The Colorado Mesa University cycling team continues to make their mark at the 2025 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with outstanding performances from several Mavericks in the collegiate-focused races.

On Thursday in the Collegiate Varsity Men's race, CMU's Ivan Sippy powered a smart and controlled ride over the challenging 2.1 mile course at Centennial Park to claim the national title with a time of 51:40, edging out Milligan University's Brody McDonald and teammate Henry Coote, who rounded the podium out in third. Jack Spranger also rode strongly for CMU, placing top five and valuable team points. 

During the Collegiate Varsity Women's event, CMU had another impressive ride. Makena Kellerman raced to a runner-up finish, just behind Marian University's Lizzy Gunsalus, and Cassidy Hickey not far behind in fourth. Additional CMU riders including Sydney Nielson, Bridget Wilson, Elisabeth Knight, and Sam Paternoster all worked through the deep varsity field and finished in the top twenty. 

Thanks to these strong finishes, CMU can continue its tradition of excellence in collegiate cyclocross, building on the momentum from last year when the Mavericks brought home their fifth straight Cyclocross National Championship title in Louisville. Back in 2024, riders like Ivan Sippy, Henry Coote, Jack Spranger, and Cassidy Hickey combined to claim individual victories and team honors to further cement CMU's dominance in collegiate cyclocross.

While collegiate racing was the focus for the Mavericks, several CMU athletes made their presence known in the open national events. In the Elite Men's race, CMU's Ivan Sippy rode alongside a field of seasoned pros and top amateurs, finishing second overall – a remarkable performance against the nation's best- behind three-time national champion Eric Brunner. Brody McDonald completed the podium in third.

In the Elite Women's race, CMU's Cassidy Hickey showed her grit and tactics finishing in the top five against a stacked international field, including Pan American Champion Lizzy Gunsalus.

Elsewhere on the course, other standout national titles went to riders across categories like the U23 and junior divisions, contributing to a stacked weekend of racing on a technically challenging Fayetteville course.