UT Tyler Earns Top Finish at Regional Concrete Canoe Contest
University advances to nationals next month
TYLER, Texas (May 6, 2026) – The University of Texas at Tyler placed second overall at this year’s American Society of Civil Engineering Frontier Student Symposium Concrete Canoe Competition and now advances to the national competition next month.
With their 2026 entry, “SUPERSONICCOASTER,” the UT Tyler ASCE student chapter placed second in design paper, oral presentation and final product among 60 collegiate teams across ASCE Region 6, which consists of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Mexico. Faculty co-advisers are Dr. Kyudong Kim and Dr. Minhyeok Ko, UT Tyler assistant professors of civil engineering.
“We are incredibly proud of our concrete canoe team, who represented UT Tyler with excellence,” said Ko. “Despite working with a smaller team this year––and with more limited resources than many larger programs––their success reflects their great perseverance, creativity, technical knowledge and teamwork throughout the year.”
At the annual competition, teams build canoes with concrete and are judged in four categories: technical design report, oral design presentation, canoe final product and racing. Region 6 is ASCE’s largest student symposium worldwide.
“We are excited to continue this momentum as the team represents UT Tyler at the national competition, scheduled for June 25 – 27, in Fairmont, West Virginia,” said Dr. Mena Souliman, the UT Tyler Ronald D. Brazzel Endowed Professor of Civil Engineering and department chair. “This accomplishment carries even greater significance as UT Tyler prepares to host the 2027 Frontier Student Symposium––making this moment not only a proud milestone, but also a powerful foundation for what lies ahead.”
UT Tyler 2026 student team members are listed by hometown.
ATHENS – Frederick Budgell IV, captain.
CARTHAGE – Josiah Schumacher.
COLLEYVILLE – Leah LaBarge.
CORRIGAN – Jackson Kilgore.
CRANDALL – Gabriel Richie.
FORNEY – Jacey Cerna.
FRANKSTON – Sawyer Griffith and Ramiro Hernandez.
GILMER – William Johnston.
HUGHES SPRINGS – Oscar Rodriguez.
MOUNT PLEASANT – Christian Ojendis.
PARIS – Allison Bright, captain.
WHITEHOUSE – Kristofer Niere, captain.
JORDAN – Mayar Nusair.
SOUTH AFRICA – Corbyn Keen.
With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 11,500 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.