Mykaela Waterfield, who earned National Collegiate Equestrian Association All-American accolades as a student-athlete at UTM, is the new interim assistant coach at her alma mater.
Waterfield (maiden name Van Selus) competed for the Skyhawks from 2011-15, chalking up All-American second team status in equitation on the flat as a junior. She started all four years in flat and additionally took part in equitation over fences. She captured numerous MOP’s during her UTM tenure under head coach Meghan Cunningham Corvin.
In addition to her athletic success, Waterfield put together quite an impressive academic résumé during her collegiate career. She was spotlighted as a NCEA Academic All-American first team honoree as a senior and made the UTM Chancellor’s Honor Roll on multiple occasions.
Waterfield will work directly alongside Skyhawk interim head coach Kim Leiter, whose first season as an assistant on the UTM staff was during Waterfield’s senior campaign in 2014-15.
“I am excited to work under Coach Leiter and be part of the Skyhawk program once again,” Waterfield said. “UTM is a special institution that is near and dear to my heart. From a coaching standpoint, I feel as if I can provide a unique perspective to our team since I was in their same position just five years ago. I look forward to creating an environment that encourages our student-athletes to learn and grow in and out of the arena.”
Originally from Littleton, Colorado, Waterfield grew up competing in the USEF hunter/jumpers. She catch-rode for most of her junior career, competing in the hunter and jumper divisions but focusing mostly on equitation. She also competed in AQHA and APHA shows, ultimately earning world championship honors.
In addition to finessing the English discipline, Waterfield learned the principles of western pleasure, trail and showmanship. As a working student, she gained significant knowledge about horse care and learned the value of true horsemanship. She boasts notable experience training green horses and exposing young horses to foundational experiences, resulting in a well-disciplined animal.
Waterfield, her husband Seth and son Bennett reside in nearby Sharon. She earned a degree in agricultural business from UTM in 2015 before graduating summa cum laude with a Master of Science in Education in Higher Education Leadership from UTM in the summer of 2020. Since 2018, she has also served as an Admissions Counselor and coordinates the Customer Relationships Management (CRM) System at UTM.
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