Trexlertown, Pa. (September 24, 2009) – Collegiate cycling season officially opened on Thursday as the 2009 USA Cycling Collegiate Track National Championships got underway at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Trexlertown, Pa. Four individual national titles were awarded as collegiate teams began their quests for the overall team omniums which will be awarded to the top teams in each division on Saturday.

During the morning session, David Espinoza (Penn State) and Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown University) topped the power events with wins in the men’s 1000-Meter and women’s 500-Meter Time Trials.

Espinoza’s time of 1:06.54 was only 1.18 seconds off of his 2008 winning time which was set at altitude in Colorado Springs. This year, Espinoza bested silver and bronze medalists Matthew Fox (Midwestern State University) and David Williams (Marian College).

“I was hoping to go faster,” said Espinoza, explaining that he had ridden 1:06 in August at the Elite National Championships Qualifier. Espinoza said he hopes for a 1:04 next week at the USA Cycling Elite National Championships in Carson, Calif.

In the women’s 500-meter, Hayduk rode at a speed of 47.348 kilometers per hour to post a time of 38.016 and best silver and bronze medalists Mary Costelloe (Kutztown University) and Amelia Bjesse Puffin (Portland State University).

Two more national champions were crowned during opening day’s evening session. Kimberly Geist (Northeastern University) and David Williams (Marian College) won the women’s 3-Kilometer and men’s 4-Kilometer Time Trials.

Geist, the 2008 Elite National Pursuit Champion, showed elite form on Thursday. With a winning time of 3:56.344, she grabbed the top step of the podium by beating out Mary Costelloe (Kutztown University) and Jennifer Greenberg (Lees-McRae College).

Geist was cautious when race announcer John Beckman asked her to forecast a time for next week when she defends her elite national title in Carson. “I don’t know what time to expect, but it should be quite a bit faster than last year,” she said.

In the men’s 4-Kilometer time test, Williams clocked a 4:49.057 to best Joey Rosskopf (Georgia State University) and Oscar Clark (Georgia State University).

The 2009 USA Cycling Collegiate Track National Championships continue on Friday, so be sure to check back to www.usacycling.org for coverage of all the action!