University of South Florida
St. Mary's Fleet Race
USF SAILING TEAM HEADS TO ST. MARY'S WOMEN'S FLEET RACE REGATTA
March 14, 2025 | Women's Sailing
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA., MARCH 14, 2025 — The University of South Florida sailing team is set to compete in the St. Mary's Women's Fleet Race Regatta this weekend, March 15-16. Hosted by St. Mary's College of Maryland, this event serves as a crucial opportunity for the Bulls to gain experience on the same waters that will host the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) National Championships on May 20 through 23.
"This regatta is a key steppingstone for us as we prepare for nationals," said USF head coach Allison Jolly. "Understanding the conditions and building familiarity with the venue will be invaluable as we aim for a strong finish in May."
USF's A Division will feature seniors Kay Brunsvold and Kalea Woodard, while first-year sailor Ghislaine van Empel and junior Melissa Janes will compete in B Division. Sophomore Kailey Warrior will round out the travel squad, ready to step in as either helm or crew.
The regatta will feature a competitive field of 18 teams, including top-ranked Yale and other strong competitions from the New England Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (NEISA) conference, such as Northeastern, Connecticut College, the University of Rhode Island, and the University of Vermont. The Middle Atlantic Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (MAISA) conference will be well-represented with host St. Mary's College, Georgetown, George Washington University, Hobart, Old Dominion, Fordham, and Christopher Newport. USF will be joined by fellow South Atlantic Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (SAISA) competitors, such as College of Charleston and Jacksonville University, while Hawaii, Tulane, and Michigan complete the lineup.
The forecast for Saturday calls for chilly conditions with temperatures in the 40s and light winds between 4-9 knots. Sunday will bring warmer temperatures near 60 degrees but gusty breezes exceeding 20 knots.
Follow the team on Twitter and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
About USF Sailing
The USF sailing program has reached the national finals in 11 of the last 12 years. The Bulls finished in the top 10 during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. The sailing team is based out of St. Petersburg and has been led since 2014 by head coach Allison Jolly, a former USA Olympian and Gold Medalist, 2016 Florida Sports Hall of Fame inductee and 2019 U.S. National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee.
