enabling them to compete at the highest level of varsity equestrian competition."
The Blue and White become the association's 11th single-discipline jumping seat program and eighth NCAA Division III institution to join. During the 2026-27 associate membership year, the Generals will gain valuable experience competing in the format before becoming eligible for NCEA postseason competition in 2027-28.
Mitchell is looking forward to the new challenge: "Competing in this equestrian format provides Washington and Lee with an exciting opportunity to continue growing the program and expanding our presence within the sport."
"I look forward to joining the NCEA as an associate member this year, learning the process, and preparing for full competitive membership beginning in the fall of 2027. We had the opportunity to scrimmage against the University of Lynchburg this past season, and I felt our team performed very well and demonstrated that we can be competitive immediately within the ODAC. Having strong programs such as Lynchburg and Sweet Briar College in the conference will only help elevate our program and make us stronger competitors."
By adding NCEA competition to its schedule, the Generals will have the opportunity to compete more regularly against some of the nation's premier collegiate equestrian programs, including fellow ODAC members Berry, Bridgewater, Sweet Briar, Sewanee and Lynchburg, which has captured four of the last five NCEA National Championships.
Mitchell expressed his gratitude, "I would like to thank Jan Hathorn and the entire Washington and Lee Athletics Department for their continued support and commitment in helping us reach this milestone."
The Generals will continue competing in IHSA while adding NCEA competition during the 2026-27 season before becoming fully eligible for NCEA postseason competition in 2027-28.
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 -