13 Best College & University Cycling Teams

Going to college doesn’t have to pull you away from the cycling world. In fact, it can open up exciting opportunities to take your sport to the next level—providing access to new cycling communities, camaraderie, resources, and events.

Collegiate cycling is also quite unique. While it’s not an official National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sport, it is recognized as an intercollegiate sport and governed by USA Cycling, the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States. These disciplines include track, mountain biking, cyclocross, BMX, and road cycling. 

USA Cycling offers opportunities for cyclists of all interests and skill levels to join teams in college and develop their cycling skills. For those seeking the thrill of a race, collegiate cycling teams also compete in regional conferences and national championships organized by USA Cycling each year.

So, looking to join (or cheer for) a collegiate cycling team? 

We’ll share what the collegiate cycling season entails and break down the 13 best college cycling teams across the nation.

What are the best collegiate cycling teams?

The best college cycling teams are ranked by USA Cycling each year based on the points they earn at national championship events. According to the most recent rankings for the 2024-2025 academic year, these are the top varsity and club cycling teams:

Varsity teams

1. Colorado Mesa University

Located in the high-desert city of Grand Junction, Colorado Mesa University offers competitive men’s and women’s cycling teams and a climate for year-round training. The school competes in the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference against varsity schools such as Fort Lewis College and Western Colorado University. CMU also offers scholarships for cycling students and operates with a roster of about 50 riders across disciplines. CMU has been the top-ranked varsity cycling program nationally since the 2020-2021 season.

Cycling disciplines offered: Cyclocross, enduro, gravel, mountain downhill (DH), mountain cross-country (XC), road, track

2. Marian University

Before being eclipsed by CMU, Marian University’s co-ed cycling teams ranked first in the nation for numerous years. Based in Indianapolis, the program's mission is to “develop student cyclists into life-long leaders and learners who commit to academic accomplishment, team achievement, and personal excellence on and off the bike.” Marian University also operates the Indy Cycloplex on behalf of the City of Indianapolis; this 42-acre training ground includes a velodrome, BMX track, cyclocross course, dual slalom course, and singletrack mountain bike trails.

Cycling disciplines offered: BMX, cyclocross, enduro, e-Sports, gravel, mountain DH, mountain XC, road, track

3. Milligan University

The Tennessee-based Milligan University is notable for its strong women’s cycling team. Olympic bronze medalist Megan Jastrab is an alumnus who won 10 national championship titles for Milligan before turning professional. Most recently, the Milligan cycling teams earned three national titles at the 2025 USA Cycling Collegiate Track Championships and three top-five titles at the 2025 Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships.

Cycling disciplines offered: Road, mountain

4. Fort Lewis College

Fort Lewis College has trained cycling Olympians, such as Todd Wells, Howard Grotts, Sofia Gomez Villafane, and Savilia Blunk. Their cycling program helped bring the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships to nearby Purgatory Resort in 2021 and 2022, as well as Durango in 2023. The team boasts over 20 national championship titles and has a roster of more than 100 riders across disciplines and abilities.

Cycling disciplines offered: Track, mountain bike, cyclocross, BMX, road, gravel

5. Piedmont University

Based in Demorest, Georgia, Piedmont University’s men’s and women’s cycling teams have steadily grown since becoming varsity teams in 2016. Team members recently competed at major Southeastern events, including the Gran Fondo Hincapie in Greenville, South Carolina.

Cycling disciplines offered: Road, mountain, cyclocross

6. Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta 

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) - Atlanta’s men’s and women’s varsity team have experienced remarkable success since their start in 2016, earning numerous national championship medals. This past year, SCAD Atlanta’s Maria Doering finished third among collegiate women in the Southern Cross 50-mile Gravel Race and the men’s team finished fourth out of 99 teams in the Southeastern Cycling Conference Road Bike Championships.

Cycling disciplines offered: Road, mountain, cyclocross, track

7. Savannah College of Art and Design - Savannah

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) - Savannah co-ed cycling program mirrors the Atlanta program’s strong performance. However, it’s based in a different location with more expansive resources than the smaller Atlanta campus, including coastal training routes. In 2025, the team earned multiple podium finishes at the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships and secured fourth place at the Collegiate Track National Championships.

Cycling disciplines offered: Road, mountain, cyclocross, track

8. Lees-McRae College

In addition to running successful men’s and women’s cycling teams, Lees-McRae College has dedicated itself to improving its infrastructure to make cycling more accessible. As a result, the institution has earned the status of Gold Bicycle University by the League of American Bicyclists. Lees-McRae also created a minor in Cycling Studies to encourage students to preserve cycling through advocacy, design, or development opportunities.

Cycling disciplines offered: Cyclocross, enduro, gravel, mountain DH, mountain XC, road

9. Lindsey Wilson College

Located in Kentucky, Lindsey Wilson College’s co-ed cycling teams have been powerhouses since they formed in 1996. In 2025 alone, the Lindsey Wilson cycling team finished runner-up at the Collegiate BMX National Championship and Mateo Marasas earned a gold medal in the 1,000-meter time trial at the Track National Championship. The College also hosts the annual Lindsey Wilson Mountain Bike Showdown on its on-campus trail network.

Cycling disciplines offered: BMX, cyclocross, enduro, gravel, mountain DH, mountain XC, road, track

10. Midwestern State University

Texas’ Midwestern State University (MSU) offers one of the longest-running collegiate cycling programs in the nation. Since launching in 1989, MSU Texas Cycling has won a total of  51 national championships and regularly competes in the South-Central Collegiate Cycling Conference. MSU cyclists are also closely tied to the city’s signature event, the Hotter’N Hell Hundred, one of the largest cycling events in the U.S.

