Heading into this season, the ASU water skiing club was still celebrating a national title and a pair of third-place finishes in the last three years.
Poised to repeat as national champions, the Sun Devils got off on the right foot.
Since 1996, ASU has called itself the NCWSA Western Region champs. This season won't be any different. The Sun Devils ran away from the field by taking nearly all the top spots in each event at the NCWSA Western Regionals.
ASU's trick team scored what is thought to be the top team performance in NCWSA history. Frankie Wedd, sophomores Jimmy Siemers and Jimmy Townsend and seniors Brett Patten and Marcus Hayward combined to score 18,470 points, sweeping the top five.
"It was the best our team has ever skied," Patten said.
ASU's women's team fared just as well when led by seniors Katie Clennon and Marianna Ramirez. The Lady Devils compiled 10,640 points on their way to the most dominating win in Western Region history.
With the momentum behind them, ASU traveled to Austin, Texas from Oct. 17-19 to try for a repeat at the national championship event. But the Sun Devils fell just short when getting edged by top-ranked Louisiana-Monroe, which captured its 17th national title in the last 24 years.
"We were really disappointed," Hayward said. "We just didn't ski well enough."
ASU received huge individual performances from Siemers and Ramirez in its second-place finish. Siemers, a native of Round Rock, Texas, had an amazing homecoming by accumulating three national titles in tricks, jumping and overall points. His performance not only earned him All-America status, but he also was named USA Water Ski's Athlete of the Month.
"Jimmy raised the bar in collegiate water skiing with his impressive performance at 2002 Collegiate Water Ski National Championships," said Steve McDermeit, USA Water Ski's Executive Director.
Ramirez, who hails from Cuernavaca, Mexico, garnered individual titles in the trick event. She also beat Louisiana-Monroe freshman Regina Jaques, the world's top-ranked female, in the slalom.
"The girls skied unreal," Patten said. "With all the pressure of a national championship, they did very well."
Townsend and Hayward also garnered All-America accolades with a pair of stellar performances in the jumps. Siemers was named captain of the All-America team.
Reach the reporter at john.powers@asu.edu.
