By: Kendall Wilkes, Auburn Athletics Communications Intern
Growing up in Birmingham meant that fifth year Olivia Bradley was no stranger to the Orange and Blue.
For every Auburn football game she was able to attend growing up, she and her family would throw in an Auburn equestrian meet as well.
“Auburn has always felt like a second home,” Bradley said. “On top of that, the equestrian program is unmatched.”
In addition to attending the meets, young Bradley looked forward to attending Auburn Equestrian’s annual camps for as long as she can remember.
“I still have pictures from when I was too young to remember of me on Auburn horses,” Bradley said. “I always wanted to be part of the team and come to Auburn as a student. It has always been number one for me.”
Although she grew up surrounded by all the good things Auburn has to offer to their fans, nothing has come close to the moment Bradley and the team won the 2022 SEC Championship at the Auburn University Equestrian Center.
Bradley explained there’s nothing better than winning at home and running to Toomer’s Corner with her teammates.
“We’ve won at other places before, but winning at home after putting all the hard work in was so much fun,” Bradley said. “We went straight to Toomer’s Corner, and it was unmatched. If I could put in all of the hard work that we put in to get that win at home, I would do it every year.”
Between balancing her time in the classroom and her time in the barn, Bradley adapted to long days that consisted of early morning workouts, classes until noon and then practice from then into the evenings. If she was not practicing, she was completing chores around the barn and taking care of the horses. These responsibilities taught Bradley time management and focusing on the team.
“Our coaches are really good about giving us days off when they can and giving us plenty of heads up about things we need to know,” Bradley said. “It’s a challenging schedule, but definitely doable.”
She advises incoming student-athletes to buy into the program from the start. Bradley and her teammates have continuously given Auburn equestrian their all, and they encourage incoming Tigers to do the same.
“Coming in as a freshman can be a little overwhelming, but you’re on a team now,” Bradley said. “It’s a whole different atmosphere. Have fun and lean on your teammates.”
As she grew confident in herself and her team, she began to set goals for herself and her teammates. As the rest of the team would agree, Bradley hopes they can win another SEC championship this season and maybe even a national title.
“Under that, but on the same level of importance, I want the team to create a culture that will last and carry on throughout all the years to come.
“For myself, with it being my last year, I want to have a good, fun year,” Bradley added. “I want to enjoy my time and take it all in and be in the moment.”
Bradley, who went as Olivia Marino her first four years on the Plains, has been taking advantage of her opportunities on campus.
She had a busy May in 2024, getting married to Chase Bradley and graduating with her bachelor's degree in supply chain management. She is currently working on her master’s in adult education.
On top of her academic success, she’s excelled athletically in a sport she’s been a part of since she was very young. She will finish her career as an All-SEC performer as well as an NCEA All-Championship Team member.
“I’ve been competing since I was 12,” Bradley said. “I’ve gone through every stage of life with this sport and it’s going to be really tough to walk away from it. Luckily, the memories are still there and always will be.”
Bradley credits her parents for their constant love and support through every spin and stop in her life.
“Even though they never competed in equestrian, they have been the most influential people through it all,” Bradley said. “When things got hard in competitions, they always picked me back up and pushed me. Thanks to them, I learned not to give up no matter how hard it gets.”
And as she gets ready for another change in life, there are so many things that she’ll miss as a student-athlete.
“If I could tell them anything, I would thank them for all the meets they come to just to support us,” Bradley said. “Through the ups and the down, they are always here for us. The support we get from them on rainy days, cold days, every day…I cannot thank them enough.”
Lucky for Bradley (and for Auburn), she will continue to live in Auburn with her husband post-graduation. And the team will be ready to see her cheering them on from the other side of the fence.