Cycling disciplines offered: Cyclocross, gravel, mountain DH, mountain XC, road, track

Club teams

1. Colorado State University

With a long history in cycling, Colorado State University launched its first cycling club back in the 1970s and has hosted its own CSU Oval Criterium since 1986—one of the oldest and most renowned road races in Colorado. As part of the team, cyclists enjoy weekly group rides, weekend races, and a week-long winter training camp in Tucson, Arizona. CSU itself is designated a Platinum-level University by the League of American Bicyclists thanks to its safe, bike-friendly campus.

Cycling disciplines offered: Road, mountain, cyclocross, track, BMX

2. University of Colorado Boulder

The University of Colorado Boulder cycling team has produced over 60 individual National Champions and won 12 team National Championship titles since 1987. The team is comprised of over 100 cyclists—from new riders to racing pros—who compete in two home races and four championships each year. The University regularly earned top honors in the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference and, most recently, won the Club Omnium at the 2025 Collegiate Road National Championships.

Cycling disciplines offered: Track, mountain, cyclocross, road

3. UVM Cycling

The University of Vermont runs an inclusive and competitive club team that races in the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) and Collegiate National Championships for road, cyclocross, and mountain biking. Most notably, the team has won first place in the ECCC Mountain Season Championships every year since 2022. Team members also run their own UVM Bikes co-op to offer accessible equipment rentals and promote biking as a form of transportation.

Cycling disciplines offered: Road, cyclocross, mountain

What are the different collegiate cycling divisions?

Collegiate cycling teams are split into two divisions:

Club cycling teams

Club cycling teams are student-led and allow any full-time student to participate in training and racing. On these teams, club cyclists have the opportunity to be mentored by coaches and experienced riders, and compete in conferences and national championships. However, these teams often receive less funding and support from their college or university.

Varsity cycling teams

Varsity cycling teams are supported by a college or university’s budget, have full-time paid and certified coaches, and must participate in at least one national championship each year to maintain their status. Varsity cycling teams receive additional support, scholarship opportunities, and professional guidance from their institutions.

Varsity programs are further split into Division 1 and Division 2 based on school size. Division 1 schools have more than 15,000 students. Both divisions race together during conference events, but they compete separately at national championships. Some examples of Division 1 cycling programs include Marian University, Fort Lewis College, Colorado Mesa University, Lindsey Wilson College, and Lindenwood University. 

What’s the difference between club and varsity college cycling teams?

Varsity and club cycling teams both offer opportunities for students to compete against other schools, build camaraderie, and enhance their skills. While varsity teams offer access to scholarships and certified coaches, they are not necessarily better than club teams. Some of the top schools in the nation are considered club teams and offer leading academic programs and plenty of training and racing opportunities. Club teams can also move up to varsity level with increased investment in the team.

Here’s a quick look at the biggest differences between club and varsity teams:

Is cycling an NCAA sport?

Cycling is not included in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), so there are no NCAA cycling teams. Instead, collegiate cycling is governed by USA Cycling, the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States.

How to start your collegiate cycling career 

Ready to start your collegiate cycling career now? Whether you’re in high school and applying to universities or already a college student and looking to jump on the bike, follow these steps:

• Begin your training: Start training and prepare to compete. Our cycling training plan for beginners or guide to increasing cycling power can help you train for better performance at your next race or at one of the 20 best Gran Fondos in the U.S.
• Earn a USA Cycling collegiate racing license: Obtaining a collegiate racing license, renewed annually, is a requirement for many college and university cycling teams.
• Research top collegiate cycling schools: You can check each college team’s website and social media pages to find more information about their teams and how to join. Also, consult USA Cycling’s archive of Collegiate National Team Rankings for both varsity and club teams to see the top schools in each category over the years.
• Network with cycling colleges: Many collegiate cycling schools will attend high school races through leagues such as the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) to meet prospective students. 
• Make sure you’re enrolled as a full-time student: According to USA Cycling, riders must be registered as full-time students in order to compete in any collegiate cycling race at the conference or national level.
• Start your own club: If your school doesn’t have a cycling team, you can form your own by filling out the USA Cycling Club Application Form and Collegiate Club Eligibility Form.

Build a custom cycling kit for your college team

Set your collegiate team up for success with Hincapie’s custom cycling kits designed and tested by pro cyclists. From collegiate clubs to varsity racing teams, we’ll help you build a bold, one-of-a-kind look that matches performance with style.

Browse our custom catalog of pro-tested kits for road, mountain, and gravel riding—designed for riders of all skill levels. Or start by checking out our top recommendations for college cycling teams:

• Velocity: Our most popular collection, the Velocity kit is built for everyone from beginners to podium racers. Easily customize this versatile fit for large clubs or events that include a wide range of cyclists.
• Signature: Our Signature kit is worn by George Hincapie and is a favorite among pros, with a sleek, contoured style and ultra-soft fabrics that are perfect for collegiate road racing.

Whether you need to outfit a team of 5 or 500, we’ll help your team look and perform their best—and show off your unique personality at every conference and championship. 

Explore our custom catalog to find the fit that works best for your collegiate cycling team or connect with an expert for more information.

Post feature image courtesy of Lees-McRae College.