The UCSD Surf Team competes in the NSSA college league. They are among the most winningest teams at UC San Diego with a total of seven national championships. The team is continuing to build with a year-round recruitment program and brand new scholarship opportunities. We compete against colleges across the entire California coast throughout the year, and end our season with Western Championships at Church’s Beach and Nationals at Salt Creek. The team practices at world renowned Blacks’ Beach where we simulate the contest experience and practice judging contests so as to understand the sport further. This team offers a community of friends that like to surf and share similar life interests.

Here's a quick testimonial from one of our alumni...

"My name is Sean Celona and I graduated from UCSD in 2014 where I received a B.S. in physics with a specialization in earth sciences. After graduating, I was immediately hired by Scripps Institution of Oceanography doing physical oceanography research where I still work today. Attending UCSD for my undergraduate degree was one of the best decisions of my life due to the school’s top tier academics, world renowned research in diverse fields, and, of course, proximity to my favorite beach break in the world. UCSD offers so many opportunities that enhance the typical college experience from an incredibly tight knit surf team to a plethora of undergraduate research opportunities that allow students to get a more realistic taste of working in their prospective field. While the quality of UCSD’s academics and research are the things that draw most students in, it was everything else that made my college experience so special. The surf team allowed me to easily create an amazing group of friends while in school that I remain close to all these years later. Plus, it’s the only school I know of t where you can get barreled before your 10 am lecture whether that’s right across the street at blacks or a 30 minute drive south to Mexico."

This team has exhibited a strong legacy of success and community for over 50 years. We support and embody our local community and the ethos of "work hard, play hard, do what you love.” We invite you to pursue your academic success while doing the thing you love most - Surfing! Feel free to contact us for more information and help the team bring home the national title once again by trying out and competing or by cheering us on at the San Diego competitions!

SURF TEAM TRYOUTS

Tryouts for the UCSD Surf Team are on Saturday, October 7th at 8:00 AM at the bottom of Blacks Gold Road (gated paved road down to Blacks’ Beach on the south end). We will be running a mock competition with colored jerseys and judges as the tryout. Heats will be divided into men’s shortboard, women's shortboard, and longboard. Please sign up by sending an email to ucsandiegosurfteam@gmail.com with your name, phone number, division, and your intention to try out for the team. Make sure to bring everything you will need to surf, along with enough food and water for the duration of the tryout as we expect it to run for several hours.

Please contact us with any questions and see you all bright and early on Saturday, October 7th at 8:00 AM at Blacks' Beach!

MEET YOUR COACHES

Hello and welcome to the team! I’ve been the coach of the UCSD Surf Team for more than 20 years. During that time the team has won multiple national and regional championships. It’s an honor to represent UCSD as the coach of one of the winningest teams at the school with seven national championships. During my career as a competitor. I won 4 National championships. I use my experience to make our team better competitors and better surfers. I’ve worked in the Surf Industry most of my life and most recently ran FCS in the Americas. I’ve worked on improving performance with a lot of famous competitors. I say all this, not to brag, but to give you some perspective on the foundation of my coaching. It’s designed to be challenging, fun, and make you a better competitor and a better surfer. What are the keys to your success? Show up, pay attention, and try hard. It’s that simple. As a coach, I try to be available to our athletes. If I can help you, please reach out. I’m looking forward to working with you.

Coach Tyler Callaway

tyler.callaway.sd@outlook.com

2025-2026 I Meet Recaps

2/27/26 - UCSD Surf Team Finishes 2nd at NSSA State Championships

The UCSD Surf Team delivered an incredible performance at the NSSA State Championships at Seaside Reef in Cardiff, California, finishing 2nd place overall after two days of great competition. With sunny skies and clean conditions both days, the event brought together some of the best college surfers in the state.

One of the more memorable parts of the weekend was the hundreds of baby leopard sharks swimming near the shoreline while the heats were going on. It made for a pretty wild but very cool scene as competitors paddled out.

