University of South Florida
Women's ACC finals
Bulls Head to Naval Academy for the ACC Tournament This Weekend
October 16, 2026 | Women's Sailing
South Florida sailing looks to earn Top-20 National Ranking
TAMPA, Fla. (October 16, 2026) – South Florida sailing travels to Annapolis with six sailors this weekend, to compete at the ACC Tournament hosted by the Naval Academy.
Bulls skippers Ghislaine van Empel, Grace Jones, and Kailey Warrior, with crews Carlin Fretwell, Dita Carlsen, and Esme Pray, will sail at this year's nationals venue during the ACC tournament. The team has a chance of earning a top-20 national ranking should they finish in the top two.
"This is a great opportunity for our team to get familiar with the sailing conditions at this location ahead of the National Championship in May", van Empel said.
South Florida qualified for the ACC tournament during the ACC semifinals by finishing in 13th place at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.
Setting The Stage:
The South Florida sailing team placed 13th in the ACC semifinals. The B-division boat put together a strong performance by finishing in the top five in five of the ten races.
Home Sailing Attendance:
Attendance at South Florida sailing events is free. South Florida home sailing events are held at the Haney Landing Sailing Center on the University of South Florida campus.
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About USF Sailing
The USF sailing program won a SAISA conference championship in 2025 and has reached the national finals in 13 of the last 14 years. The Bulls finished in the top 10 during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. The sailing team, which has won eight SAISA conference titles, was formed in 1997 and is based out of St. Petersburg. The program has been led since 2004 by head coach Allison Jolly. One of the most successful women in U.S. national sailing history, Jolly is a former USA Olympian and Gold Medalist (1988), a 2016 Florida Sports Hall of Fame inductee, and a 2019 U.S. National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee.
– #GoBulls –
