College of Charleston’s equestrian team will compete against Dartmouth in the semifinals of the 2026 National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Single Discipline Championships, according to a March 31 announcement. The event is scheduled for April 17-18 at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida.
The matchup comes as Charleston participates in its second season within the NCEA Single Discipline competition. Last year, Charleston also entered as a three seed and advanced to the national championship after defeating No. 2 Sweet Briar before facing Dartmouth.
Head coach Natasha Vitkovic said, “We are honored and excited to land three seed in the NCEA Single Discipline rankings and to receive an invitation back to the NCEA national championships. It’ll surely be another exciting First Round against our rival, Dartmouth. I have full confidence in our team and coaching staff that we’ll be fully prepared for this year’s rematch. We have remained focused on the long game; peeking at the right time and on the right occasion.”
The Cougars hold a 6-5 overall record this season and secured notable victories over top-ranked teams during February, including a win against Dartmouth by a score of 6-4 on February 15 and another victory over Lynchburg later that month. These results contributed to Charleston achieving its first-ever No.1 ranking nationally.
At this year’s ECAC Single Discipline Championship, several members of Charleston’s team received individual honors: junior Lainie Rubin was named Flat Rider of the Year, senior Maddi Cardelli earned Fences Rider of the Year, while Hope Hewitt was recognized as Assistant Coach of the Year. Rubin also made both All-Conference and All-Tournament Teams for flat riding; Cardelli joined her with All-Conference recognition for fences alongside junior Maddi Cardelli (listed twice), while senior Olivia Welsh received a Sportsmanship Award.
If victorious against Dartmouth, Charleston would advance to play either Lynchburg or Sweet Briar in pursuit of a national title.
