Vodraska became the first CSUSM surfer to win back‑to‑back individual national titles and only the second college men’s shortboard competitor to do so in the past two decades. He is also the first repeat champion in the division 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.” 

After winning the 2024 title, the first in program history, Vodraska posted a strong 2024-25 regular season, reaching multiple finals and recording two runner‑up finishes. 

Vodraska advanced through the early rounds at Salt Creek with consistent performances. In the final, he faced the top three ranked surfers from the regular season: Jordy Collins from Western University, Hudson Sanders from 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 backed it up with a 6.0 for a winning total 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 college men’s field is deep,” said Amber Puha, the faculty adviser of the surf club and the chair of CSUSM’s math department. “Everyone on our team knew Tanner would have to bring his ‘A’ game, too — and he did!” 

Now entering his final year at CSUSM, Vodraska also serves as president of the surf team. 

“I want to motivate this team and push them to do better and better in their everyday lives,” Vodraska said. “I also hope to bring the school a surf team that won’t be forgotten.” 

Vodraska said the CSUSM surf program has played a major role in his college experience. 

“Being part of the CSUSM surf team has brought me support that I’ve never felt before from my teammates,” Vodraska said. “This team has given me memories and good times in college that I’ll always carry with me.” 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

But before putting the finishing touches on your list of New Year’s resolutions, let’s take a look back at some of the most-talked-about stories of 2024.

CSUSM Receives Two Gifts Totaling $20 Million, Largest in 35-Year History

In a historic moment, Cal State San Marcos received two philanthropic donations totaling $20 million – the largest gifts in its 35-year history. $10 million from Price Philanthropies Foundation will create a first-of-its-kind, three-year accelerated bachelor's degree and workforce pipeline for behavioral and mental health. The other $10 million came from Daniel J. Epstein – a director of the CSUSM Foundation Board – and his wife, Phyllis. Their contribution will serve as a unique dollar-for-dollar matching gift opportunity for all CSUSM donors to double their impact across campus.

Balancing Act: Master's Grad Perseveres Through Challenges

A master’s of biological sciences student, Jocelyne Dates was selected last spring as the recipient of the 2024 President's Outstanding Graduate Award, the highest honor a graduating student can receive. She also received the Dean’s Award for Graduate Studies, which recognizes the accomplishments of one master’s student. Jocelyne is continuing her education by pursuing her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt.

'I Just Want to Make Him Proud and My Life to Count'

Last spring, at 76 years old, Kathryn Cook walked across the graduation stage as the oldest graduate of Cal State San Marcos' class of 2024. Her path to this accomplishment was not one of a traditional four-year-and-done experience. In fact, it was 50 years in the making, with monumental life transitions and rocky hardships in between. The passing of Cook’s husband in 2019 led her to continue her education at CSUSM and graduate with a sociology degree.

From the Baseball Diamond to 'The Bachelorette'

Austin Ott had never watched an episode of “The Bachelorette” when he received a DM on Instagram from the show encouraging him to apply. While nervous, his communication and media studies degree from Cal State San Marcos gave him a foundation to build on. Ott’s first speech in COMM 100 gave him an idea of what being in the public eye might look like. “My time at Cal State San Marcos was probably the best years of my life,” said Ott, who graduated in 2019. “There’s nothing better than playing the game you love and being around your best friends.”

American Indian Student Follows Passion for Animals, Environment

Aiden Valverde, an American Indian Studies major from the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, has made significant contributions through his engagement with the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center. As an intern for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Valverde was able to connect more with his culture, and his passion for animals and the environment. “Aiden exemplifies everything we strive to achieve in American Indian Studies and at the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center,” said Joely Proudfit, the department chair of American Indian Studies.

Computers a Lifelong Passion for Trustees' Award Winner

In 2009, Minh Tran’s family moved to Escondido from Vietnam, the only home that he, his parents and his two older siblings had ever known. Now, the fourth-year student who’s on track to graduate in May, was honored as CSUSM’s recipient of the 2024 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement, the California State University’s highest recognition of student accomplishment. Students are selected based on academic achievements, financial need, excellence in community service and personal hardship. Awardees have all demonstrated inspirational resolve along the path to college success, and many are the first in their families to attend college.

Graduate Crafting Career on Helping Children

A child and adolescent development major at Cal State San Marcos, Tania Arceo spent the last year and a half working with Voices for Children, a nonprofit organization where volunteers are trained to become court-appointed special advocates. Volunteers like Arceo represent juvenile dependency cases in San Diego County. Since graduating last spring with her bachelor’s, Arceo has started her Master of Social Work program at CSUSM this fall. 

Alumnus Seeks Better Mental Health Through Better Cuts

John Edwards was only 12 years old when he taught himself how to cut his own hair. By the time Edwards enrolled at Cal State San Marcos as a transfer student returning to higher education in 2021, he was close to completing barber school. Now a licensed barber and a recent CSUSM graduate, he operates a small studio in San Diego, rotating about 25 clients through his single chair. Edwards studied psychology at CSUSM, and it was at the university that he dreamed up the idea of melding his longtime practice of barbering with his fledgling research on mental health treatment. 
 

