For some teams, qualifying for the Little 500 is almost a given. Veteran teams who have raced several times before are more concerned with their spot than making the 33-team field.
For others, just qualifying is a win in itself.
In 2014, the women’s Ski Club team just wanted to make it. Thirty-five teams – a record total for the women’s race – were trying to qualify. Ski Club Cycling was thrown together a couple of months before race day and every rider was a rookie.
They ended up far exceeding expectations, qualifying seventh and finishing in the same spot on race day.
Sophomore Ski member Megan Huibregtse said she didn’t even know how long the race was when she agreed to join the team. A year later, with three riders returning, the team has set its sights on qualifying in the top five.
“After qualifying seventh (last year) we thought, ‘Hey, maybe we have a shot at this,’” Huibregtse said. “Personally, as an athlete, you always want to win but we were really happy with seventh place and really excited to see what our program would hold for the future.”
The second-year team will likely be joined near the top of the pole by a few with a history of success. Teter Quad topped the pole in four of the past eight years. Defending Champion Kappa Alpha Theta earned a top-six qualifying time in each of the past three years.
Alpha Chi Omega, Melanzana Cycling and Phi Mu, all top qualifiers in 2014, return experienced teams.
“There are some really great teams this year,” Huibregtse said. “I think it’s going to be a great race.”
Teter looks to return to top of pole
From 2007 to 2009, Teter repeated as polesitter three consecutive times.
That’s not easy to do. The only other team to do that since the women’s race began in 1988 was Kappa Alpha Theta in 1992, ’93 and ’94.
Since cracking the top 10 for the first time in 2003, Teter has done so in 13 of the last 14 years. They topped the pole most recently in 2012 after being champion the previous two years.
Last year, four Teter riders – Emma Coughlin, Ashton Dehahn, Mackenzie Lloyd and Julia Thomas – placed top 20 of the individual time trials, more than any other team.
Two new teams formed
IU’s Independent Council, a social-philanthropic organization for non-greek women at IU, formed its first-ever Little 500 team. The all-rookie team looks to earn a spot Saturday.
Phoenix is comprised riders who have Little 500 race experience but have never been teammates. Some come from dissolved teams while others left existing teams.
After Saturday’s qualifications that begin at 8 a.m., two teams will be left out of the 33-team Little 500 field.
