Phil de Montmollin: Sports Information Director
SWANNANOA, N.C. – Three Brevard College riders won events and several other Tornado riders earned top-ten finishes at the Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference Cyclocross Championships held Saturday, December 1 in muddy conditions at Warren Wilson College.
Brevard's Tyler Clark was crowned SECCC Cyclocross champion after winning the Men's Collegiate Category A race. Clark won the event in impressive fashion, defeating a deep field that included 30 riders.
Clark was one of four Tornados to finish in the top ten in the Men's A race with Scott McGill (4th), Ryan Johnson (6th), Zack Lowden (9th) and Carson Beckett (10th) also finishing in the top 10. Tim Coffey just missed the top-10 with an 11th place finish. The championship win by Clark and the four top-10s easily gave Brevard College the top cumulative result of any school in the event.
In Men's Collegiate Category B, Dalton Collins of Brevard College earned another win for the Tornados, defeating two other riders.
Brevard's Hannah Dickson won the Women's Category B/C race to earn her second straight cyclocross victory. Dickson, who also won the Women's Category 4/5 North Carolina Cyclocross race in Gibsonville, N.C. on November 10, came away victorious at the SECCC Championships by defeating a field of 12 riders. Dickson's teammate Nicole Rusden finished second in the event just as she did at the Gibsonville race. In total, five Brevard College riders finished in the top-10 in Women's B/C at the SECCC Championships, more than any other school. Joining Dickson and Rusden in the top-10 were Emilie Abbott (7th), Kaitlin Chaump (9th) and Audrey Cardwell (10th).
With Dickson finishing first and Rusden second in Women's Category B/C, both riders are upgraded to the Women's A level for future cyclocross competitions.
In the team relay, Brevard's team of Rusden, Dickson, Clark and Beckett finished in second place behind the team from Milligan College.
Cumulatively, Brevard College produced more event wins (three) and more individual top-10s (10) than any other school competing at the SECCC Championships. A total of 11 colleges had riders participating in the championships. In addition to Brevard College, the schools represented at the SECCC Championships were Furman University, Milligan College, Lees-McRae College, Clemson University, University of Tennessee, King University, Mars Hill University, Piedmont College, Union College (Ky.), and host Warren Wilson College.
Next up for the Tornados is the Hunter Subaru North Carolina Cyclocross Grand Prix hosted by Brevard College. The event will take place this Saturday and Sunday, December 8-9 at Jackson Park in Hendersonville, N.C. For more information on the Hunter Subaru North Carolina Cyclocross Grand Prix, go to www.nccyclocross.com
Following this weekend's race in Hendersonville, N.C., the Tornados will travel to the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships to be held December 11-16 in Louisville, Ky.
To follow all the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, go to www.bctornados.com and follow the Tornados on Twitter or Instagram @bctornados, and like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook.
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