UE Concrete Canoe Team Scores at National Competition
Published: June 16, 2009
The University of Evansville’s Concrete Canoe team hit the water in Alabama this weekend, as one of only 22 teams from across America invited to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ National Championship.
The UE team, which is comprised of the Aces’ student chapter of ASCE, took 15th place overall in the competition, which was held at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Of the 22 competitors, UE was by far the smallest university to qualify for the competition; first place was won by the University of California-Berkley.
UE earned its berth in the championship by knocking off perennial national champion the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Great Lakes Regional competition.
“This has been such an amazing ride, and I’m incredibly proud of our students for what they’ve accomplished this year,” said Mark Valenzuela, UE associate professor of engineering and the team’s faculty advisor. “To be one of the smallest schools both in the Great Lakes Regional and National competitions, and to achieve what we have achieved, says a great deal about the University of Evansville, the engineering program, and especially the students who put countless hours into making this project an unqualified success.”
Members of the UE Concrete Canoe team included Project Manager David McManaway, Jamin Heldt, Scott Lorimer, Justin Ramirez, Wendy Stiller, Annette DeWolf and Michelle Miller. UE students Ryan Farnum, RK Seitzinger, Tim Catron, Matt Chenault, Jennifer Dieterlen, Eric Wenz, Aaron Ricketts, and Ryan Witters provided team support.
The UE team was accompanied to Tuscaloosa by faculty advisors Valenzuela and James Allen, assistant professor of engineering.
The team also wishes to thank UE’s Academic Affairs Office, College of Engineering and Computer Science, President’s Office and civil engineering alumni and “the parents of Jamin Heldt - Glen and Paula Heldt - and the parents of Scott Lorimer - Bill and Marion Lorimer – and the generous donation of a truck rental from ARC Construction in memory of R.F. Connor.”
