Coach Crawford says:
At 2:30 AM early this morning, CMU Cycling arrived back in GJ fatigued from a long drive back home from Frisco, TX, where the team had recently contested the US Collegiate National Track Cycling Championships. Around the necks of these fatigued student athletes hung silver medals, the prize for taking second in a very tight battle with perennial national track powerhouse MIT after three grueling days of competition.
It was hard to settle for second after being so close to taking the gold and losing by the closest of margins. They were not thinking about how all but two of the ten team members had never ridden the track before we starting training in earnest in mid-August. They were not thinking about the fact that most of the teams on the podium are in close proximity to a velodrome where they can train and compete year round. They could only talk about how next year, that gold medal would be around their necks.
I’m positive that they have no idea how enormous this accomplishment is. If you could have seen the fear in their faces 5 weeks ago the first time they saw the Colorado Springs velodrome and took their first tentative laps around the track, you would have never guessed that these same student/athletes would be standing on the second step from the top on the podium at nationals, proudly representing CMU, and making a very loud statement… CMU intends to rock the collegiate cycling world.
I’m super fatigued as well from this long trip and the long weeks of training approaching this event, but so energized from this great success. I can barely contain the pride I feel for this team. I just wanted to share with you my gratitude and my excitement. You all have been essential in this success and I am so thankful for your support and cooperation. It truly takes a village, and we have an awesome village!
There is no rest for the weary, as we now unpack from this trip and prepare for the next one. We must now prepare for mtb nationals in Angel Fire, NM. I expect we will do very well in the mountain bike event as well, which sets CMU to be the top ranked collegiate team in the nation by spring of 2013. This is our target and we can do it!
Thank you all for your hard work and support.
Go Mavs!
Rick Crawford
Congrats to all who competed! Morgan Ryan, Chris Hale, Quint Berkenmeier, Cullen Easter, Patric Rostel, Cole Hanson, Alexis Skarda, Stacy Norris, Ariana Dittmer, and Lexie Millard, you made the team bring home the silver!
cmucycling 