CSUSM Earns Prestigious Seal for Serving Latinx Students

Cal State San Marcos has earned the prestigious Seal of Excelencia, a national certification for institutions that strive to go beyond enrollment and more intentionally serve Latinx students. CSUSM is one of only 17 colleges and universities to earn the Seal of Excelencia in 2024. In 2018, Excelencia introduced the seal to certify colleges and universities for their efforts to become learning environments where Latinx, and all, students thrive. This year marks the organization’s 20th year of service to accelerate Latinx student success in higher education.

Surfer Makes School History With National Title

Tanner Vodraska, a Cal State San Marcos business student, became the first surfer in university history to win an individual national title. The junior competed in the college men’s division of the 2024 National Scholastic Surfing Association interscholastic national championships at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point. Vodraska dominated the field. He posted a two-wave score of 17.5 points in the final, far outdistancing his closest competitor. “I feel really proud of myself because I set a goal to win the national title before I graduate, and I accomplished it,” Vodraska said.

Incredible Mulk: Class Project Becomes Thriving Business

Melissa Finestone remembers the assignment in her business marketing class that started it all. Each student was required to develop a business plan based on a product they conceived. Finestone decided to curate a product that combined her passion for cooking with a childhood love of chocolate milk. But Finestone wanted to develop a healthy alternative to other chocolate milks on the market. When Finestone couldn’t find a product on the market that met her requirements, she chose to make her own. Using her Vitamix blender to grind almonds in her kitchen at home, Finestone crafted samples of chocolate- and strawberry-flavored, plant-based almond milk. She served it to each student in the class while presenting her product. The overwhelming support from her peers inspired Finestone to launch The Mulk Co. in June 2018, only one year after she graduated from Cal State San Marcos with a bachelor’s degree in global business management. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The latest to do so is Tanner Vodraska, a rising junior who last weekend became the first surfer in university history to win an individual national title.

Competing in the college men’s division of the 2024 National Scholastic Surfing Association interscholastic national championships at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point, Vodraska dominated the field. He posted a two-wave score of 17.5 points in the final on Sunday, far outdistancing his closest competitor, Jordy Collins of Westcliff University (in Irvine) with 10.73.

“I feel really proud of myself because I set a goal to win the national title before I graduate, and I accomplished it,” said Vodraska, a business student from Camarillo in Ventura County. “It’s one of the biggest accomplishments in my career, and it’s going to drive me to do better in other contests.”

Making the feat even more satisfying, Vodraska surfed and hoisted the trophy with four CSUSM teammates in attendance, along with his father (as an added bonus, the final was on Father’s Day). The championship also marked sweet redemption for Vodraska, who qualified for the final of the same event last summer after his freshman year but finished last in the field, nine points behind Collins and 10 behind winner Noah Kawaguchi of Point Loma Nazarene (Kawaguchi was a distant fourth this year).

“I am so excited for Tanner,” said Amber Puha, the faculty adviser of the surf club since its inception in 2002 and the chair of CSUSM’s math department. “There is nothing like surfing to your full potential in an important moment like a national championship final and when the waves are firing and when your teammates and family are there to cheer you on.  

“He had a difficult outing in the 2023 final. To see his confidence shine through and allow him to perform to his best capabilities makes me feel very proud of him.”

Three CSUSM surfers have finished second in the national championships, most recently Chris Smith in longboard in 2007, but Vodraska is the first to bring home a trophy. The Cougars have won a pair of team titles, in 2009 and 2019.

The club was riding high after the latter championship, only to see the COVID-19 pandemic the next year halt its progress.

“For CSUSM surf, this signifies a return from the pandemic,” Puha said. “Winning that team national title in 2019 and having all that excitement and momentum get brought to a grinding halt was tough.”

Puha said Vodraska, and his “incredible sense of humor,” contributed greatly to the surf team’s strong chemistry this season, and she’s looking forward to even better things in 2024-25. The club welcomes all interested students, with a particular need for women shortboarders. Tryouts will take place in mid-September.

Prospective members can email csusmsurf@gmail.com to be added to the club’s distribution list.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

During the 10-week summer program, Makenzie is getting an insider’s view on how the company, a subsidiary of Nike, continually pushes the boundaries of surfing through apparel and gear.

Hurley interns work in departments across the organization based on their skills and interests. As an innovation and design intern, Makenzie is assigned to the team responsible for some of the most forward-thinking products in the surf industry.

“Right now I’m working on two projects – one within my department and a group project with five other interns,” Makenzie said.

The group project will culminate the internship experience, with student teams presenting to visiting Nike executives.

“It’s a very big deal,” she commented.

This is the first time that a Cal State San Marcos student has interned in the Icon program, and Makenzie is working alongside students who hail from MIT and other top research institutions.

Sean Newcomer, assistant professor of kinesiology at CSUSM, says that Makenzie’s academic training in kinesiology and her hands-on experience working on his ongoing study measuring the biomechanics and physiological benefits of surfing for amateur surfers gave her a solid foundation for success at the internationally-recognized surf brand.

