College cycling teams regulated by USA Cycling are open to any full-time student. Their design promotes team spirit by giving individuals points towards team victories with every race they complete.
Schools that invest in their cycling teams will reap the rewards with top varsity rankings and scholarships available for team athletes.
1. University of Colorado
College cycling varies considerably by school. Of the roughly 25 Division I and II varsity college cycling teams in the United States that receive institutional support – for things like coaches’ salaries and travel costs as well as scholarships – only 25 receive Division I or II status, which provide institutional funding that directly benefits cyclists’ salaries and travel costs.
The University of Colorado boasts both academic excellence and an esteemed cycling program, winning multiple national championship titles across road, mountain, cyclocross and BMX disciplines. Each spring it hosts the Little 500 race in Indianapolis as its longest collegiate event. Milligan College also stands out as an option for students interested in combining cycling with academics – it boasts national BMX racing rankings as well as having recruited one former Olympic cyclist to its team!
Fort Lewis College is another cycling powerhouse, having won its inaugural mountain biking national championship with t-shirts sponsored by a Durango diner in 1994. Since then, their multidiscipline team has gone on to become top ranked and win numerous additional national titles – unlike professional cycling where each rider competes independently; college racing focuses on teamwork and helps foster relationships that often last beyond graduation.
2. University of California
The University of California is a system of public universities located throughout California with campuses located at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. It boasts one of the nation’s best college cycling teams that competes across road cycling, cyclocross cycling and mountain bike disciplines – fully funded with scholarships available to athletes to help cover tuition and equipment costs.
Fort Lewis College is another top collegiate racing team that has experienced significant success across all cycling disciplines, particularly mountain bike racing where they have repeatedly won national championships.
Fort Lewis College Cycling Team members are not only highly-skilled cyclists, but they also share a strong sense of camaraderie which has allowed them to achieve such impressive levels of performance. Unlike professional cycling where each rider works to accumulate points for themselves alone, riders on a collegiate cycling team work together so that all teammates may share success at each race.
3. University of Michigan
Though college cycling may not be as widely practiced as football or basketball, it has nevertheless emerged as an immensely powerful force in college athletics. Varsity cycling teams are competitive elite programs supported by their schools that award scholarships to their cyclist student-athletes. NCAA competition offers further proof that these top ten college cycling teams can stand out.
Fort Lewis College varsity cycling team stands out for its camaraderie and desire to win for the greater good – both characteristics that have helped form its championship-winning legacy and fostered lifelong bonds between members.
Lindenwood University was established as an elite, fully-funded and scholarship-based varsity cycling program in 2007. Situated close to a velodrome, bicycle trails, and BMX track – making Lindenwood University an ideal environment to nurture champion cyclists – its athletes have garnered numerous national titles across multiple disciplines and has attracted world-class coaches like Hannah Fincap (two-time Xterra World Champion). The Lindenwood program has proven extremely successful over its 10 year existence attracting world-renowned coaches like Hannah Fincap ( two-time Xterra World Champion).
4. New York University
College cycling teams provide an exciting environment. Cyclists earn points for the team rather than themselves, creating strong bonds that continue long after collegiate cycling is complete.
Comparable to professional racing, college cycling offers more accessible entry points for young athletes new to cycling. Thanks to lower entry-fee caps and discounted USAC license fees, college cycling provides newcomers with a supportive group of riders they can race alongside from day one.
Milligan College boasts Olympic-caliber cyclist Megan Jastrab as an Olympic-caliber cyclist while boasting a top-rated BMX course and robust program. Meanwhile, Brevard College stands out by being situated among mountains while pioneering gravel racing as an official collegiate discipline.
Some cycling clubs are considered varsity programs and receive extra institutional support, including scholarships for student-athletes. As more universities add cycling teams, college cycling programs will continue to increase; cycling may never become as widely recognized as football or basketball but is quickly gaining in popularity among college students.
5. University of Pennsylvania
Cycling has become an increasingly popular activity on college campuses nationwide, from bike share programs to competitive cycling collegiate-level races. But when searching for an institution that supports cyclists on campus, what criteria should you look out for?
Cycling offers many varsity athletes an effective way to stay physically fit while competing against fellow students in a sport they love – some schools even provide cycling scholarships! But even if competing at the highest levels is not your cup of tea, many colleges also have club teams which give students an opportunity to continue participating while meeting like-minded peers.
The University of Pennsylvania boasts an illustrious alumni roster that includes physicist Raymond Davis Jr and economist Lawrence Klein as well as numerous heads of state. Wharton School stands out among universities with its wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees; Wharton also features an internationally acclaimed cycling team which has won multiple national championships across track cycling, cyclocross and MTB disciplines.
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