Andrew Stacey
Contributing Writer
This article is an expanded and edited version of a previously published article in the print edition of The Sewanee Purple.
Recently ranked by Outside Magazine as the 9th best bike town in the country, Sewanee’s secret it out! The Sewanee experience boasts a premier caliber cycling environment for both beginners and experienced cycling enthusiasts. From cruising down paths like the peaceful Mountain Goat Trail to descending down technical rock features of the Perimeter Trail, the University Domain supports the interests of a wide array pf bicyclists seeking all different capacities of adventure.
The history of bike racing at Sewanee is rich. Road cycling has almost always been a popular sport within the Sewanee community die to the access to miles and miles of beautiful road riding opportunities, and that enthusiasm still exists today. In addition, just over 30 years ago when mountain bikes had just recently been introduced to the world of cycling, elite Sewanee riders like Pat Erwin and Jim Perry were riding mountain bikes on the Perimeter Trail. These students formed an unofficial group that rode almost daily and raced across the southeast, including an official NORBA sanctioned race held in Sewanee on the Perimeter Trail. This group would often ride for hours before finishing at Shenanigans for burgers and a beer; it was truly the grassroots of Sewanee cycling. Jim Perry’s old Sewanee Cycling jersey pictured.
Currently, the Sewanee Outing Program (SOP) has been where student cyclists connect and develop their love of the sport. The SOP participates in the annual MS-150, which raises funds and awareness around multiple sclerosis. This event, along with the SOP-sponsored training rides, have been a central aspect of the Sewanee cycling community, with sometimes over thirty students participating. Sewanee’s MS-150 even introduced Dan Harper, the current assistant SOP director, to the sport of cycling when he was a student.
Last year, Sewanee students initiated the development of a club sport program that participates in the USA Cycling collegiate racing series, among other cycling event opportunities. Three students, Oakley Griffin (C’ 27), Chloe Sims (C’ 27), and Will Stacey (C’ 25), sought to develop an official university approved Sewanee cycling club team. They jump started the program by competing at the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships last year. Sewanee surprised everyone—with club President Griffin placing in the top 3 club riders and Stacey placing in the top 40 riders among some of the best cyclists in the country. These students, along with Sewanee’s staff (John Benson and Merritt Yackey), faculty advisor Professor Matt Schrader developed the official Sewanee Cycling Team. The team is uniquely supported by multiple resources such as the Sewanee Outing Program, University Athletics, Woody’s Bike Shop, along with several valued private alumni donors and sponsors (by the way, we are seeking and are in need of even more support).
The goal of the Sewanee Cycling Team is “to help empower students to succeed on and off the bike.” The club believes that the bike is a tool that helps students to develop as individuals and teammates striving for excellence in all aspects of life. “Cycling isn’t really about competition, it’s about chasing self-improvement, and that is a lesson that I’m working on applying in my daily life,” Griffin says. “We hope that anyone who would like to join our bike rides and races will join the club and become a part of our community. The club will offer rides and races in multiple disciplines including mountain biking, cyclocross, and road cycling.”
“[The cycling team] is an official USA Cycling club level team that offers opportunities to participate in the Southeast Cycling Collegiate Conference (SECCC) and collegiate national championships,” Griffin said.
This means that student cyclists can represent Sewanee while competing against many different schools in the Southeast and around the nation. So far, the team is composed of the following eightriders: Griffin, Sims, Stacey, Abigail Walker (C’ 28), Whit Uden (C’ 28), Hugh Jones (C’ 28), Gabe Williams (C’ 25), and A.J. Stacey (C’ 26), and it has capacity for growth.
Just a couple weeks ago, the team competed in the first conference race of the season on Saturday, September 7 at Truett McConnell University. The mountain bike race distance was about 18 miles long. The highlights included a 9th finish from Griffin in the cross country men’s race and a 14th place finish from freshman Abigail Walker in the cross country women’s category. The 2024 collegiate season is composed of five regular season races plus the National Championship race, pending qualification. The Sewanee Club Cycling Team will welcome any new club members who express interest this year or in the coming years as the program develops.
For more information on the SOP and their cycling related events, please reach out to John Benson (SOP director) or Dan Harper (assistant SOP director). Please refer to the cycling team website for more information if you are interested in participating or supporting the team.