Water Ski: UL water ski team claims national title

The Advertiser, October 26, 2015

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Ragin’ Cajuns water ski team recently won the Division 1 national title at the 37th Collegiate Water Ski National Championships.

The UL team won all the men’s and women’s events, including slalom, tricks and jumping, which is a first in national championship history, according to Ryan Gonzales, its head coach and adviser.

It’s the sixth time UL has taken the national title since the team was founded in 1988, according to a press release from the school. Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns teams earned national championships five other times: 1995, 1997, 2003, 2005 and 2010.

The Ragin’ Cajuns scored 12,845 points to take the 2015 title. Florida Southern College finished second with 11,965 points. Defending champions University of Louisiana at Monroe added up 11,375 points to place third. The University of Alabama finished fourth with 11,265 points.

UL athletes who won individual Division 1 national titles were Taryn Grant for women’s slalom (5-1/2 buoys at 38 feet off) and women’s overall (1,675 points) and Christopher Wharton for men’s jumping (171 feet). Individual medals for slalom, tricks and jumping were awarded, based on athletes’ placements within their division. Overall titles were awarded in each division to athletes competing in all three events.

The Ragin’ Cajuns water ski team includes the men’s team: Cole Grant, assistant coach; Jaret Bull; Dane Mechler; Brody Newton; Benjamin Stadlbaur; Jonah Shaffer; and Christopher Wharton; and the women’s team: Giannina Bonnemann, Taryn Grant, Brittany Greenwood, Matilda Matte Mostrom, Madison Schneider, Julia Waitt and Charlotte Wharton.