Concrete canoe team takes second in region

April 2, 2010

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University's student concrete canoe team had its best showing to date when it took second in the 2010 American Society of Civil Engineers North-Central Regional competition held March 26-28. This year's contest was on WMU's campus and at Ramona Park in Portage, Mich.

The University's team of 27 primarily undergraduate students placed ahead of six other teams from Michigan and Ohio, and WMU was outranked only by Michigan Technological University, which took first in the competition.

This is the sixth concrete canoe competition for WMU and the first time that a match was held on campus. Judging took place in four categories--design paper, aesthetics, oral presentation and races--for the canoes that are expected to float and use recycled materials.

The University took top honors in oral presentation, placed third in aesthetics with a western design for its canoe named the "Sheriff," and fourth in both design paper and racing. WMU's entry in the 2009 regional concrete canoe competition won third place.

Also participating in the regional event was WMU's nine-member steel bridge team, which was competing for only the second time in its history and did not place. The University of Michigan topped six other teams to build a 20-foot-long steel bridge that can be assembled quickly from pieces no longer than three feet, six inches and hold 2,500 pounds.

2010 WMU ASCE Concrete Canoe Team

Zac Adams, a sophomore from Hillsdale, Mich.
Jozef Aniszczyk, a senior from Saginaw, Mich.
Nicole Clement, a sophomore from Watervliet, Mich.
Allie Doty, a sophomore from Homer, Mich.
Adam Eaton, a senior form Scottville, Mich.
Alex Frazier, a junior from Paw Paw, Mich.
Dan Guastella, a senior from Whitmore Lake, Mich.
John Hannich, a senior from St. Joseph, Mich.
Nate Herberg, a senior from Jackson, Mich.
Jeff Landers, a junior from Jenison, Mich.
Perry Lyford-Stojic, a junior from Kalamazoo
Nick Mannon, a junior from Portage, Mich.
Jason McCubbin, a senior from Galesburg, Mich.
Matt Moran, a sophomore from Plainwell, Mich.
Steve Morris, a junior from Grand Rapids, Mich.
Lindsay Mukans, a junior from Grand Rapids, Mich.
Paul Pagano, a senior from Pinckney, Mich.
Andrew Peruski, a junior from Cass City, Mich.
Devin Render, a senior from Manchester, Mich.
Britney Richmond, a senior from Chesaning, Mich.
Mike Romkema, a graduate student from St. Joseph, Mich.
Matt Sinkovitz, a senior from Jackson, Mich.
Ryan Stoughton, a junior from Otsego, Mich.
Tom Strazanac, a junior from Holland, Mich.
Kimberly Warners, a senior from Kalamazoo
Mike Wesoloski, a sophomore from Grayling, Mich.
Tom Wheeler, a sophomore from Resse, Mich.

2010 WMU ASCE Steel Bridge Team

Caleb Batts, a junior from Kalamazoo
Zach Deary, a sophomore from Essexville, Mich.
Lavern Filipunas, a freshman from Kalamazoo
Brad Gerbasich, a senior from Toledo, Ohio
Steve Houren, a junior from Novi, Mich.
Joe Johnson, a junior from Clinton Township, Mich.
Josh O'Keefe, a junior from Athens, Mich.
Chris Sawyer, a senior from Grand Rapids, Mich.
David Schmidt, a senior from Rochester Hills, Mich.

The faculty advisor for WMU's teams is Dr. Osama Abudayyeh, associate dean for the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

For more information, visit www.rso.wmich.edu/asce/ or the WMU chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers online.

Concrete canoe contacts are Mike Romkema, michael.a.romkema@wmich.edu, and Paul Pagano, paul.j.pagano@wmich.edu.

Steel bridge contact is David Schmidt, david.schmidt@wmich.edu.

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Media contact: Deanne Puca, (269) 387-8400, deanne.puca@wmich.edu

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