Team History

NU Cycling was formed at the end of the 1980s as a very small club that included mostly graduate students and track racers, including current sponsor Barry Slotnick of Varisport in the early 90s, it began to take a greater focus on road racing later in the decade.

A co-ed sport, the women’s side saw a high peak on the road in 1996 with Christina Dekraay taking both the nationals road race and criterium, totaling the individual omnium title as well.The men’s side continued to grow as well and made a great Top 20 at Division 2 nationals in 2004 with the power team of Peter Dinolfo, Mike Margarite, Erik Gullikson, and John Roberts. The former two are now elite riders on coastal pro-am teams, Webcor/Alto Velo and Empire Cycling, respectively. NU alumna Kate Sherwin attained a pro cycling contract with Victory Brewing (2005).

The club moved up to Division I in collegiate cycling in 2006, and, at the 2007 national championships, the team found the nationals podium again with Reed Tanger’s 5th place in the criterium. Seth Meyer was 20th in the Division I road race, and the team earned 18th place overall in the country.

In 2010, Northwestern qualified as a team for nationals, with three men and three women competing in both the road and criterium races. In 2011, the team qualified again, with Scott Rosenfield and Axie Navas competing. Axie Navas finished third overall in the MWCCC conference going into Nationals. Approaching its 30th year competing at the highest level of collegiate cycling in the United States, NU Cycling is intent on becoming one of the Top 20 Division I cycling schools in the country.

Notable Dates

1995 – Team hosts Collegiate Track Nationals at Northbrook Velodrome.

1996 – Christina Dekraay wins Collegiate Road Nationals road race, criterium, and omnium.

1997 – Christina Dekraay wins Collegate Road Nationals criterium.

2005 – Team hosts Collegiate Track Nationals at Northbrook Velodrome.

2007 – Team qualifies for Collegiate Road Nationals. Attendees: Chris Clary, Clara Smart, Josh Raizin, Melanie Wong, Reed Tanger (places 5th in criterium), Seth Meyer, and Will Nowak.

2010 – Team qualifies for Collegiate Road Nationals. Attendees: Axie Navas, Clara Smart, Courtney O’Neil, Ian Murray, Scott Rosenfield, and Will Nowak.

2011 – Axie Navas and Scott Rosenfield qualify for and compete in Collegiate Road Nationals.