Army Women look to prove doubters wrong

Army Women made its way through the spring series as quietly as possible for a sixth-place team.

“I like that no one has noticed us before,” said Army Women rookie rider Hannah Calvert. “People don’t have confidence in us. We’re not a name that’s been around for years. I feel like that’s kind of fuel to the fire.”

Originally a team of ROTC women, Army Women had five riders in the top 40 of Individual Time Trials and two in the Miss ’N Out semifinals as well as placing sixth in Team Pursuit.

Members of the team said they are excited for the race Friday.

“It’s what we’ve been training for all year,” said team captain Liz Davis.

Team members said they feel ready for the hysteria of race day, and they hope to use the energy and adrenaline generated by the crowd to propel them through the race.

“The energy is insane on race day,” Davis said. “I think the biggest thing is the energy of the crowd.”

Davis said she feels the mind-set of this team is different from those of teams she’s ridden with in the past.

“I think we are all really serious about it,” Davis said. “I think that everyone has the mentality that they’re not going to spend all this time training and working for something that they’re not going to succeed at.”

Rider Lauren Sewell said she thinks the team could accomplish its goal and do its best if it sticks to the game plan.

“We all have a role to play,” Sewell, a rookie, said. “We have to do our part and do our job.”

The team has three rookie riders, who are going into the race hoping to perform to the best of their ability.

“I don’t want to get the mentality that because I’m a first-year rider, I can be pushed around by other people,” Calvert said. “I just want to have the confidence in myself that I’ve been practicing this whole semester.”

Davis said she believes her rookies can get the job done. She said despite their inexperience, they have already become strong riders and even topped her at times.
“I don’t think that being a rookie is a weakness,” Davis said. “You can be just as good as a senior rider.”

Davis said she is looking forward to race day and trying to earn her team the respect she believes they deserve.

“I think we’re strong this year, and I think that we’ll prove them wrong it they have doubts about our team,” Davis said.