NCWSA announces Stars & Stripes teams to represent USA at the 2025 IWWF World University Waterski Championships

USA Water Ski & Wake Sports and the National Collegiate Water Ski Association are pleased to announce the selection of two water ski teams that will compete in the 2025 IWWF World University Waterski Championships, Feb. 26-March 2, at Orakei Basin in Auckland, New Zealand.

The delegation will be supported by Coach Sam Greenwood, alum of The University of Alabama, who coached the 2024 U17 team to victory in Canada, along with and manager Matt Page, current Southern and Atlantic Coastal region chair and graduate of Kennesaw State University. Along with the International Activates Committee, we are excited to bring the “Stars & Stripes” to the southern hemisphere.

Stars

Athletes ranked in the top of the NCWSA Individual ranking list make up our Stars team.

Meet the Stars:

• Ali Garcia, student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Blaze Grubbs, student at Arizona State University
• Gage Kacprowicz, student at The University of Alabama
• James Bryans, student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Kennedy Hansen, student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Sage Pottbecker, student at the University of Louisana at Laffayette
• Alternate: Carter Eaton, graduate of Arizona State University
• Alternate: Annemarie Wroblewski, student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Two alternates will travel with the team, and have the opportunity to ski on the Orakei Basin. These skiers can win individual medals, however, they do not contribute to the team scores unless they are substituted on to the team before the first skier of the tournament

Stripes

To bring more athletes the opportunity to represent the nation in Auckland, we have selected a second team.

Meet the Stripes: 

• Brooke Boskus, student at The University of Alabama
• Jacob Duffy, student at the University of Louisiana Monroe
• Eva Henderson, student at the University of Louisiana Monroe
• Sam Hill, student at The University of Alabama
• Cade Stockstill, student at The University of Alabama
• Samantha Streitfeld, student at Arizona State University
• Stripes alternate, who may also compete for individual placement, is Eric Macias (Windermere, Fla.)

About the event

The IWWF World University Waterski Championships is a team event comprised of skiers between the ages of 17 and 25 who are full time students in good standing at an accredited university. Students who graduated in the year of the tournament (2025) or prior year (2024) are eligible to compete in the event.

This will be the first IWWF world titled traditional water ski event hosted by New Zealand and the first since IWWF’s separation from the FISU World University Championships program. The event will be towed exclusively by the world record-setting Ski Nautique.

Support the team

Donations can be made by Paypal through USAWS to the NCWSA to support both teams. All donations will go towards funding expenses for both teams and decreasing your overall cost! We can also take donations directly to the NCWSA by check.

USA Water Ski & Wake Sports and the National Collegeiate Water Ski Association is a charitable 501(c)3 organization. Donations are tax deductible with receipt. Please reach out to manager Matt Page for more information on making a contribution to support the team financially, or with gear.

Auckland Water Ski Club: one of the most unique waterski venues in the world

Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud is two South Pacific islands blending cultures from around
the world, stunning scenery and a host of exciting activities. New Zealand (Aotearoa) is simply one of the most stunning countries in the World. In NZ you can find everything from amazing scenery to adrenaline junkie activities and a uniquely diverse south pacific culture.

Aotearoa is an adrenaline junky playground and host to the 2025 World University Championships in one of the most unique waterski venues in the world – a dormant Volcanic crater moments from the highlights of Auckland City.

The Auckland Water Ski Club is proud to host this event in such a unique location. Within sight of
central Auckland’s iconic SkyTower, the lake hosts 2 slalom courses to cater to Auckland’s ever
changing sub-tropical weather systems and a jump course with probably the best ramp in New
Zealand – a Bemman custom ramp to cater for our marine environment.

Join the fun in Auckland

Family, friends, and fans are welcome to travel to watch the games, and can learn more about the event on the IWWF official website.

Transportation is easy, with trains and busses easily accessible from the host hotel. Purchase your event ticket, or official merch from the Uni Worlds shop.

Attendees will be treated to an entertainment night on Friday, including live music, a ski show, and a “flip-off” competition with prizes. Food will be available to purchase on-site from the event catering. The Event will be run as a cashless event, as debit and credit card are widely accepted over cash in NZ.

Additionally, the 2025 University Worlds has partnered with Auckland’s development agency (Tataki Auckland Unlimited) and is now part of the Moana Festival for 2025. Auckland boasts more boats per capita than anywhere else in the world, earning its proud nickname as the “City of Sails”

The Auckland Moana Festival is a celebration of this enduring maritime legacy, offering a plethora of events and activities that highlight the city’s connection to the sea. Based in the Viaduct, just a few minutes’ walk from the official accommodation at the Heritage Hotel, the festival offers a unique blend of tradition, culture, and modern entertainment.

Festival Highlights

• Traditional Maori Canoe Races: Witness the thrilling spectacle of waka ama races, showcasing the skill and strength of Maori paddlers.
• The On-Water New Zealand Boat Show showcasing innovative NZ marine products and vessels.
• Seafood Extravaganza: Savor the freshest seafood from Auckland’s waters at the festival’s food stalls and gourmet dining events.
• Maritime Workshops: Participate in hands-on workshops where you can learn about traditional boat building, navigation, and other maritime crafts.
• Music and Dance Performances: Enjoy live performances from local artists, reflecting the diverse cultural tapestry of Auckland.
• Art Exhibitions: Explore art installations and exhibitions that celebrate the ocean and its significance to Auckland.

History of University World Championships

The event itself has a very rich tradition with many of the world’s top skiers competing over the years. Beginning in 1996 with the first IWSF World University Trophy Tournament, in Milledgeville, Ga., and a second IWSF World University Trophy Tournament in 1998 in Cleveland, Tenn., the IWSF went on to sanction the 1st World University Waterski Championships in Tianjin, China, in 2002.

In 2002, The IWSF (now IWWF) partnered with the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and FISU-sanctioned events in Balakovo, Russia (2004), Tianjin, China (2008), Santiago, Chile (2012) and Akita, Japan (2016). This will be our first world championship event in 8 years, as scheduled events for Dnipro, Ukraine in 2020 and Minsk, Belarus in 2022 were both canceled. Cancellations were due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war. Ukraine was rescheduled to 2024 but again had to be canceled due to the war.

Notable World Championship alumni include NCWSA Hall of Famers Marcus Brown (2002), Regina Jaquess, where she swept the 2005 Championships as slalom, trick, jump, and overall champion alongside Jimmy Siemers, 2005 Water Ski World Champion with Gold Medal, Men’s Overall, to lead USA to Team Overall champions.