The Colorado Mesa University traveled to Ride Rock Creek in North Carolina for the 2023 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships. Congratulations to our neighbors over at Colorado School of Mines as they won the Club National Championship title as Colorado Mesa University won the Varsity Collegiate National Championship title for the fourth consecutive year.
 
Jack Spranger led the Mavericks with an impressive individual Omnium award in the Varsity Men and Tai-Lee Smith was only 7 points short of winning the individual Omnium for the Varsity Women. All in all, the Mavericks won as a team, and numerous riders took home their stars and stripes National Championship jersey. The team finished with a total 672 points and elevated the program to its 17^th Varsity National Championship.
  
Thursday – Dual Slalom
The first event featured 55 participants in the men's varsity Dual Slalom race. Our men's team started off strong, with Matt Sterling taking home 1^st place, and earning himself a National Title. Jack Spranger joined Matt on the podium, earning 4^th place and finishing 5^th was Evander Hughes. On our women's side, Jazlyn Smith secured 3^rd place, Ari Soto in 4^th place and Sophie Allen finished 5^th.
 
Friday - Cross Country
Jack Spranger earned himself a spot on the podium yet again. He finished 2^nd with a total time of 1:24:45. In the same race, Ivan Sippy joined him on the podium finishing 5^th place. Makena Kellerman finished first and earned a National Title with a time of 1:27:56.
 
Saturday - Short Track
On our men's side, Ivan Sippy claimed 3^rd place with a time of 24:43. Shortly after him claiming 4^th place was Jack Spranger, coming in with a time of 24:58.
 
Sunday- Downhill & Team Relay
On the last day of racing, the Mavericks stepped up and push down on the gas pedal. Matt Sterling came in 2^nd place, finishing with a time of 2:04.40 behind Brevard College who finished at 2:04.1. Thomas Allison finished 5^th place with a time of 2:09.10.  On our women side, Erin Bixler claimed 1^st place at 2:30.37 earning her National Title. Followed by Jazlyn Smith in 2^nd and Sophie Allen in 4^th place and Tai-Lee Smith in 5^th. The mavericks finished 2^nd place in the team relay composed of Ivan Sippy, Landon Dendy, Makena Kellerman, and Lauren Lackman.
 
CMU Cycling record:
6 Team Omnium National Championships
17 Team National Championships
79 individual Student-Athlete National Championships
 
The Mavericks have 3 graduating seniors that were members on all 4 National Championship teams: Katie Clouse, Jazlyn Smith and Lauren Lackman.
 
The team has some downtime before they transition into Cyclocross season. The team will head to Louisville for Nationals in early December.