OCEAN CITY- A strong local connection played a big part in the UNC-Wilmington Surf Club’s victory in the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s (NSSA) East Coast Championships at Sebastian Inlet, Fla. two weeks ago.
Ocean City local and Stephen Decatur High School graduate Ian Tilghman took second overall in the competition to help the UNC-Wilmington club win the team championship. Tilghman’s teammate Mike Powell was first overall in the competition.
The team is coached by another Ocean City local and long-time surfer Dr. Dylan McNamara, a professor in the school’s Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography. McNamara is the son of local Realtor Kevin McNamara and his wife Monica.
The win qualified the UNCW club for the NSSA National Championships in June in California against some of the top student surfers in the country. The invitation to the nationals is the first for UNCW in nearly 20 years. The event will be televised by Fox College Sports.