Emma Kasza-James was an unexpected national champion back in February at the Collegiate Gravel Nationals.

But she’s not surprised by the excellence achieved at Midwestern State University, a place the Wisconsin native chose to pursue her degree and cycling. Not to mention, compete with a team that has won 53 national titles.

Kasza-James and her teammates are glad to be home this week for a South Central Collegiate Conference race in Wichita Falls, including Saturday’s criterium races at the MSU Texas campus. The race weekend begins with the time trial Saturday morning, and then the criterium races will begin around 4 p.m. Saturday in front of the Clark Student Center. The campus community and Wichita Falls cycling fans are encouraged to show up and support the cyclists at MSU Texas. The event concludes with a road race on Sunday morning.

MSU Cycling has focused on peaking at this time of year as the team gears up for the Collegiate Road Nationals (Check name) in Madison, Wisconsin, which will be a homecoming for Kasza-James and Gabrielle Wrightsman.

Kasza-James also had a chance to travel to New York this spring for the Model United Nations event with the MSU Texas MUN team.

The opposite of New York might be Turkey, Texas (population 329). But Kasza-James will always remember Turkey, as she shared before campus and community supporters.

“This unassuming and quaint town is laughably symbolic. It highlighted how some of the most extraordinary moments can unfold in unexpected corners of the map, and how spectacular experiences don’t often boast grandeur,” Kasza-James said. “The extraordinary moments are what we make of them, and depend on how we change our perspective to match the landscape. To be completely honest, though, when we got to Gravel Nationals, I didn’t even think I would be on the podium.”

Kasza-James won by five minutes, even after losing her front wheel just past the halfway mark of the race.

“This team is amazing at adapting to the landscape, and we have gone from being unsure freshmen and sophomores, searching for our place, to poised and confident students and athletes. We compete not only against other collegiate teams, but also against professional teams in our races. We also have athletes that represent the university in domestic elite and international races, while balancing the load of university at the same time,” she said.