Auburn, Ala. – Three former Auburn equestrian athletes—Anna Becker, Allie Moore, and Grace Sanders—have been named National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Distinguished Alumni honorees, according to an announcement made Monday by the NCEA.
Anna Becker was recognized for her contributions in equine industry coaching. She competed for Auburn from 2010 to 2013, contributing to two Southern Equestrian Conference Championships, two Hunt Seat National Championships, and two team National Championships. After graduating cum laude in marketing in 2013, Becker began her coaching career at Kansas State as a Hunt Seat coach from 2013 to 2015. She later joined Georgia’s staff in 2018 as an assistant coach and was promoted to associate head coach overseeing Jumping Seat riders. Under her guidance, Georgia won national championships in 2021 and 2025 and secured an Equitation Over Fences national title in 2019. Becker was named Assistant Coach of the Year in both championship years.
“Allie has had an exemplary career in physical therapy since graduating from Auburn,” said head coach Jessica Braswell. “She has demonstrated leadership not only as a student-athlete but within her professional industry. She has been promoted throughout her career to take on bigger roles and has been elected to many of these roles by her peers. She has and continues to represent herself, Auburn and the NCEA well.”
Allie Moore (formerly Allie Dusha), honored for her work in health sciences, rode for Auburn from 2012 to 2016 and graduated summa cum laude with degrees in exercise science and physical activity & health. She earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Ohio State University in 2019. Moore currently works as a physical therapist at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, where she serves as Program Coordinator for General Medicine & General Surgery. In this role, she develops rehabilitation processes for patients on medical and surgical units and holds various leadership positions including serving as the Ohio Federal Affairs Liaison.
Grace Sanders (formerly Grace Socha) received recognition for her impact on education. A member of the team from 2008 to 2012, Sanders helped Auburn win the national championship in 2011 and two Southern Equestrian Conference titles. She was named Most Valuable Player in Fences during the championship year. Sanders is now Director of Officiating Administration and Sport Administrator for Equestrian at the Southeastern Conference (SEC), where she manages the SEC Championship each year and advocates for the sport among member institutions.
“Grace is an excellent representative of the NCEA to receive this award,” Braswell said. “She was an exceptional student-athlete, a hard-working graduate assistant and now a standout professional with the SEC. She was fortunate to have the experiences of being an equestrian student-athlete and now continues to help grow the sport through her work at the conference office and her involvement with the NCEA.”
Distinguished Alumni are chosen across nine categories such as business, community engagement, education, various aspects of equine industry work, health sciences/services, media & communication, and young alumni status. Candidates must have been separated from their institution for at least six years prior to nomination; they are selected based on academic achievement, athletic success, service contributions, and post-graduate accomplishments.
Each NCEA team can nominate one alumnus per category each year; selections are reviewed by a committee before approval by the NCEA Board of Directors.
