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Tornado Cycling 2023-24 Season Preview

After winning consecutive Atlantic Collegiate Cycling Conference (ACCC) championships in 2019 and 2021, the King University cycling team is looking to return to the top. Head coach Alan Sparks' squad will be led by seven returning athletes that will be joined by a strong incoming class.

2022-23 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

  • Finished 13th at the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships and 14th at the Mountain Bike National Championships
  • Che Nunez finished 19th in the Individual Time Trial, while Kiley Krasley took 17th in her Individual Time Trial.

TOP RETURNERS

GIDEON BEZUIDENHOUT

Sr. | Wake Forest, N.C.

  • Finished 3rd in Mountain Bike Cross Country and 6th in Enduro at Virginia Tech Mountain Bike race
  • Finished 5th in Downhill at University of Virginia Mountain Bike race
  • Had a 2nd and 6th place finish in the Road Race at the Chapel Hill Cycling Classic

ALEX CAMPBELL

Jr. | Hixson, Tenn.

  • Placed 4th in Cross Country at University of Virginia Mountain Bike Race
  • Finished 6th in both Cross Country and Short Track at Virginia Tech Mountain Bike race

CHE NUNEZ

Jr. | Kingsport, Tenn.

  • Finished 19th in the Individual Time Trial at the USA Cycling Road National Championships
  • Finished 5th in Short Track and 7th in Cross Country at Virginia Tech Mountain Bike Race

JEREMY BOAZ

Sr. | Owens Cross Roads, Ala.

  • Won two ACCC mountain bike titles in 2021
  • Finished 2nd in both Short Track and Cross Country at 2022 University of Virginia Mountain Bike Race

SAMUEL FULLER

Sr. | Manassas, Va.

  • Competed in Mountain Bike, Cyclocross and Road races in 2022-23
  • Placed 4th in Short Track and 7th in Cross Country at University of Virginia Mountain Bike race
  • Finished 3rd in Cyclocross at 423 Johnson City

BRENNAN CHERRY

Jr. | Signal Mountain, Tenn.

  • Won the Road Race Criterium at App State
  • Finished 3rd in Short Track and 8th in Cross Country at Virginia Tech Mountain Bike Race
  • Finished 4th in Cyclocross at 423 Johnson City

CALEB NEW

So. | Owens Cross Road, Ala.

  • Finished 2nd in Short Track and 5th in Cross Country at Virginia Tech Mountain Bike race
  • Finished 3rd in Category B Short Track and Category B Cross Country at University of Virginia Mountain Bike race

NEW FACES

Spencer Blaz, Colin Burgess, Ashley Davis, Colin Horton
Trace Schoeberl, Eli Smith, Hunter Thompson, Jayson Wallace

Not pictured: Miranda Goodman

HEAD COACH

Alan Sparks

Sparks enters his 10th season leading the Tornado. Over the last six years, King has had four individual national champions and one relay national championship. Sparks led King to a USA Cycling Mountain Bike national championship in 2015 and followed that with the 2015-16 cyclocross national championship. He has guided the Tornado to two Atlantic Collegiate Cycling Conference (ACCC) championships, including the 2021 crown. In all, King has won three mountain bike conference championships, having six women and two men take home omnium conference titles.

2023-24 Schedule Highlights

Mountain Bike

Season Opener | August 26 at Roanoke, Va.

USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships | October 12-15; Zirconia, N.C.