Westcliff Surf Team Featured on FOX Sports 11: A National Spotlight for a Program Making Waves

Written by: Westcliff Marketing

The  Westcliff University Surf Team recently received major national exposure with a five-minute feature on FOX Sports 11 Los Angeles, a major spotlight for one of the  quickly risen through the national ranks 

For the athletes and coaches behind the program, the segment represents more than media recognition. It highlights a bold vision that has helped redefine what collegiate surfing can look like and how universities can support student-athletes pursuing both academic and athletic excellence.

A Modern, Innovative University Model

For more than 30 years, Westcliff University has focused on building a modern, career-driven approach to higher education, one designed around accessibility, innovation, and real-world opportunity.

Today, the university serves a global student community, with students representing more than 130 countries making it one of the most diverse schools in the nation. Including campuses across the United States as well as Canada, offering programs in business, technology, education,  law, and healthcare, including the recently launched College of Nursing. With flexible in-person, online, and hybrid learning models, Westcliff is designed to support students whose ambitions extend beyond the traditional classroom.

That forward-thinking approach has also allowed the university to invest in unique opportunities for student-athletes, including one that would go on to change the landscape of collegiate surfing.

The First University to Offer Surf Scholarships

One of the most compelling aspects of Westcliff Surf, and one that often surprises people, is that Westcliff was the first university in the United States to offer true athletic scholarships for surfing.

For many competitive surfers, the idea once seemed almost too good to be true: the ability to pursue a college degree while continuing to compete at the highest levels of surfing.

But Westcliff believed the sport deserved the same level of institutional support traditionally given to sports like basketball, soccer, or football. Today, the program provides scholarship opportunities, funded travel, professional coaching, training resources, and academic flexibility so surfers can balance competition with their education.

That vision has helped create a new pathway for student-athletes, one where passion, career ambitions, and academic success can thrive together.

Taking on the Giants of Collegiate Surfing

Despite being a relatively young program, Westcliff Surf has quickly established itself as one of the most competitive teams in the country.

Competing in the National Scholastic Surfing Association collegiate division, the Warriors have steadily climbed the national rankings:

• 2022: 5th place

• 2023: 3rd place

• 2024: 2nd place

• 2025: 2nd place

This season, Westcliff currently sits ranked #2 in the nation. Along the way, Westcliff has consistently gone head-to-head with some of the most recognizable universities in collegiate surfing, including powerhouse programs from schools like UCLA and USC.

In many ways, the Warriors have become collegiate surfing's "giant slayers," proving that a program built on vision, culture, and institutional support can compete with, and defeat larger schools.

Leadership from Within

The program's continued rise is guided by Head Coach Lucas Taub, a former Westcliff scholarship surfer who understands the opportunity the program represents.

Taub competed for the Warriors while earning his Bachelor of Business Administration and graduating as valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA. Today, he leads the team with a unique perspective as both a former student-athlete and mentor.

In his first year as head coach, Westcliff finished 2nd at NSSA Nationals, including a women's national title and multiple individual victories, continuing the team's steady climb toward a national championship.

A Roster Built for the Future

The team features a dynamic mix of elite recruits and rising talent, including USA Junior National Team surfer Titus Kaimana Santucci, two-time national champion Taylor Stacy, former men's national champion Jordy Collins,  Huntington Beach standout Blaze Roche, and Puerto Rico national team athlete AnnaBella Lopez.

Together, they represent the growing national reputation of the program and the type of athletes Westcliff continues to attract.

Making Waves Nationwide

What began just a few years ago as a pioneering idea, to treat surfing like a true collegiate sport, has quickly evolved into one of the most respected programs in the country.

The FOX Sports feature captures the spirit behind that success: talented surfers, dedicated leadership, and a university willing to think differently about how it supports its students.

And as Westcliff continues to challenge powerhouse programs and push toward a national championship, one thing is becoming increasingly clear, the Warriors are no longer just an underdog story but the ones leading the way and shaping the future of collegiate surfing and education.