Stenner scholarship winner Hanley aimed high as cyclist and cadet
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Zeb Hanley was the top graduate out of the 1,024 cadets in the Academy's class of 2013.
When you look at Hanley's accomplishments thus far, it's clear he will live up to the second part of the Air Force motto: "Fly – Fight – Win.";
Hanley was a recipient of the USA Cycling Development Foundation's 2013 John Stenner Memorial Scholarship, an honor he received for demonstrating strong leadership in the Academy's cycling program.
With no official team coach during his freshman and sophomore year, Hanley served as the team's cadet-in-charge of training, a race director for the Front Range Cycling Classic, and a volunteer for both Ride2Recovery and the Colorado High School Mountain Bike State Championships.
As a racer, Hanley racked up an impressive handful of top-ten finishes, including eighth-place in the Division II men's road race at this year's Collegiate Road National Championships.
Cycling wasn't the only area in which the Denver native excelled.
An academic stand-out, Hanley was named top graduate out of the 1,024 cadets in the Academy's Class of 2013.
Hanley stood out as both a cyclist and a cadet.
Cycling contributed to his overall success.
Lt. Hanley said that the sport of cycling contributed to his success in other areas during his time with the Academy.
"The academics at the Academy are very tough and there are many demands on your time," he explained. "What I really liked about cycling for the Academy is that it got me away from my studies and forced me to exercise and interact with a lot of great people.
"Cycling was a way to wind down and pursue extracurricular activities, and because our whole program was more or less student run I got a lot of leadership experience."
What's next for Zeb Hanley? Keep aiming high.
Hanley was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant when he graduated last month.
Lt. Hanley leaves in August for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he will seek a Master's degree in Operations Research. As a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, his job will be as an Operations Research Analyst.
As for his involvement in competitive cycling:
"I haven't decided yet," he said. "MIT has a really good cycling team that frequently wins national championships. I'll be looking at joining the team, but first I'm going to get there and see how hard my degree program is."
Would you like to help support top student athletes like Lt. Hanley? Consider making a gift to the USA Cycling Development Foundation. You can earmark your gift for the collegiate scholarship programs, or you can donate directly to our athlete development programs and help pave the way for future Olympic and world champions.
This Article Updated June 24, 2013 @ 09:36 PM For more information contact:
