Sam Weber, a fourth-year member of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln water skiing club, placed first in the Division II men’s overall category at the national collegiate championship in San Marcos, Texas, in October.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln water skiing club has made waves recently across the country, finishing in the top five at the national collegiate championship each of the past three years.
While the club has operated off and on for nearly 50 years, 2022 was the first year the team competed nationally, finishing fourth that year and third in 2023.
Sam Weber, a fourth-year club member, said the success has transformed the club’s reputation from a recreational club to a competitive team.
“It's more fun to us now to be competitive and go out and push each other and, you know, try and make each other better and go across the country and compete in these tournaments,†Weber said.
In early October, the team traveled to San Marcos, Texas, and placed third again at nationals.
Weber placed first in the Division II men’s overall category, while Ethan Mortimer, the club president, placed ninth, Abaigeal Aydt placed second in the women’s overall category and Weber’s sister, Ali Weber, placed sixth.
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The University of Nebraska-Lincoln water skiing club finished third at the national collegiate championship in October in San Marcos, Texas.
“It was fun to see the reactions of not only my team but the people that I've grown to know in the sport,†Aydt said. “Just to see their reactions and all the people on Facebook who have helped with this sport. To see that they were just as surprised and super excited that the end of my career as a collegiate water skier ended the way it did was super exciting.â€
For the Webers, the sport is a family tradition. Their grandfather and father water skied and passed down the sport to them. Their dad, who was in the water ski club when he attended UNL, put Sam Weber on the water when he was just a year old. Ali Weber started when she was 5 years old but didn't take it seriously until she became a teenager.
Siblings Ali (left) and Sam Weber grew up water skiing together and compete on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln club team.
“I've never not been a water skier,†Sam Weber said. “It's never not been in my life. I don't know what my life would look like without it, and I hopefully won't ever have to find out.â€
Ali Weber said the sport gave her the opportunity to bond with her brother, but being on the same team makes their successes special.
“We always root for each other to do well, obviously, but being on a team, it's just more of a wholesome feeling when he succeeds and when I succeed, because you just get to share it together,†Ali Weber said.
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