Cal State San Marcos student-athlete Tanner Vodraska made history earlier this month by capturing his second straight national championship at the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) Interscholastic Championships, held June 13–15 at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point.
Vodraska, a business major and president of the university’s surf team, became the first CSUSM surfer to secure back-to-back national titles. He is only the second collegiate men’s shortboard competitor to repeat as champion in the last 20 years, and the first since 2017.
“Winning the NSSA national championship two years in a row feels like a massive accomplishment,” Vodraska said. “I’m super proud to see all the hard work and time I put into surfing really pay off when it matters the most.”
Following his groundbreaking 2024 victory—the first in CSUSM’s surfing program history—Vodraska continued to dominate during the 2024–25 regular season, reaching multiple finals and notching two second-place finishes.
At Salt Creek, Vodraska navigated the early rounds with consistent performances. In the final, he went head-to-head with three of the nation’s top collegiate surfers: Jordy Collins of Western University, and Hudson Sanders and David O’Keefe, both from Point Loma Nazarene University.
Vodraska secured the win with a combined score of 14.33, highlighted by the competition’s highest single-wave score of 8.33 and a strong backup score of 6.0. Collins finished second with 13.26, followed by Sanders (11.93) and O’Keefe (5.70).
“I knew he was both motivated and capable, but the college men’s field is deep,” said Amber Puha, CSUSM mathematics department chair and faculty adviser for the surf club. “Everyone on our team knew Tanner would have to bring his ‘A’ game — and he did.”
Now entering his final year, Vodraska is focused on building a lasting legacy for the CSUSM surf team.
“I want to motivate this team and push them to do better and better in their everyday lives,” he said. “I also hope to bring the school a surf team that won’t be forgotten.”
Reflecting on his college experience, Vodraska credited the surf program with providing a strong sense of community and support.
“Being part of the CSUSM surf team has brought me support that I’ve never felt before from my teammates,” he said. “This team has given me memories and good times in college that I’ll always carry with me.”
