TAMPA, FLA., May 24, 2025 —The University of South Florida women's sailing team capped off a strong postseason run by placing 17th in the nation at the ICSA Women's National Championship Finals, advancing far beyond their initial No. 21 seeding.
The championship format began with the top 36 teams in the country divided into two evenly seeded semifinal groups—Eastern and Western—regardless of geographic location. The top nine teams from each semifinal advanced to the Finals, where the top 18 programs in the nation competed for the title.
USF competed in the Eastern Semifinal and, after two grueling days of racing in difficult conditions, the Bulls secured a 6th-place finish—just one point shy of fifth—and clinched a spot in the Finals.
Sailing for the Bulls in the semifinals were Kay Brunsvold and Melissa Janes, who placed 7th in A Division, and Kalea Woodard with Madisen Hamai, who finished in a three-way tie for 5th in B Division. Conditions were challenging, with light and shifty breezes on Day 1 followed by drenching rain and steadier wind on Day 2.
The Bulls carried that momentum into the Finals, held over two additional days of racing. Day 1 was hampered by marginal wind, allowing just three races per division. Brunsvold and Janes returned to A Division, while Woodard and Hamai continued in B.
Day 2 saw the strongest breeze of the regatta and brought changes to the lineup. Kailey Warrior joined Brunsvold in A Division, and Heidi Hicks sailed with Woodard in B Division. Alternate Cate Brennan was ready to step in if needed. Each division completed 13 races in physically and mentally demanding conditions. USF ultimately placed 17th overall.
Despite the finish, there were standout individual performances, including a 3rd-place result in the final A Division race and a 5th-place effort in Race 11 of B Division.
Stanford, Tulane, Harvard, Yale and Cornell led the field with consistently top-tier finishes. USF, one of only two public institutions in the Finals, stood proudly among a group heavily represented by Ivy League programs that have recently dominated the sport.
"We came into the semifinals seeded 21st and left among the top 18 teams in the country," said USF Head Coach Allison Jolly. "Our sailors showed incredible grit and composure in some very tough conditions. I'm so proud of their teamwork, determination and resilience. This is a group that's not afraid to challenge the best—and they proved they belong at the top."
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.
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