The National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) has announced the 2025 end of year awards, published Monday, which highlight outstanding coaches and riders across the sport.
For the coaching awards, it was the national champion coaches who were honored. Meghan Boenig of Georgia earned Head Coach of the Year for Dual Discipline, while Dartmouth’s Tenley Walsh was named for Single Discipline.
Boenig guided her squad to a 9-6 regular-season record before going 3-0 in Ocala for the title. She had First-, Second- and Honorable Mention All-Americans named as well as 15 All-Academic honorees. Over the course of the regular-season, the bulldogs had 29 MOPs and 15 total postseason accolades. Named SEC Coach of the Year, Boenig also had four All-SEC riders.
Walsh led her team to its first Single Discipline Championship title, going 5-4 in the regular season and then 3-1 in the postseason. She coached her student-athletes to two Ariat All-America selections and a handful of APHA All-Academic nods.
For the Jumping Seat Coach of the Year, Dartmouth’s Megan McGill earned the honor for Single Discipline while Anna Becker of UGA was named for Dual. On the Western side, the Bulldogs’ McKenzie Lantz was named Western Coach of the Year.
McGill and her Big Green went 8-5 overall on the season and had two Ariat All-America nods with multiple APHA All-Academic selections.
Becker, who coaches Fences and assists with Flat, went 9-6 in Fences and saw the Flat squad go 8-6-2. Her squad earned 16 MOPs overall for the regular-season with nine in Fences and seven in Flat. They also earned nine post-season honors overall with All-Championship nods and MOPs.
Lantz, who coaches both Horsemanship and Reining, went 7-8 on the regular-season before going 2-1 at the NCEA Championship. She had one Horsemanship All-American named and seven All-Academic honorees honored. Lantz had nine regular-season MOPs and six post-season MOPs and All-Championship team nods.
Delaware State earned the Sportsmanship Award after displaying great attitudes and welcoming spirits home and away.
Sophia Pilla was named Flat Rider of the Year from Georgia after a 12-3 record on the year and a win margin of five points. She was named Second Team Ariat All-America and APHA First Team All-Academic with five MOP awards. Pilla was named SEC Flat Rider of the Year, SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, All-SEC and had a high score of 92 for the season.
Auburn’s Avery Glynn was named Fences Rider of the Year after going a perfect 13-0 on the season with an 11.9 average win margin. She was named First Team Ariat All-America along with being named First Team APHA All-Academic. Glynn earned four MOPs on the season and was named SEC Fences Rider of the Year and All-SEC. She had an average score of 85.8.
Nya Kearns of SMU earned the Horsemanship Rider of the Year award after going a perfect 17-0 for the season. Her average win margin was 4.4 points with a First Team Ariat All-America nod as well as a Second Team APHA All-Academic selection. Kearns earned 10 MOPs on the season, including Championship MOP, along with an All-Championship selection.
TCU’s Shea Graham rounded out the rider awards, earning Reining Rider of the Year. After going 11-4-1 with an average win margin of about two points, Graham earned Ariat First Team All-America honors and a Second Team APHA All-Academic nod. The Reining Rider of the Year for Big 12, Graham earned five MOPs in the regular season and was named All-Big 12 as well.
2025 End of Year Awards
Head Coach of the Year Dual Discipline – Meghan Boenig (UGA)
Head Coach of the Year Single Discipline – Tenley Walsh (Dartmouth)
Jumping Seat Coach of the Year Dual Discipline – Anna Becker (UGA)
Jumping Seat Coach of the Year Single Discipline – Megan McGill (Dartmouth)
Western Coach of the Year – McKenzie Lantz (UGA)
Sportsmanship Award – Delaware State
Flat Rider of the Year – Sophia Pilla, (UGA)
Fences Rider of the Year – Avery Glynn (Auburn)
Horsemanship Rider of the Year – Nya Kearns (SMU)
Reining Rider of the Year – Shea Graham (TCU)
Click here to read more from NCEA.
