Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The legacy continues as the University of North Carolina Wilmington Surf Team again places as one of the top teams at the 2011 National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) National Championships. Sandy beaches, beautiful weather and topnotch surfing helped UNC Wilmington's Surf Team place third among 16 of the U.S.'s top college surf teams in Salt Creek, California June 16-18.

"The team is very proud of their third place finish," said Dylan McNamara, UNCW Surf Team coach. "We finished strong with a solid win. I am definitely proud of the team and their accomplishments."

The UNCW Surf Team has made history for the past three years with the best finish of an East Coast university ever in the championships - placing second after a sudden death surf-off against some of the top collegiate surfers in the nation in 2009 and finishing fourth in the 2010 competition.

Competition scores are based on individual surfers that collect points for the team as they advance through the heats. Three members of UNCW's surf team advanced to the finals. Ben Powell placed third in the college men's category, Drake Courie placed sixth in the college longboard division and Leilani Pickett placed sixth in the college women's division.

With six out of the nine members of the team graduating this year, McNamara is sad to see UNCW's history-making team depart, but he looks forward to try outs, which will be held in fall 2011.

"It will be fun to watch a new set of surfers grow and develop," said McNamara. "They will surely have some big shoes to fill, but I know they will continue the legacy that has been left behind."

McNamara's confidence is amped by incoming freshman, Nick Rupp, who is considered one of the top amateur surfers in the country. Rupp, who has already been crowned team captain for next season, has won the individual East Coast Championships for three years in a row. He will join the Pickett sisters, who will return next season.

The 2010-2011 UNCW Surf Team includes captain Cody Leutgens, Nick Bland, Thomas Bruce, Drake Courie, Sean Herman, Zack Kenny, Morgan O'Connell, Airlie Pickett, Leilani Pickett, Romy Sidelsky, Ben Powell and Ian Tilghman. The team is led by coach McNamara, a physics and physical oceanography professor at UNCW and assistant coach Mike Powell, a former national champion and UNCW graduate. Tower 7 restaurant and the nonprofit organization Hope from Helen have sponsored the team with scholarships and financial support throughout the years.

The full 2011 NSSA National Championships will be broadcasted on CBS Sports on Saturday, June 25, 2011.

Media are invited to attend team surf sessions. Interviews with members can be arranged by contacting the below media contact.

Media Contact:

Emily Jones, UNCW media relations, 910.962.3171 or jonesel@uncw.edu