AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn equestrian’s Anna Becker, Allie Moore and Grace Sanders were named National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Distinguished Alumni honorees, the organization announced Monday.
Becker was recognized for her contributions in equine industry coaching, while Moore was honored for her efforts in health sciences and Sanders was recognized for her impact in education.
“I’m so happy for these women and proud of their recognition as NCEA Distinguished Alumni,” head coach Jessica Braswell said. “Anna, Allie and Grace all had outstanding careers at Auburn and have gone on to have very successful professional careers. We hope that student-athletes win championships during their time at Auburn but more importantly we want them to be successful after sport. These three women have excelled and been great representatives of their sport and alma mater.”
Becker was a member of the Auburn equestrian team from 2010-13. She was part of two Southern Equestrian Conference Championships, two Hunt Seat National Championships and two team National Championships while with the Tigers. She graduated Cum Laude from Auburn in 2013 with a degree in marketing.
After Auburn, Becker entered the coaching world and served as a Hunt Seat coach at Kansas State from 2013-2015. She helped the team to back-to-back undefeated records at home as well as a Big 12 Reserve Champion finish in 2015.
Following her time at Kansas State, Becker joined the staff at Georgia in June 2018 as an assistant coach and has since been promoted to associate head coach, overseeing the team’s Jumping Seat riders. Since being with the Bulldogs, Becker and Georgia have won two national championships (2021 and 2025) and an Equitation Over Fences national title (2019).
Becker was named the 2021 and 2025 Assistant Coach of the Year following the program’s national title runs.
“Anna has established herself as one of the most successful Jumping Seat coaches in the country,” Braswell said. “She was an integral part of Auburn’s program as a student-athlete and was able to develop an understanding of what it takes to win championships, bringing that with her into coaching. She has been honored by her peers multiple times and is very deserving of this recognition by our national organization.”
Moore (formerly Allie Dusha) competed for Auburn from 2012-16 and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major in exercise science and physical activity & health. After her time on the Plains, she attended Ohio State and earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2019.
As a member of the equestrian team, she helped guide the program to two NCEA national titles (2013 and 2016) and its first Southeastern Conference championship in 2016. She secured All-America Honorable Mention and All-SEC in Reining in 2015.
Moore is being recognized for her efforts in health sciences as she is currently working at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. She is a physical therapist with the hospital and serves as the Program Coordinator for General Medicine & General Surgery. Through this role, she works to develop and advance rehab processes and procedures on medical and surgical units within the hospital to ensure each patient is getting the best care possible from the rehabilitation team.
Through her professional career, Moore has served in many leadership roles. These include Ohio Federal Affairs Liaison (2022, 2023), Chair member/President of the Physical Therapy Shared Governance and instructor for several Doctor of Physical Therapy students doing clinical rotations.
“Allie has had an exemplary career in physical therapy since graduating from Auburn,” Braswell said. “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.”
Sanders (formerly Grace Socha) was a part of the Auburn equestrian team from 2008-12 and helped the Tigers win the 2011 national championship as well as two Southern Equestrian Conference crowns. For her efforts in 2011, she was named the Most Valuable Player in Fences during the championship.
Being recognized for her contributions in education, Sanders has played a big role in the continuing promotion of the sport on a national level. In almost 10 years with the Southeastern Conference, Sanders currently serves as the Director of Officiating Administration as well as Sport Administrator for Equestrian within the conference. In her role, she is responsible for the SEC Championship each year and works with each member institution as an advocate for the sport.
Sanders graduated with her undergraduate degree in health promotion in 2012 and earned a Master of Higher Education in 2013. During her graduate year, she served as the graduate assistant for the equestrian team and was responsible for budget management, team travel, expenses, event production as well as many other tasks.
“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 recognized in nine categories including Business, Community Engagement, Education, Equine Industry (Rider/Trainer/Coach), Equine Industry (Medical), Equine Industry (Professional Rider), Health Sciences/Services, Media & Communication, and Young Alumni. Distinguished Alumni are separated from their institution for at least six years prior to nomination and are recognized as distinguished in the following areas: academic success, athletic success, outstanding service contributions, and post-graduate success.
Each NCEA team had the opportunity to nominate one alumnus in each category. The nominations were reviewed by a selection committee and the recommendations were approved by the NCEA Board of Directors.
Three Tigers named NCEA Distinguished Alumni
