October 30, 2005 – Backed by wins in both the men’s and women’s downhill event on Sunday, the University of Colorado captured the division I national title as the 2005 USA Cycling Collegiate National Mountain Bike Championships concluded at Seven Springs resort. Tim Sharpe won the men’s race and Jessica Vogt was victorious in the women’s race as the duo helped contribute just enough points to surpass Fort Lewis College and unseat the defending champions in what turned out to be a tight two-school race for the championship.

CU edged Fort Lewis by just ten points, 695-685, after results from the weekend’s four events – short track, mountain cross, cross country and downhill – were calculated. David Camp also chipped in for the Buffaloes on the final day of competition with a fourth-place finish in the men’s downhill as did Lynn Bush who placed fifth in the women’s race.

The University of Colorado also grabbed the top-two places in the individual overall standings as Joshua Bezecny and Chris Jung placed first and second respectively.

For Bezecny, it was his second consecutive men’s division I individual title.

Despite the second-place ranking in the final team standings, Fort Lewis College managed an overall title as Tina Dominic earned the women’s division I individual title with 450 points ahead of Eastern Kentucky University’s Amanda McKay who earned 412 points as the silver medalist.

In division II competition, Lees-McRae College was clearly the dominant team as it successfully defended its three overall titles across the board.With 702 points to Warren Wilson College’s 612, Lees-McRae repeated
as the overall team champion while Brent Bookwalter and Monique Hein
also claimed individual overall honors for the second year in a row
to give Lees-McRae its second consecutive sweep of the three overall
classifications.

In the final day of competition, Lees-McRae kept the pressure on with
two second place finishes in the downhill as David Flynn earned
silver in the men’s race and Hein descended to silver in the women’s
race.

Brian Buell (Front Range Community College) and Ashley Robison
(Warren Wilson College) posted wins in Sunday’s downhill.

FINAL TEAM RESULTS:

Division I

1. University of Colorado 695
2. Fort Lewis College 685
3. Colorado State University 499
4. Mesa State College 472
5. Lindsey Wilson College 452

Division II

1. Lees-McRae College 702
2. Warren Wilson College 612
3. Union College 586
4. Murray State University 578
5. Michigan Tech University 565

FINAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:

Men’s Division I

1. Joshua Bezecny (University of Colorado) 330
2. Chris Jung (University of Colorado) 296
3. Eric Ransom (Fort Lewis College) 278
4. Alex Hagman (Fort Lewis College) 272
5. Eric Roman (Penn State University) 242
Women’s Division I

1. Tina Dominic (Fort Lewis College) 450
2. Amanda McKay (Eastern Kentucky University) 412
3. Karen Walkerman (University of Vermont) 412
4. Caroline Jarohmek (University of Colorado) 366
5. Rana Schnell (Mesa State College) 350