Truett McConnell University Athletics announced the addition of a new Life Sport, mountain biking, on Monday morning. The Bears’ first season is set to begin fall 2019 with a team of 20. Cross-country is the discipline of mountain biking that TMU will compete in.
TMU Athletics has been in communication with USA Cycling and the Southeastern Cycling Conference regarding memberships. Cross-country season is a fall sport with the national championships at the end of October. TMU is the third Appalachian Athletic Conference school to add mountain biking. The Bears will look to compete against AAC foes Union and Milligan College.
“I am very excited to add another life sport to our athletic program,” Athletic Director Jennie Shepard said. “I have already learned so much about this sport and am ready to welcome this new group of student-athletes to campus.”
A course will be built on the back-end of campus and the construction will begin in the spring of 2019. If you are interested in making a donation to the development of the mountain biking course you may contact Shepard at jshepard@truett.edu or Gary Jarnagin at gjarnagin@truett.edu.
Joshua Muzyka, pictured above, has stepped in as the recruiting coordinator for this new era.
“Coach Muzyka is very passionate about mountain biking and I know he will do a great job of recruiting quality student athletes helping to get this program up and running,” Shepard said.
Muzyka is a trained cross-country endurance bike racer who competes for Rescue Racing, a club team based in Cleveland, Georgia, who supports a non-profit organization. Most notable, Muzyka finished runner-up in his three-hour division at the Southeastern Endurance Cup.
Interested recruits should contact Coach Muzyka at jmuzyka@truett.edu.
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