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October 29, 2007

ULM Water Ski Team wins 20th national championship victory

The ULM Water Ski Team triumphed, scoring its 20th national championship in the 2007 National Collegiate Water Ski Association National Championship Tournament at Bennett’s Water Ski and Wakeboard School in Zachary Oct. 25 – 27.

The ULM Water Ski Team is the current national champion and now holds 20 NCWSA titles; winning 20 of the 28 years the competition has been held. This is the second consecutive year for the Division 1 Team Overall title.

The ULM team dominated with an overall point total of 12,860; the University of Louisiana at Lafayette came in second with 12,350, and Arizona State won third with 12,060 points. Twenty-eight teams from across the nation competed in the NCWSA National Championship Tournament, demonstrating some of the best of collegiate skiing.

ULM team members placed in the top five in every category, making them members of the All American team in each event.

ULM finished first in all three men’s events. In men’s slalom, Adam Seldmajer (Prague, Czech Republic) finished third, and Aliaksei Zharnasek (Novopolotsk, Belarus) tied for fifth. In men’s tricks, Zharnasek scored a first-place victory, while Sedlmajer came in second. In men’s jumping, Sedlmajer won third place, and Martin Bartalsky (Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia) won fourth. Overall, Sedlmajer won first place in the men’s portion, and Bartalsky won fourth.

The women’s team won first place, overall. The team tied for first in the women’s slalom competition; Natallia Berdnikava (Novopolotsk, Belarus) placed first, Tatiana Hernandez (Bogota, Colombia) second, and Karen Stevens (Morrisburg, Canada) third. In women’s tricks, ULM scored a first-place victory, with Berdnikava earning a clear first-place win. In women’s jumping, the team earned second place; Berdnikava won first place again. In the Division 1 women’s category, Berdinakava won first place, Stevens fourth, and Hernandez fifth.

Treina Landrum, Water Ski Team coach and director of Recreational Services, said, “We had an outstanding performance from our freshman in this competition. It is exceptional for young skiers to make All American in their first year.”

Concerning the All American team ranking, ULM is first in Division 1 with a combined total of 10,630 points after five events. Berdnikava is team captain for the women.

Landrum issued her personal appreciation. “The ULM Water Ski Team wishes to thank the ULM students, faculty/staff, administration and business community for their continued support. A special thanks goes to the ULM Student Government Association, the ULM Campus Activities Board and Gus Campbell WaterSports and Boating Center for their continued generous support. Go Warhawks!”

For information about the ULM Water Ski Team, contact Landrum at (318) 342-5313 or go to the team’s website at www.ulmwaterski.com

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