Cal State San Marcos and business student Tanner Vodraska won his second consecutive national title to the interscholastic championships at the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA), who held from June 13 to 15 in Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point.
Vodraska has become the first CSUSM surfer to win individual national titles back and only the second shortboard competitor for men to do so in the past two decades. He is also the first repeated champion of the division since 2017.
“Winning the national championship NSSA two consecutive years resembles a massive achievement,” said Vodraska. “I’m super proud to see all the hard work and the time I spend in surfing is really paying when it matters most.”
After winning the title of 2024, the first in the history of the program, Vodraska posted a solid regular season of 2024-25, reaching several finals and recording two runners.
Vodraska progressed through the first rounds to Salt Creek with coherent performances. In the final, he faced the first three classified surfers of the regular season: Jordy Collins of Western University, Hudson Sanders of Point Loma Nazarene University and David O’Keefe also from Point Loma.
Vodraska posted the highest single wave score with an 8.33 (out of 10) and supported it with a 6.0 for a winner of 14.33. Collins followed with 13.26, Sanders with 11.93 and O’Keefe with 5.70.
“I knew he was both motivated and capable, but the field of college men is deep,” said Amber Puha, educational advisor to the Surf Club and president of the CSUSM mathematics department. “Everyone in our team knew that Tanner should also bring his game” A “- and he did it!”
Now entering his last year at the CSUSM, Vodraska is also president of the surf team.
“I want to motivate this team and push them to do better and better in their daily life,” said Vodraska. “I also hope to bring a surf team to school that will not be forgotten.”
Vodraska said the CSUSM surf program had played a major role in its university experience.
“Being part of the surf team CSUSM gave me support that I have never felt before my teammates,” said Vodraska. “This team gave me memories and good times at the university that I will always wear with me.”