Throughout the contest, the Tritons showed strong teamwork and support for one another, cheering from the beach and keeping the energy high between heats. Several surfers made deep runs in their divisions. Eduardo Van Zeller, Ricardo Bayly, and London Jones all fought their way to the Quarterfinals, while Scout Mitchell earned 3rd place in Women’s Shortboard. Rasea McAndrew also had an impressive showing, finishing 3rd place in Longboard.

Altogether, the team’s strong individual performances and consistent results secured 2nd place overall for UCSD. The team is proud of the result and excited to carry this momentum forward as they prepare for the NSSA National Championships in the coming months.

2/21/26 - UCSD Surf Team Takes 3rd at Season Finale

The UCSD Surf Team wrapped up their final regular season event with a strong 3rd place finish after a last-minute location change from Santa Cruz to Huntington Beach. Even with the sudden switch and extremely small surf, the team adjusted quickly and showed a lot of composure and grit. The waves were tough to work with; however, both days were sunny and beautiful.

There were some big individual highlights as well. Charlie Denham battled his way to the Quarterfinals in Men’s Shortboard, Scout Mitchell made a deep run to the Semifinals in Women’s Shortboard, and Rasea McAndrew got 2nd place in Longboard!

Overall, it was a great showing from UCSD. Everyone stepped up despite the conditions, and the team is heading into State Championships next week motivated and ready to make a statement.

1/24/26 - Another Solid Result at Oceanside Competition

The UC San Diego Surf Team put together a solid showing at the NSSA College Competition in Oceanside, facing 2–3 foot surf throughout the weekend. Saturday brought more challenging conditions with smaller waves and wind, but the team stayed focused. Sunday delivered cleaner, slightly larger waves and sunny skies, setting the stage for stronger performances across the board.

Rasea advanced to the semifinals, while Scout earned an outstanding 2nd-place finish in Women’s Shortboard! UCSD finished 6th overall and leaves Oceanside motivated and confident, carrying momentum into the upcoming state and national championship tournaments!

12/13/25 - Keeping the Momentum at 4th College Competition

The UCSD Surf Team competed in its fourth contest of the season at the Huntington Beach Pier, where small, inconsistent waves made for a challenging day in the water. The conditions required patience and thoughtful decision-making. It wasn’t easy to find clean opportunities, but the team stayed composed and worked together to put together solid performances. The surfers showed adaptability and supported each other throughout the event.

There is still plenty of work ahead, but the team left Huntington motivated and focused. Each competition has been a learning experience, and this one was no different. With the season still underway, the team continues to build momentum and stay focused on the bigger goal of earning another state championship later this year.

11/1/25 - 4th Place at Huntington Beach NSSA College Competition

The UC San Diego Surf Team scored an awesome **4th place** at the NSSA College Competition in Huntington Beach this past weekend. The waves were huge and pretty unpredictable, but the team held it together and pushed through every heat with determination. Even when the conditions got rough, everyone stayed positive and kept supporting each other. Their performance showed just how much hard work and dedication they’ve put in this season, and it was great to see all that effort pay off out in the water.

10/25-26/25 - 4th Place at Blacks Beach NSSA College Competition

The UCSD Surf Team kicked off the season with an impressive 4th place finish at the first NSSA College Surfing Competition held at Black’s Beach. The event could not have asked for better conditions. The waves were clean and glassy, rolling in all day under sunny skies, giving competitors the perfect canvas to showcase their skills. Spirits were high as team members cheered each other on from the sand, thrilled by both the performance and the rare opportunity to surf Black’s with only a handful of people in the lineup. The energy was great, blending the excitement of competition with the joy of sharing incredible waves among other college students. It was a proud start to the season and a reminder of how special days like this are for the UCSD surf community.

2024-2025 I Meet Recaps

2/28/25 - The Tritons Ride To Victory

This past weekend at Seaside Reef, the UCSD Surf Team made history, securing our first state championship title since 1997. The competition kicked off on Friday with excellent conditions—solid 4-6 ft waves in the morning—though conditions deteriorated throughout the day. Despite the challenges, our team delivered standout performances.

On Day 1, three out of four of our men’s shortboard competitors advanced to the quarterfinals, while our women’s shortboard surfers and longboarder earned their spots in Day 2. Finals day was packed with action, highlighted by Ricardo Baylay reaching the men’s shortboard semifinals, Rasea McAndrew claiming 3rd place in longboard, and Makena Burke also securing 3rd in women’s shortboard.

