NCWSA Hall of Fame: Class of 2018 – Rhoni Barton-Bischoff

There are few words eloquent enough to effectively described Rhoni Barton-Bischoff — a dedicated mentor, a brilliant coach, a devoted mother, a caring friend. A minuscule amount of people have graced our sport with so much zeal for life on the water as she has. Heck, she loves sharing her love for skiing so much, she would bring her napping infant in a car seat to coach her students over the ramp.

While Rhoni is known for her generous heart, encouraging spirit and involvement in water skiing, she will never be forgotten as a three-event powerhouse and a name etched throughout history as one of the greatest forces to have ever touched the sport.

She was bulletproof. Sophomore through senior year (1995 – 1997), Rhoni swept all three events and overall at collegiate nationals, a feat no other women has dared come close to breaching. As for her freshman year, a hapless injury left Rhoni with a broken collar bone. But that didn’t stop her. Through indelible willpower and grit, she decided to tape her wounded arm to her side and perform her toe pass at nationals. And she won! That’s 4 national trick titles and three 3-event and overall wins.

By the end of her time as a collegiate athlete, Rhoni was dripping in gold. Not only did she set a Collegiate National Women’s Jump Record, but she also captured titles in all three events at the University Worlds in 1998, setting University Trophy World records in slalom, trick, jump and overall.

“I always say that water skiing is a never-ending challenge,” Rhoni explains in regards to her success. “I am, and always have been, passionate about becoming the best I can be.”

Despite her reign, Rhoni was one of the humblest souls around. Her unpretentious attitude and dedicated team ethic was a true representation of collegiate spirit.

“My favorite thing about collegiate skiing is that everyone on the team is truly an equal,” she relates. “No team can win with 1 or 2 superstars. In my time at Rollins, we enjoyed strengthening other skiers on the team and the results spoke for themselves. Their successes became the successes of the team, and that is the coolest feeling in the world.”

In tandem with her three year sweeping streak, Rhoni maintained a 3.9 GPA as a double major in english and economics and a minor in communications. It’s no surprise that her name now resides in the Rollins College Hall of Fame and numerous other hall of fames, including the illustrious USA Water Ski HoF. However, being initiated into the NCWSA Hall Of Fame holds a special place in her heart.

“Being inducted into the first collegiate hall of fame class is a huge honor. [It’s] mind-blowing really. I can’t say that about any other award I have ever won and I am humbled by this tremendous recognition.”

Although Rhoni’s professional career has concluded, she is now a coaching aficionado and dynamic component of Nautique Boat Company’s event coordination. As one of the sport’s most beloved mentors, Rhoni utilizes her expertise and passion to help others blaze new trails on the water.

“I understand what it truly takes to get there and the journey is the best part.”