By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Tennessee at Martin head equestrian coach Kim Leiter has announced the addition of Caitlin Marshall to the Skyhawk staff as an assistant coach.
Marshall joins UT Martin after five years as an assistant under head coach Eric Hubbard at Fresno State, her alma mater. Marshall oversaw 289 individual Bulldog victories (153 flat, 136 fences) and 53 MOP’s (27 fences, 26 flat) in the Jumping Seat discipline, coaching four All-Americans and 11 all-conference performers. Fresno State qualified for the National Collegiate Equestrian Association Championships in each year the event was held during her tenure.
“We are elated to add Caitlin to our program,” Leiter said. “She owns significant experience in the collegiate equestrian coaching realm and has been a part of a highly successful Fresno State program who competes in the Big 12 Conference. We can’t wait to get her on campus and start working with our student-athletes.”
Overall, Marshall coached seven All-Big 12 Conference honorees and four All-United Equestrian Conference riders at Fresno State. Her All-American pupils included first teamer Alivia Hart (2020 fences), Cecily Hayes (honorable mention in both fences and flat in 2020) and Ana Bertozzi (2021 flat honorable mention). Marshall also mentored three Bulldogs who received National Rider of the Month accolades and six conference Riders of the Month. Outside of the arena, Bertozzi captured 2022 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the sport of equestrian.
Fresno State’s best season during Marshall’s tenure was in 2019-20 as the Bulldogs tallied their third-most victories (eight) and posted their second-highest single-season winning percentage (.615) in school history. Fresno State reached as high as No. 4 in the national poll (its highest ranking ever), knocking off six nationally ranked opponents – including a trio of victories over top-3 squads. Marshall’s Jumping Seat squads joined forces for 83 combined victories and 16 MOP’s before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marshall was a student-athlete from 2007-11 at Fresno State and was selected as team captain during her senior season. She was a member of a nine-win squad as a sophomore (second-most victories in program history) and was part of a Bulldog program that was a four-time qualifier for the Varsity National Championship. She was bestowed the Fresno State Equestrian Team Award of Excellence, which is given each year to the team member who exemplifies success in the classroom, arena, gym and community.
Following her career as a student-athlete, Marshall worked as an assistant trainer at Pheasant Grove sales and training barn, where she rode sale horses and coached many riders from their short stirrup years all the way to the medals arena.
An Oakdale, Calif. native, Marshall graduated from Fresno State with a degree in agricultural business in 2011.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information