In addition, Makenzie credits other previous internship experience for making her Hurley application strong, including a position at Saddleback Hospital in cardiac rehabilitation where she worked with patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease.

At the end of the summer, Makenzie, who just graduated from CSUSM with her Bachelor of Science in kinesiology, will attend Cal State Long Beach to pursue a master’s degree in exercise science.

“My time at Hurley has shown me a whole other side to exercise science,” she said. “I can definitely see a future career for myself in sports performance – everything that I’m doing here could be the basis for my thesis in grad school.

Every day I come home from Hurley and I’m stoked – it’s an amazing opportunity to be part of this team and get to apply my passion for kinesiology in new ways.”

"Studies have been recently conducted with professional surfers in competition, but there is limited research on the average person who surfs recreationally," said Assistant Professor of Kinesiology Sean Newcomer. "This study gives us an opportunity to consider the physiological benefit of surfing for amateur surfers of all ages and fitness levels, including both men and women."

While the concept of surfing appears simple—all you technically need is a wave and a surfboard—anyone who has attempted surfing knows that the reality is much more complex. Physically speaking, surfers are essentially strong swimmers with a keen sense of balance. Stamina and upper body strength are crucial in order to paddle from the shore through breaking waves to reach the surf line. Once there, surfers wait on their boards and then paddle intensely when a quality wave presents itself. As the wave peaks, a surfer must stand rapidly and smoothly from a lying down position, balancing in a fluid upright position as they glide on the breaking wave toward the shore.

"Surfing can definitely be considered a form of interval training that combines short, high intensity bursts of speed with a recovery phase, repeated during exercise training," said Newcomer.

Students Ride a Wave of Hands-On Research

The research project is part of Newcomer’s course, Introductory Exercise Physiology 326. About a dozen students who took the course during fall 2013 are now interns on the project, mentoring the 40 students who are currently in the class. The student mentors are responsible for every aspect of the research protocol, which includes both laboratory and field work.

"Last year’s students are helping to teach this year’s students how to use the lab equipment while advising and training them," said Newcomer. "This is a terrific opportunity for the more experienced students to take on a leadership role while allowing the current students to apply what they are learning in the classroom to a real-world project. And the added benefit is the outreach to the community in the recruitment of surfers to participate in the study."

Students meet research participants at the beach to outfit them with waterproof heart rate monitors that are synchronized to a video camera filming them while they are in the ocean.

"I help analyze the data to match up the heart rate of the surfer to the activity that they are doing in the water–paddling, riding waves, sitting stationary on the board or other miscellaneous activities," said former kinesiology student Alyzza DeMesa. "We also record their maximum and minimum heart rates and how much time they spend in the water doing each activity."

The Science of Surfing

In the laboratory, research participants take part in a number of activities that test their anaerobic and aerobic fitness levels. Using a Biodex isokinetic machine, which applies computer-controlled resistance, students assess the strength of the subject’s quadriceps and hamstrings. The test helps them determine the role of leg strength in a surfer’s stance and balance.

"I get them all strapped up and make sure that they’re completely snug but comfortable," said kinesiology major Erik Tolentino, who graduated this past May. "I line up their knee with the machine and then also check for any internal or external leg rotation by having them do a couple of practice kicks. This is important because if their knee is not properly aligned with the machine, there is risk of damaging the ligaments due to the high resistance."

Students also test the participants’ upper body muscular power and utilization of oxygen using a swim bench customized with a surfboard to simulate paddling.

"With each participant we switch roles," said Chelsea Peters, a senior kinesiology major. "We are all responsible for informing each participant what they will be doing and why we are performing this particular protocol. During this particular test, one person takes the heart rate every 50 seconds, one person runs the metabolic cart, one person takes down the watts put out by the participant every 10 seconds, one person holds the hose out of the way and everyone cheers the participant on!"

Over the next two years, Newcomer and his students hope to study 600 surfers.

"Many surfers believe that while surfing is fun, it’s not necessarily a viable form of exercise on its own," said Newcomer. "This information has so far shown that surfing is very beneficial to the cardiovascular system and is a great part of a healthy lifestyle."

"It’s one thing to learn about the effects of exercise, but it is another to actually see it happening," said Peters, who is planning to go on to graduate school for her master’s in athletic training and a doctorate in physical therapy. "Actually being able to conduct research has changed the way I learn. I have been able to learn concepts and apply them in the lab. I know what to look for while testing and I am able to point out when something is abnormal. I know a lot of us are now considering going into research because of the opportunities afforded to us at CSUSM."

On the Breaking Edge: What’s Next

Newcomer and his students recently presented data from this study at the Southwest Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine Conference in Costa Mesa and are now collaborating with multiple research groups in Australia. In the coming months, many of the laboratory-based studies will be transitioning from the swim bench into the water using a specialized swim flume that was recently purchased by the kinesiology department for these and other studies. The surf research group will also begin collaboration with the Southern California region’s growing multibillion-dollar surf industry."Starting in the spring, we look forward to working with several companies to help with product testing and design," Newcomer said.