The Brevard College cycling team won its second consecutive Division II Collegiate Cyclo-cross National Championship over the weekend, tallying a total of 282 points in the three-day event.
“I’m really proud of this team,” said head coach Brian Sheedy. “Everybody raced incredibly well.”
Colorado Mesa University, the event’s runner-up, managed only 220 points while Ripon College took 3rd place with 176 points.
Lewis Gaffney helped the Tornados finish strong on Sunday by winning the men’s Individual Division II Cyclo-cross National Championship with a time of 49:37.
“Lewis Gaffney was certainly a highlight, he’s an awesome teammate and works very hard,” added Sheedy. “He deserved this win, and we’re all so proud and excited for him.”
Zachary Valdez also landed in the top ten of the men’s Individual race with a 9th place finish, while Caleb Welborn (19th) and Keith Marek (24th) rounded out BC’s top 25 finishers.
Erica Zaveta took 2nd in the women’s Individual Division II race with a time of 40:27, while BC’s Allison Arensman grabbed 3rd. Two other Tornados finished in the top 25 as Sarah Hill and Nicole Miranda finished 10th and 16th, respectively.
BC’s relay team, consisting of Gaffney, Valdez, Arensman, and Zaveta got the Tornados off to a strong start by winning Friday’s Team Relay with a time of 36:44, over a minute in front of second-place Ripon.
Last fall, the BC cycling team won its fourth Division II Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championship in the last five years.