ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette’s Ragin’ Cajuns Water Ski Team has claimed its sixth consecutive Division 1 national title, bringing its overall total to 12 championships.
The team holds the most national championships in school history; it competes as a club sport rather than an NCAA-sanctioned sport.
The Ragin’ Cajuns Water Ski Team also earned Division 1 national championships in 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2015, 2010, 2005, 2003, 1997 and 1995. COVID-19 considerations prevented the championship from being held in 2020.
This year’s national championship came at the 2025 National Collegiate Water Ski Association National Championships that were held Oct. 16-18 in El Centro, California. The win capped an undefeated season for the team, an unbeaten streak that stretches back to 2019.
The University of Louisiana at Monroe finished second in the national championships, followed by Florida Southern College, the University of Alabama and Rollins College.
Teams must qualify to compete in the national championships based on performances during tournaments leading up to the event. The 2025 national championship included three events for women and three for men – slalom, tricks and jump.
Skiers also competed for individual national titles in each of those events, and for overall women’s and men’s championships.
The overall titles are based on combined performances in the three events. ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette’s Kennedy Hansen won the overall title in women’s competition. Hansen placed first in each of the three individual events. In men’s overall competition, Alexander Gschiel tied for second place, Dominic Kuhn placed fourth and Florian Parth was fifth.
In individual competition, the team had numerous top ten finishes in addition to those posted by the overall winners.
In women’s slalom, Violeta Mociulsky finished second, Kate Pinsonneault tied for fourth place and Alana Jones tied for sixth. In men’s slalom, Parth was fifth, Kuhn tied for seventh and Evan Kraus placed ninth.
In the women’s tricks skiing, Megan Pelkey placed fourth and Emily Wenzel was sixth and Nina Mezzetti was tenth. Among men, Kuhn earned second place and Gschiel placed sixth.
In the women’s jump competition, Pelkey placed sixth. In the men’s jump, Corbin Pierce placed second and Parth was third.
The Ragin’ Cajuns Water Ski Team’s 21 members are from nine countries. The team is led by Ryan Gonzales, head coach and advisor, Harry Spavin, assistant coach, and James Bryans, Mociulsky and Sage Pottbecker, team captains.
Members of the Ragin’ Cajuns Water Ski Team are: James Bryans (U.S.), Lara Butlin (Australia), Alexander Gschiel (Austria), Kennedy Hansen (U.S.), Alana Jones (U.S.), Evan Kraus (Canada), Dominic Kuhn (Austria), Darah Lachance (Canada), Nina Mezzetti (Italy), Violeta Mociulsky (Argentina), Kendra Nathan (U.S.), Florian Parth (Italy), Megan Pelkey (Canada), Corbin Pierce (U.S.), Lucas Pinette (Canada), Kate Pinsonneault (Canada), Sage Pottbecker (U.S.), Jack Silver (New Zealand), Camryn Waters (U.S.), Emily Wenzel (Germany), Annemarie Wroblewski (U.S.).
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Photo caption: ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette's Ragin' Cajuns Water Ski Team claimed its sixth consecutive national title, bringing its overall total to 22 championships, the most in school history. The win capped an undefeated season for the Ragin’ Cajuns, an unbeaten streak that stretches back to 2019. Submitted photo