MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - Berry College's Department of Athletics announces today that the Berry Equestrian program has joined the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA). In addition, the team also has accepted membership as an affiliate member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The program will join each affiliation beginning in the 2022-23 academic year.
Along with these latest memberships, Berry will retain its membership with the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA).
"We are very excited to expand competive opportunities and recognition for current and future equestrian athletes here at Berry through the NCEA and ECAC," said Berry Director of Athletics Angel Mason.
"I am excited about the opportunity for our riders to compete at the NCEA," said Berry head coach Margaret Ellington. "Our program has historically seen great success and we hope this opportunity will benefit us in the future. I am happy for our student-athletes to receive more opportunities to compete."
The NCEA will be similar to Berry's other varsity sports competing in the NCAA, and the ECAC will be similar to Berry's teams participating in the Southern Athletic Association.
Earning varsity status in 2007, Berry College quickly become a powerhouse. The Vikings won IHSA Western National Championships in 2011, 2015, and 2016. Team members have also earned six national championships from the IHSA.
About the NCEA
The NCEA is a governing body to advance the sport of equestrian. 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. This winter at the NCAA Convention, there will be a vote to make equestrian an emerging sport for Division III.
NCEA competitions are 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, Jumping Seat Fences, and Flat, Western Horsemanship, and Reining. The Vikings will compete as a single-discipline team in the Jumping Seat events. Teams can play 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.
A non-profit corporation, the NCEA was created as 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.
Berry joins 27 other schools across all three NCAA Divisions in the league, and they join four other NCAA Division III institutions in the league: Bridgewater (Va.), Lynchburg (Va.), Sweet Briar (Va.), and University of the South (Tenn.).
About the ECAC
The ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) is an 82-year-old organization with well over 200 member schools across all three NCAA Divisions - I, II and III. The ECAC exists to enhance the experience of student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics and provides great value for universities and colleges by sponsoring championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments and other competitions throughout the Northeast. The ECAC's esports platform is growing and now totals more than sixty colleges and universities and is expanding the geographic footprint for the conference nationally. The ECAC is also sponsoring competitions and leagues involving other varsity and club sports that do not fall under the umbrella of the NCAA.
