The University of Alabama’s Concrete Canoe team made program history with a first-place finish at the 2026 American Society of Civil Engineers Gulf Coast Student Symposium, earning a spot at the National Concrete Canoe Competition for the first time.
The team will travel to Fairmont State University in West Virginia June 25–27, 2026, to compete at the national level, marking a major milestone for the program.
Dr. Armen Amirkhanian, associate department head for undergraduate studies in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, said the win reflects years of steady development and consistency from student teams within the program.
Amirkhanian, who has advised the team since 2017, also noted that this year’s group stood out early in the process due to their organization and preparation.
“They cast their canoe before winter break, which I can’t remember happening in recent years,” he said.
The ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition requires students to design, build and race a canoe made entirely of concrete, a process that demands significant time and collaboration across multiple subteams. In a typical year, students spend more than 4,000 hours on the project, working late nights and weekends without course credit or compensation.
“These students do it purely out of passion and motivation,” Amirkhanian said. “That intrinsic drive is what sets them apart.”
Team captain John Brady Bowman said the time commitment and responsibility became especially clear as he stepped into a leadership role.
“I was initially nervous at the start of the year to take on the role of president, but I had a ton of help from my co-captains in organizing everyone, planning and executing our goals,” Bowman said. “We worked many extra hours after meetings and during the week and tried to address every detail possible.”
He worked alongside co-captains Elena Evans, Henry Burnson and Aaron Griffin, who played key roles in directing the team, refining the design process and helping execute competition goals.
The team also aimed to elevate its performance while representing The University of Alabama as host of the regional competition.
“We had high hopes to make drastic improvements and changes to the club,” Bowman said. “We also wanted to represent UA at the highest level we could as the host school.”
For Amirkhanian, the outcome at regionals reflected the team’s preparation and momentum leading up to the competition.
“The look on their faces when it was announced that they won first was priceless,” he said. “They didn’t think they were in the running, so they were completely shocked.”
He added that the success also reflects the foundation built by previous teams in the program.
“Past members reached out to congratulate and support the team,” Amirkhanian said. “Everyone is incredibly excited for them.”