In a thrilling finish, UCSD edged out the competition to take home the overall team championship, marking a long-awaited victory for our program. The team is beyond stoked about this historic win, and we’re looking to carry this momentum into Nationals in June. But for now, we’re celebrating this incredible achievement—one that hasn't happened in 27 years!

Rasea 3rd longboard

Makena 3rd Womens

Overall Team 1st

2/15/25 - NSSA Event #5: Huntington Beach

Our team had an exciting and competitive showing at Huntington Beach, where the waves were pumping on Saturday. The event kicked off with the Santa Cruz contest wrapping up first, followed by the action shifting to the Huntington event.

Rasea McAndrew had a strong performance in the longboard division, securing a solid 5th place finish. Sunday continued with clean 3-5 ft waves, providing great conditions for the Huntington event. Our men’s team put on an impressive performance, with four out of eight surfers advancing to Round 4 (Top 18)—a huge accomplishment.

Looking ahead, we’re geared up for State Championships at Seaside Reef, where we’ll finally have our full roster ready to compete in solid waves. We’re excited to push for a top spot and bring our best surfing to the lineup!

1/25/25 - Challenging Conditions Ultimately Stop Event Early NSSA Event #4

Saturday’s competition in Santa Cruz proved challenging, with 2-3 ft waves and a tight takeoff zone right off the cliff during high tide. The men's team had a tough run, with three out of four members bowing out in the first round. However, Ricardo Williams made it the furthest, reaching the round of four before narrowly missing advancement.

Sunday's conditions were even tougher, with waves so small that NSSA put the contest on hold, only to ultimately cancel the event as the surf remained uncontestable. With multiple event cancellations this season, much of the final rankings will come down to how the team performs in Huntington Beach this February.12/7/24 - NSSA Event 3 - Oceanside

Our surf event in Oceanside delivered fun and consistent waves throughout both days of competition, with 3-4 ft wedgy peaks rolling in off the pier. Standout performances included Ricardo Williams and Esme Brigham, both making it to the finals, while B-team longboarder Nya Hudspeth impressed with a strong run to the semifinals.

Sunday's competition was briefly delayed due to fog, leading to the finals being rescheduled for February in Huntington Beach. We’re excited to see how Ricardo and Esme finish when they hit the water again!

12/7/24 - NSSA Event 3 - Oceanside

11/09/24 - NSSA Event #2: Ventura

C Street in Ventura was on fire this weekend! Waves started small on Saturday for the men’s heats, but conditions improved steadily, with bigger, cleaner sets rolling in as the day progressed. The men’s A team put in a strong showing, with 3 out of 4 surfers advancing to Round 4 on Sunday. Sunday brought even better waves, with larger sets and sunny skies, making for ideal conditions. Ricardo Williams Bayly delivered a standout performance, reaching the semifinals on the men’s side, while Esme Bringham made waves of her own by reaching the women’s semifinals.

The event, however, couldn’t be fully completed due to limited daylight and will conclude in Oceanside at the next competition. Esme is looking to keep her momentum up, aiming for a spot in the finals to finish strong. The Tritons currently sit in 5th place, but with Esme still in the mix, they’re poised to make a last-minute jump in the rankings.

10/26/24 - NSSA Event #1: Blacks Beach

Event 1 of the Collegiate surf season didn't disappoint. Day one had small but fun waves on offer with all mens surfers making it out of their first heat. There were standout performances by newcomers Harry Gardner, Ricardo Williams Bayly, and Charlie Denham all making it to the quarterfinals. Charlie had one of the best finishes the men's side has seen in years finishing with an equal 5th. Day 2 had beautiful 3-5ft conditions all day. Rasea McAndrew finished 4th place in longboard and Autumn Hays finished 2nd place in womens! The tritons surfed all the way into second place and are looking to follow their success up in Ventura for event 2.

2023-2024 I Meet Recaps

SURFING

NEWS AND RESULTS

Stay tuned for updates about upcoming events!