By: Syd Bickers Photo by: Syd Bickers
The Milligan College cycling program is taking off under the direction of its new Head Coach Zack Nave, and two new cyclists are setting the pace.
Last Saturday, Nave who stepped in to coach the cycling team last spring, led the team to its first individual race victories at this season’s opening meet at East Tennessee State University. Freshman Nolan Trankersley (Erwin, Tenn.) finished first in men’s “B” short-track, and transfer junior Andrew Stallings (Crestline, Calif.) took first in men’s “C” downhill and men’s “C” short-track.
“Being a part of the first wins in history feels great,” said Nave. “I know the team can continue to deliver solid results.”
Familiarity with the surrounding cycling culture helped Nave recruit when he replaced former Coach Geoffrey Fryer. He previously served as assistant coach for King College cycling and continues to race professionally for Finish Strong Elite Cycling Team based in Greenville, S.C.
Nave knew Trankersley through elite cycling, and was able to recruit the (big time cyclist), who was considering other conference schools.
“I really wasn’t going to consider Milligan,” said Trankersley. “I had my mind set last year that I was going to go to Mars Hill.”
According to him, the coach kept upping his scholarship each time he visited another school, and he got sick of playing games. Trankersley said Nave was up front with him, and that was what helped him decide to sign on.
Being part of a progressing team scared him at first, but Trankersley is looking forward to where the team might end up in the next few years.
Trankersley fractured his right hand while warming up for last Saturday’s races. His arm was put in a cast on Tuesday, and he is waiting to hear if surgery is needed. The injury could potential put him out for the rest of the fall season.
“I just want to be ready for road racing in the spring,” he said. “Road is going to be the most exciting thing for me.”
Stallings, who transferred from Azusa Pacific University as a junior, had never competed collegiately. He raced for a bike shop in California. Stallings stumbled upon Milligan’s cycling team while doing an online google search.
“I wanted to race at school, so I typed on Google ‘schools with mountain biking,’ and Milligan came up,” explained Stallings.
He was also looking at Less-McRae and Warren Wilson. Stallings expressed that he was pleased to be racing at Milligan.
Stallings hopes to move up to racing in the “A” division by the end of the season. On Sunday he killed all competition in the men’s “C” downhill and short-track, and by the end of the day he jumped to “B.”
He didn’t have any collegiate results, so they had to put him in ‘C,'” said Nave. “He’ll probably be an ‘A’ next week.”
Stallings and senior Ethan Quisenberry will be racing at Georgia Tech, Atlanta this weekend.
Nave expects the team to greatly increase in size. If he signed all the recruits he is currently talking to, there would be around 25 people on the team next fall.
The 2013-2014 teams is currently made of three women and five men.
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