AWSA Selects the 2026 National Jr Water Ski Team

     AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Top junior water ski athletes from across the nation have been selected to the American Water Ski Association’s National Junior Water Ski Team for 2026. The 27 selections from the Boys/Girls 3, Boys/Girls 4, and Boys/Girls 5 divisions were based on performances during the 2025 tournament season and the previous 12 months. This team will not collectively represent the United States in any international competitions, but some of these athletes are expected to compete individually in the 2026 Moomba Masters International Invitational, the 2026 Junior Masters Water Ski Tournament, the 2026 U17 World Water Ski Championships, the 2026 Pan American Water Ski Championships, and the 2026 Junior U.S. Open Water Ski Championships.

     Selected to the 2026 National Junior Water Ski Team were (alphabetical order): Alexia Abelson (Holderness, N.H.), Dylan Anderson (Maize, Kan.), Aaron Bartlett (Wolfeboro, N.H.), BG Bickley (Macon, Ga.), Gavin Bickley (Macon, Ga.), Giovanni Bloyer (Lake Elmo, Minn.), Bode Bulfer (Northfield, Minn.), George Bulfer (Northfield, Minn.), Tia Byrne (Wolcott, Conn.), Bennett Covington (Martindale, Texas), Cameron Davis (Milford, Va.), Freddy Davis (Milford, Va.), Ricky Davis (Milford, VA), Damien Eade (Clermont, Fla.), Bret Ellis (Auburndale, Fla.), Ella Gay (Winter Garden, Fla.), Natalie Gustafson (Cleveland, Tenn.), Zane Gustafson (Cleveland, Tenn.), Grace Lohr (Orlando, Fla.), Maya Maxson (Edwards, Color.), Jacob Nelson (Burlington, WI), Kate Nelson (Burlington, Wis.), Landon Stisher (Johns Island, S.C.), Reese Townsend (Gilbert, Ariz.), Jessica Withrow (Scott, Ark.), Zachary Withrow (Scott, Ark.), and Luka Zazadre (Miami Shores, Fla.).

     Using selection criteria approved by the American Water Ski Association’s board of directors, these top junior athletes in the country were named as National Junior Water Ski Team members by the National Junior Development Committee. Athletes are chosen based on the highest performance standards for slalom, trick, and jump. Juniors with an “open” rating in overall or in any single event will be automatically selected to the team. Using the AWSA National Ranking List, any skiers with “open” ratings who were automatically selected will be purged, and then the top 2 overall skiers for both the previous ski year and the last twelve months in each division listed above will be selected to the National Junior Team provided they have a minimum Rank Score of 2,000 NOPS points. Additionally, if a skier sets a benchmark overall or single event score, regardless of the age division criteria above, and does not otherwise make the team, they will be selected. The National Junior Development Committee may choose up to two skiers for discretionary selection.

     The American Water Ski Association’s National Junior Development Committee would like to congratulate all the junior competitors and their families for the tremendous amount of time, effort, and dedication they have applied in their quest for excellence!

     The American Water Ski Association is one of nine sport discipline organizations of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, which is affiliated with the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (world governing body) and is recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and Pan-American Sports Organization as the national governing body of organized water skiing and wakeboarding in the United States.