Making History

Caitlin Lyons is the second equestrian in history to be nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

By Delores Kuhlwein

This year, women in equestrian sports have been breaking glass ceilings and rewriting history, and University of Georgia graduate and Bulldogs Equestrian Caitlin Lyons recently catapulted to the top of that list as the second equestrian in history to be nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year.

The first equestrian, former UGA Bulldog Emma Mandarino, was a Top 30 candidate in 2019.

The NCAA Woman of the Year program was established in 1991 to recognize athletes for their “outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.”

As one might imagine, determining the top representative in NCAA women’s sports is a multi-step process, especially with a record-breaking 627 women nominated across each of the three NCAA divisions in 2024.  The pool is then narrowed to the Top 30, then to the Final Nine.

For Caitlin, the nomination by the UGA Athletic Association was a complete privilege. “I was honored to have been selected by The Georgia Way and our athletic staff to represent the University of Georgia along with a fellow athlete, Caterina Don, for this award,” explains Caitlin.

Now Lyons, who graduated with a degree in Ecology in 2023 and in 2024, took her fifth year with the equestrian team and obtained her second degree in French, has made it all the way to the Top Nine Finalist list as of November.  “Most days, I really can’t believe that I was selected as a representative among the other amazing women for this award. Each and every one of them have put so much dedication into their athletics, academics, and their community. They are truly role models,” she reveals.

As a student-athlete, Lyons says she constantly strived to be worthy of wearing the “G” on her back inside and outside of the ring. “Because of that, I worked relentlessly in the classroom, gave 110% at the barn, and was dedicated to volunteer work. Part of the submission process was to share your career goals, and I emphasized how the time I spent on the equestrian team has shaped my goals for the future. Learning how to compromise with teammates and engaging in a constant partnership are all going to be aspects of my career moving forward. The interactions between stakeholders, the public, and biologists are all vital to the conservation of endangered species, and collegiate athletics gave me the chance to develop these skills. These aspects are essential to the coexistence and cohabitation of humans and wildlife, and I hope to bring these lessons into the field as I move forward.”

The Equestrianism Driving the Success

All around, reining, and cowhorse fans likely recognize Lyons from her career showing with AQHA, NRHA, and NRCHA, in which she demonstrated her commitment and fortitude to achieving L2 Showmanship World Champion ** 2019; L1 Showmanship West Champion 2019; L3 Showmanship 5th place 2020; L3 Reining Top 20 2020; L2 Horsemanship Semi-Finalist 2020; and L3 Working Cowhorse 4th place 2015.

What she explains, however, is that horses are responsible for shaping her as an individual, both in and out of college.

“Growing up and competing with horses has absolutely made me into the person I am today, and I don’t know who I would be if I had grown up differently,” she confesses.  “I say this often, but growing up, we learned to always take care of the horse before ourselves. This meant giving them baths, cleaning their stall, feeding them, putting their sleezies on, etc. before we went home for the day. Animals have always been so close to my heart because of this. Growing up with this love and connection with animals has shaped my career goals as well. In college, this love was formed into a passion for understanding and wanting to protect endangered wildlife.”

Riding on the equestrian team further developed that love and it blossomed into much more, says Lyons.  “Riding on the equestrian team is what brought me to Georgia, and I am so incredibly grateful for that. The equestrian team is what grounded me in college, and it was my constant priority. This gave me incredible structure, taught me how to manage my time efficiently, and gave me the opportunity to be around horses each day.”

In addition, taking care of their teammates gave all of them purpose, and shaped her college experience. “It also gave me the opportunity to compete on a team, which is not typical in the horse riding environment,” she explains. “I am blessed to have been a part of the UGA 2021 NCAA National Championship team; winning that championship was a lifelong dream and an experience I’ll never forget.”

Looking Forward – and Back

For equestrian team hopefuls, Lyons says keeping the focus on teamwork is essential. “Once you start competing with a team, your contributions in the ring become so much bigger than yourself,” she explains. “Learning how to compete in this way requires a change in mindset and a desire to perform for the people around you. However, this makes the wins even better because you get to celebrate with the people around you. Going through the highs and lows with those people around you makes the journey even more impactful and meaningful, and it’s an experience that can’t be replaced.”

Reflected on how horses have impacted her life, and will continue to, Lyons has this to say:  “We are so lucky and privileged to be able to ride and spend time with horses, and whether we know it or not, they are shaping us into the people we are meant to be. Whenever competing, riding, or being gone every weekend seems overwhelming, remember to give your horse some cookies and a kiss on their nose – they deserve it.”

 

The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will choose and announce the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year at the NCAA Convention in January in Nashville, Tennessee, and will also honor the Top 30 nominees.

Watch Caitlin’s NCAA YouTube video, including what she has to say about the incredible sport of equestrian:

 

More on the nominees of the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year Award:

https://www.ncaa.org/news/2024/11/20/media-center-2024-ncaa-woman-of-the-year-finalists-named.aspx)