LSU ASCE Concrete Canoe Team Wins Third Place at Regional Competition
March 26, 2026
The 2026 ASCE Concrete Canoe Team prepares to launch into competition.
In mid-March, 22 members of the LSU Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) spent their spring break traveling more than five hours to Tuscaloosa, Ala., while hauling a 250-lb., 17-ft.-long canoe behind them on the interstate. This team of LSU Civil and Environmental Engineering students used what knowledge they gained in their CEE classes to construct a canoe made of concrete to compete in the ASCE Gulf Coast Student Symposium Concrete Canoe Competition, an annual event that could be considered a rite of passage for LSU Civil Engineering students.
The 2026 ASCE Concrete Canoe Team was comprised of senior William Latiolais (captain) of Houston; senior Matthew Lacour (vice-captain) of Destrehan, La.; junior Ethan Nguyen (project manager) of Pearland, Texas; junior Owen Flores (rowing captain) of River Ridge, La.; senior Daniel Carmouche (hull and mold lead) of Covington, La.; junior Long Tran (structural analysis lead) of Gretna, La.; senior Skylar Dewerff (aesthetics lead) of Prairieville, La.; senior Laraimie Reid (mix design lead) of Spanish Town, Jamaica; senior Ariel Sully (fundraiser) of Baton Rouge; senior Emily Stephens (organizer) of Lafayette; junior Augustus Pourciau (apprentice) of Port Allen, La.; sophomore Kevin Yanez Orellana (apprentice) of Braithwaite, La.; sophomore Katelynn Dirzanowski (rower) of Brazoria, Texas; freshman Lakely Simoneaux (rower) of Walker, La.; junior Rosa Adames-Incer (rower) of Belle Chasse, La.; sophomore Jack Goodwin of Lake Charles, La.; freshman Mae Edel of Zachary, La.; senior Asher Mudge of Lafayette; freshman William Ballanco of Sunset, La.; senior Bryston Williams of New Orleans; and sophomore Claire Fielder of Longview, Texas.
The team was advised by LSU CEE Graduate Research Assistant Taj Khalilullah of Mazar-e-Sharif, AFG; LSU CEE Assistant Professor Yen-Fang Su; and LSU CEE Research Specialist Dave Robertson. Together, they came up with an eight-part plan to design and construct their canoe.
The team finished third overall in the competition.
During the structural analysis, the team ran calculations to ensure proper strength and freeboard. This was followed by a low-density mix design with high-strength testing, then a hull design where they finalized and created a 3D model of the canoe. A mold design was then used to create a one-inch section to be cut from insulation foam by machine shop. Using their mix design and mold, the final canoe was poured. They performed quality control testing, then cured, demolded, sanded, stained and sealed the canoe. Lastly, the team created a report where all their info about the project was compiled into an official proposal.
“Our goals for this year were to have good leadership, and plan and practice every step of the way,” Latiolais said. “We had underclassmen working with older students so they would know what they’re doing.”
"The planning and effort we put into this project led to having a great project proposal, final product, and racing team. I think everyone on the team is proud and ready to come back next year with the knowledge they’ve gained to do even better."
William Latiolais, Concrete Canoe Team Captain
Before heading off to competition, the Concrete Canoe Team met with LSU College of Engineering Dean Vicki Colvin who wished the team good luck and told them how proud the college is of their efforts in building the canoe and participating in the national competition.
“Leadership with younger students is important because they’re going to look for initiative, and this is a club where you can really do that,” Colvin said.
During the competition, the team competed in five races, four of which had two people in the canoe, and one with four people in the canoe. The team placed second for project proposal and final product prototype, third in the women’s sprint, and third in the overall event, which Latiolais is happy about.
“There was a lot of competition in the race, but we performed very well,” he said. “The planning and effort we put into this project led to having a great project proposal, final product, and racing team. These factors are what got us the number three spot. I’m even dying my hair blonde as I promised I would do if we placed in the top three.
“I think everyone on the team is proud and ready to come back next year with the knowledge they’ve gained to do even better,” Latiolais said.
The LSU ASCE Steel Bridge team also finished third in their competition.
The LSU ASCE club not only competes in the Concrete Canoe Competition, but also in the Steel Bridge Competition at the symposium. This year, the LSU ASCE Steel Bridge team also placed third in their competition. LSU ASCE Vice President Charlee Palma said joining ASCE is the best way to meet with other civil engineering students who share similar interests.
“We offer many opportunities such as our flagship event—the Bayou Regional Career Fair—competition teams like Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge, volunteer events, socials with local companies, and so much more,” she said.
LSU CEE also recently initiated the American Concrete Institute (ACI) student chapter at LSU, which is recognized by LSU as an RSO.
“The mission of this student chapter is to familiarize the student members with real-life concrete engineering, make connections with local and national concrete community, and obtain hands-on experience with concrete,” Khalilullah said.
“Since our initiation in November 2025, we have held regular monthly meetings with our members, invited speakers doing work in novel concrete research, and visited prefabricated concrete plant. Our biggest goal for 2026 is to attend the ACI Fall Convention as a student chapter and compete in Mortar Workability competition.”
Interested ASCE members can stay connected by following the club on LinkedIn and Instagram at @lsuasce or by emailing asce@lsu.edu.
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