The cycling team is one of Northwestern State University’s newest club sports. Despite only starting in fall 2025, the team has already hosted an event and begun to gain members. The club, started by a brother of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, opens its arms to students across campus with the goals of increasing its member numbers and supporting the community, one big event at a time.
Mitchell Mayfield, a senior biology major and captain of the team, started the club after spending the summer cycling across the country to raise money for children with disabilities. “I wanted to take what I learned from the trip and bring it back to Northwestern State,” Mayfield said. “I got so much from this trip over the summer that I wanted to find a way to benefit people here in my community.”
The team’s first event, a Bike-A-Thon hosted with Pi Kappa Phi, raised over $1,200 for the Red River Special Olympics program. Running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., members and students passing by were able to bike to raise money and awareness.
Tyler Dupuis, a sophomore business administration major, joined the biking to spread awareness for children with disabilities. “Over the summer, I had the pleasure of fundraising over $8,000 for people with disabilities and cycling over 1,000 miles. So being able to provide that inclusion and spread that awareness at a more local level is giving me a good feeling,” Dupuis said.
The Bike-A-Thon embodied the goals of the club, promoting cycling and raising money for different organizations.
For the future of the club, they will have to decide if they want to be a competitive team or a charity team. With the option to join the American Cycling Association, Mayfield said the decision will be up to the members.
“I’d like to see more guys involved and helping out with the community, not just children with disabilities but also other communities where people do need help,” Mayfield said. “Ultimately, I want to help the organization wherever they go, help them develop and do whatever they want to do.”
When starting the club, other members of Pi Kappa Phi joined Mayfield in the experience, one being Owen Stutzman, a junior accounting major.
“I decided to join because my friend [Mayfield] was starting it, and we’ve been raising money for the Ability Experience … it was three of us that did it, and we each raised $7,500, over $20,000 altogether … it’s for people with disabilities,” Stutzman said.
Joining a club sport is a good way to connect with other students and learn something new without committing to a competitive sport. The cycling team offers the added benefits of serving the community while watching one of NSU’s newest club sports grow.
