ACU Cycling team president Liz Lurz won first place at Nationals at the South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference.
Lurz, junior biology and business major from San Antonio, rode solo at the conference, taking home a national title.
“It has been hard definitely because every time I win or accomplish something my team’s not there, nor is ACU there so I have to keep reminding myself that I’m doing this for them,” Lurz said.
Liz has a long history of bike riding. She began at a very young age and has kept riding throughout college. She started riding when she was eight and began racing when she was 10.
“I train on a daily basis for my racing and we have races every other weekend,” Lurz said.
The ACU cycling team competes in a variety of competitions. Active team members include Caitlin Hanisco, Megan Steward, David Singer, Michael McKissick, Johnathan Martin and Wiepie Rojas.
“I was really excited for Liz to ride so competitively throughout the mountain season, it’s a big step for the cycling club as we try to establish ourselves in the SCCCC (South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference), and hopefully we’ll race just as well next semester during the road season,” said Michael McKissick, senior Ad/PR major from Boerne.
Before every race, Liz says a small prayer: “I know I can do this with God, and He’s going to keep me safe.”
According to the South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference’s website the conference is “a collection of cycling clubs representing colleges and universities from Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. [They] are one of 11 conferences that make up the collegiate program of USA Cycling, the national governing body of cycling in the United States. [Their] athletes compete in road, mountain, track and cyclocross racing throughout the academic year at the conference level with hopes of qualifying for the USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships.”
Liz said cross country cycling is her strongest area.
“Cross country racing is my time to shine and it’s typically between 18-22 off-road miles, and about 40 miles road riding,” Lurz said.
Liz received several awards for winning nationals including metals, a trophy, a camelback and a swag bag.
