ULM Water Ski Team wins 21st national
championship title

The University of Louisiana Monroe Water Ski Team triumphed Oct. 16-18, winning its 21st national championship title at the National Collegiate Water Ski Association’s 30th National Championship Tournament, held this year in Chandler, Ariz.

The ULM Water Ski Team has won 21 of the 30 years the competition has been held. This is the third consecutive year for the Division 1 Team Overall title. Twenty-two teams from across the nation competed in the NCWSA National Championship Tournament, demonstrating some of the best of collegiate skiing.

The ULM team won the tournament by a solid 530 points, dominating with an overall point total of 12,360. This score is determined by 30 different ski performances over three days, with skiing starting at 7 a.m. and continuing until 6 p.m.

The performances seen at the National Championship Tournament are the culmination of the team developing a rhythm that allows them to move together well, develop a positive team dynamic and facilitate strong performances, according to Treina Landrum, ULM Water Ski Team coach and director of Recreational Services. “ULM Skiers set the standard for outstanding team performance in all three events: slalom, trick and jump. We were the team to watch in skiing, school spirit and good sportsmanship.

“This victory is a group effort; you win as a team or you lose as a team, no one performance determines the outcome. We were proud to wear our Homecoming shirts on the last day of the tournament. Everyone knows who the ULM Water Skiers are - they are the team that is skiing well, having the best time, supporting the other competitors, and holding that championship trophy.”

ULM team members placed in the top five in several categories, making them members of the All American team in those events.

The men’s team won first in the slalom and tricks categories and second in jumping, winning second place overall. In men’s slalom, Daniel Odvarko (Czech Republic) finished first, scoring two-and-a-half buoys at 39.5 feet off; Adam Sedlmajer (Czech Republic) finished second; and Martin Bartalsky (Slovakia) tied for fifth. In men’s tricks, Sedlmajer scored a first place victory, tallying 5,370 points; Odvarko tied for fourth. Overall, Sedlmajer won second place in the men’s portion.

The women’s team won first in the women’s slalom competition; Kate Adriaensen (Belgium) placed third and Karen Stevens (Canada) tied for fourth. In women’s tricks, ULM scored a first place victory; Adriaensen individually won third place. In women’s jumping, the team tied for second; Adriaensen earned a fourth place win. In the Division 1 women’s category, Adriaensen won second place and Stevens fifth, as individuals. The women’s team won second place overall.

The team's anniversary will be celebrated Oct. 25, marking the 30th year of water skiing at ULM. The team will host a reunion, as well as a ski show on Bayou DeSiard by the Alumni Center from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to see this performance given by ULM's water ski champions.

More about the ULM Water Ski Team:
The ULM Water Ski Team competes in the National Collegiate Water Ski Association South Central Region.

Members of the ULM Water Ski Team this fall are:

Women’s Team:

• Kate Adriaensen - Belgium
• Brittany Collins – Murray, Ky
• Emily Darwin - Shreveport
• Tatiana Hernandez - Colombia
• Barbora Kolesarova - Slovakia
• Carly Marquess – Paducah, Ky
• Tina Rauchenwald - Austria
• Karen Stevens - Canada

Men’s Team:

• Martin Bartalsky - Slovakia
• Tyler Boyd – Houston, Texas
• Kyle Dammann – Lynchberg, Tenn.
• Daniel Odvarko - Czech Republic
• Robbie Paterson - Canada
• Andres Pombo - Colombia
• Adam Sedlmajer - Czech Republic

ULM Water Ski Team wins 20th Nationals

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!”