Colorado Mesa University’s cycling team clinched its seventh consecutive national mountain bike title on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Powderhorn Mountain Resort, successfully navigating rain showers and muddy conditions. The Mavericks amassed 664 points, with strong performances across all racing disciplines, notably a 1-2 finish in the women’s downhill and dominating victories in the men's cross country races.
Freshman Mary McLernon from Steamboat Springs led CMU’s final-day charge to the 2026 national championship, securing a dominant victory in the women’s downhill with a time of 5 minutes, 44.31 seconds. McLernon's teammate, Maylei Leaneagh, finished second in the downhill, which was staged on Powderhorn's Pinball run. McLernon and Leaneagh were the only two riders who averaged more than 35 kilometers per hour on the descent. Two days prior, McLernon also earned a third-place finish in the dual slalom.
On the men’s side, senior Austin Beard collected two red, white, and blue USA jerseys by winning both the long cross country race and Saturday’s short track race. Teammate Kai Lokey, a sophomore from Durango, worked through heavy traffic early to secure second place in the long cross country race, giving the CMU men a 1-2 finish in that event. Austin Beard, originally from Vermont, noted his familiarity with the Powderhorn trails helped him push the pace on descents, stating, “That’s what made the separation.” Lokey described a “super hard start” but found success with “higher-altitude stuff” after moving up early in the long cross country.
The Mavericks' overall success, matching their home-course national title from 2025, was attributed to depth in every racing discipline. In the women's short track, Elisabeth Knight of CMU finished fifth, with teammates Kira Mullins in seventh and Estelle Slingsby in tenth. These three also placed in the top 10 of the women's long cross country race, with Knight fifth, Slingsby seventh, and Mullins ninth. Tanner Castagnetto and Max Brown of Colorado Mesa placed sixth and seventh, respectively, in the men's downhill. Rival Fort Lewis College of Durango placed second overall with 612 points, just ahead of Brevard (North Carolina) with 610.
Longtime CMU cycling coach Brian Flaherty, in his 14th season, acknowledged the challenges of the weekend. “This weekend was challenging. This one was the hardest one we’ve had,” Flaherty said, noting that the rain, muddy conditions, weather delays, and schedule changes complicated equipment selection and meal planning. Despite a “really young team this year, probably the youngest team we’ve had in the seven years that we’ve been doing this,” Flaherty stated, “It’s nice to know we can (perform) when conditions aren’t perfect.” He praised the young athletes who “rose to the occasion and did really well for us.” Flaherty added that the team felt pressure on Friday night, but a “really good team dinner” boosted morale, which “carried over into Saturday’s downhill and short track cross country race.” He also thanked fellow coaches Patric Rostel and Brady Kappius and noted the strong support from CMU administration and sponsors. Flaherty also remarked that “Repeats are real tough” and that the championship was “a massive effort over five days to make this happen.”
Austin Beard's primary competition in Saturday’s short track race came from his twin brother, Carson Beard, who races for Fort Lewis. Carson finished second to Austin in the short track and also placed fourth in the long cross country race, joining his brother on the podium. Austin Beard noted, “It’s cool we’re both racing in the collegiate scene,” having grown up racing together. While Austin’s CMU team won the national championship, Carson Beard won the individual omnium (all events) title in the top classification. Austin Beard appreciated racing “here at home,” with the championships “40 minutes away from campus.”
USA Cycling concluded the 2026 championships at Powderhorn by announcing the 2027 Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals will be held in Bentonville, Arkansas.