Tyler Kovacs of Mount Prospect Competed in National Concrete Canoe Competition

2015 Jul 1

University of Evansville civil engineering major Tyler Kovacs of Mount Prospect, , was a member of the University's Concrete Canoe team that competed at the American Society of Civil Engineers National Concrete Canoe Competition. The event was June 20-22 at Clemson University.

Teams from some of the top engineering schools in the United States and Canada competed at the event. The UE team represented the smallest school at the competition.

Teams were judged on design and construction of each canoe and the students' ability to explain their innovative features in a design report and oral presentation that included questioning by a panel of civil engineering professionals. In addition, the canoes were put to the test in a series of sprint, endurance, and slalom races.

For the first time in UE history, the paddling team placed in the top ten in the Women's Endurance and Slalom and in the co-ed race. One of the event's highlights was an exciting finish by the Aces co-ed team in the petit final race when they were narrowly edged out by the University of California at Berkeley.

UE associate professor of civil engineering and team advisor Mark Valenzuela traveled with the team to the competition. He praised the UE team's efforts, both for their work preparing for the competition and in their performance at the event.

"I'm so very proud of the team and what they've accomplished throughout the year," said Valenzuela. "I was touched that they named their canoe "Julie," after Julie Elpers Otis who led UE to her first Nationals ten years ago. She lost her battle with breast cancer just recently. These students should be proud of giving it their all to get to Nationals and competing toe-to-toe with some of the best schools in the country. Julie would most certainly be proud."

The University of Evansville is a private, liberal arts-based university in Evansville, Indiana, with a full-time undergraduate enrollment of approximately 2,300. UE's diverse student body represents 42 states and 55 countries. U.S. News & World Report recognizes UE as a top 10 master's-granting university in the Midwest, and fourth in the region for "Great Schools, Great Prices." For more information, please contact the Office of University Relations at 812-488-2241 or visit http://www.evansville.edu.