Theta Phi Cycling is in need of some financial help for the 2020 race coming up on April 24th. With 7 teammates (and counting), race fees, bikes, rollers and trainers, kits, and other equipment, necessities come at a steep cost. We are trying to set this program up for lasting success by investing in equipment that will last for many generations of TPA Cycling teams.


Founded in 2012, TPA Cycling has grown from a small team with no equipment and no coach to a serious race contender with the help of Courtney Bishop. In March 2017, he began coaching the team while trying to build a relationship between TPA Cycling and JETBLACH, the men's team also coached by Bishop. In the 2017 race, after just 7 weeks of training, Bishop took TPA from a 26th place finish the previous year to a 15th place finish (our team's best finish ever). Then, in April 2018, TPA suffered a devastating crash early in the race and managed to make up 55 seconds on the field to unlap themselves, be back in contention to win the race, and eventually finished 6th, only 1.2 seconds behind the winners that year. Under Bishop's coaching, JETBLACH also finished 5th in the 2018 men's race. Although TPA finished with a 6th place finish again in 2019, the team placed 5th in team pursuit, a personal best.

TPA Cycling trains hard, completing the exact same training plan as JETBLACH and every other men's team Bishop has ever coached. The year of training is tough, demanding, and transformative. With two returning riders on this year's squad and the consistent training of our rookies, we expect to win the 2020 Little 500, and that has always been our goal. This team seeks to develop undergraduate women in Theta Phi Alpha into dependable and accountable adults with the mental stamina to endure any situation and, of course, into strong and confident athletes. These are invaluable qualities that will be carried with them into life outside of the Little 500. Help from you will not only support our collective dream of winning the Little 500 for the first time in our sorority's history, but also into the development of stand-out young women.


"This team of incredible young ladies has really bought into our system of developing riders, backed by a wonderfully supportive house of sisters, they have truly embraced 'The Process'. Come April, we will be poised to make a run at winning Theta Phi Alpha's 1st (Not Last) Little 500 championship , and you won't want to miss it! It has truly been an honor working with these young ladies! No team has ever trained harder!" - Courtney Bishop, Theta Phi Alpha Little 500 Coach


On behalf of Theta Phi Alpha Cycling, thank you, we could not do this without the continued love and support from our sisters, our families, and our friends along with the amazing people in the Indiana University, Bloomington, and Little 500 communities. This is an opportunity unlike any other and we are so grateful. Expect excellence, expect victory, and, as always, #FEARTHEBIRD.


See you all at 4pm on April 24th at Bill Armstrong Stadium!!