EMBRACING EVERY MOMENT

I’m Excited for the Next Part of My Life

Champions' TriBUne 4/14/2022 9:52:00 AM

Champions' TriBUne Archive

Champions' TriBUne is a special feature through Baylor Athletics that gives you the student-athlete's perspective and the chance for them to share their own story. Caroline Fuller, a senior from Denver, N.C., who will graduate in May with a degree in biology, is a three-time NCEA All-Academic selection and earned honorable mention All-America honors in fences this year. She was also selected All-Big 12 in fences and flat, compiling an overall record of 17-11 with four MOP awards. Seeded sixth, Baylor equestrian (7-7) faces third-seeded Texas A&M (12-4) at 1:30 p.m. CT Thursday in the NCEA National Championship quarterfinals at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla.:

By: Caroline Fuller

It's hard to believe I'm only a few weeks away from closing such a huge chapter of my life. People always tell you to embrace every moment in college because of how quickly it flies by; I didn't really realize how right they all were until now. It's been a rollercoaster for sure, but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

When I first started looking at colleges, I didn't even know if I was going to be able to be on an equestrian team. I wanted it more than anything, but I wasn't exactly sought out by any coaches. The equestrian world is a lot bigger and more competitive than you might imagine, so being a bit of an underdog without many huge successes put me in a tough place. When I managed to wiggle my way onto Baylor's team, I knew I would have to work all that much harder to prove myself since no one expected me to come out and be some star freshman, especially on a team where only around 20 actually compete out of a group of 65 riders. And boy, was I right.

During my first semester, I practiced once a week and only dreamed of stepping into the ring to represent Baylor competitively. Eventually, this became a reality. I wish I could say that I was immediately wildly successful and have been great ever since; instead, I didn't have a single win my first season. However, this is not something that I'm embarrassed about. I'm proud that I didn't quit on myself, and I'm incredibly grateful that my coaches didn't quit on me either.

Fast forward to my senior year, I'm more confident than I've ever been, and I have the most amazing group of people to lean on. I went undefeated in the fall season and have earned recognitions from the Big 12 Conference and the NCEA that would've seemed impossible a few years ago.

It's bittersweet heading into my last competition with this team, but I'm excited to take all the lessons I've learned over the past few years with me into the next part of my life.