Posted by Gene Renfro - Sun, Aug 2, 2009 - [ Cycling ] - Viewed 412 times

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - Union College has a new cycling home as the Bulldogs were accepted into the Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference.

Union makes the jump from the MidWest Collegiate Cycling Conference. Under the direction of head coach Chuck Coffey, Union has captured five MWCCC championships since 2002 including last season's title. Union also produced both the men's and women's MWCCC Riders of the Year in 2008, Zach Winn (Port Hope, Canada) and Rachel Milsop (Little Rock, Ark.). Winn added to his 2007 MWCCC Rider of the Year award and Union also had the 2005 MWCCC Male Rider of the Year in Travis Mullen.

"I am very excited about the switch," Coffey said. He knows the challenges facing the squad in the new conference with a strong tradition on the national level. "I feel like we have the talent to make a serious run at a birth to nationals."

Warren Wilson (N.C.) College narrowly won the 2008 SECCC Division II crown over Brevard (N.C.) College while Lees-McRae (N.C.) College was atop the conference's Division I standings.

At the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championship last season, the SECCC produced four teams that finished in the Top-5 in either the Division I or Division II standings. Union finished fifth among Division II squads.

An advantage of the SECCC over the MWCCC for Union is the number of closer races. The conference schedule features races in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and three in North Carolina. The SECCC season concludes Oct. 3-4 with the regional championship at Clemson (S.C.) University. This year's national championship will be contested at the University of Nevada, Reno from Oct. 16-18.

The SECCC will also give Union more opportunities to compete in downhill and dual slalom events.

Coffey added that he will miss the MWCCC because of the great organization and leadership as well as the great friends the program has made over the years.

The first event on the schedule is a weekend trip to Georgia Tech, Aug. 22-23.

For more information about the SECCC, click here.

To view Union's 2009 cycling schedule, click here.

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