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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Theta looks to repeat as champions

Junior Abby Rogers has only missed one Little 500 in her life. Even before she was old enough to be on a team, the Bloomington native was part of the race.

Her father was the race director for years. So prior to the event each year, they had a much shorter race just for Rogers — one lap on a tricycle.

“I used to get really embarrassed when they called my name,” she said.

Years later, she’s an even bigger part of the race. Last year, in her first Little 500, Rogers helped Kappa Alpha Theta Cycling to its first title since 2003. This weekend, Rogers, fellow veteran Liz Lieberman and rookies Evelyn Malcomb and Maddie Lambert will try to repeat as champions.

Throughout the Spring Series, Theta has proven ?itself the team to beat.

Three riders finished in the top 10 of Individual Time Trials, with Lieberman claiming the crown with a time of 2:36.76. Malcomb finished fourth and Rogers eighth.

Just more than a week later, Lieberman was atop the field again. She edged out Phoenix’s Tabitha Sherwood to win Miss-N-Outs. Their performances in the first two events were enough to give Theta a commanding lead over the rest of the field and take the Series.

“I think we feel very lucky because even though we were just rookies last year, we at least have some sort of returning base, and then we’re able to help the rookies get to where they need to be,” Rogers said.

Since the inaugural women’s Little 500 in 1988, Theta has claimed five race titles. That’s tied for most with Kappa Kappa Gamma.

There’s typically a large pool of potential riders to choose from because of Theta’s history of success in the race. But despite having a new class of girls come in every year, Rogers said, being a sorority team isn’t ?always an advantage.

“Your selection is based on whoever’s in the house,” she said. “It’s not like you can pull from the whole campus.”

Growing up with the race, Rogers, who didn’t join Theta until she was a sophomore, always knew she wanted to be a rider. When Lieberman went greek, riding in the Little 500 wasn’t necessarily a priority but was always in the back of ?her mind.

Now, Rogers and Lieberman are teaching Malcomb and Lambert the Theta Cycling culture. Rogers said the two rookies hold themselves to higher standards than most veterans, a huge part of their success so far ?in 2015.

As a team, Theta qualified third for a first-row starting position on race day.

In 2014, Theta won the race with just one returning rider. Three were rookies.

They’re a year more experienced, but there’s always pressure that comes with wearing the yellow jersey.

“With the yellow jersey, that’s just automatically a target on your back,” Rogers said. “But we’re just trying to keep a clear mind and do what we can, treat it as a whole new year because during the race anything can happen.”

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