TAMPA, FLA., FEB. 20, 2026 – The South Forida sailing team led by head coach Allison Jolly will host the USF Women's Team Race this weekend, welcoming three programs to compete in the Bulls' home waters off St. Petersburg, Fla.
 
The event will feature teams from the University of Hawaii, Rollins College, Jacksonville University, and host South Florida. A new perpetual award, the Ashley Reynolds Reali Memorial Trophy, will be presented to the winning team. Ashley was a graduate of the USF class of 2006 and the first member of the USF women's sailing team to receive All-American accolades. She recently passed away after a long, courageous battle against lung cancer.
 
The Bulls team racing starting lineup will feature skippers Ghislaine van Empel, Kailey Warrior and Grace Jones, with crews Cate Brennan, Madisen Hamai and Melissa Janes. Alternates Sara Menesale and Dita Carlsen are prepared to step in when needed.
 
Three full round-robins are scheduled, with racing set to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday and targeting a conclusion, if possible, around 5:30pm. The forecast for Saturday is for light but favorable southerly winds at five to seven knots. Sunday's forecast is more extreme with possible rain and winds gusting to 20 knots. If racing can be completed on Saturday, sailors will avoid Sunday's problematic forecast. 
 
"We are excited to host our first event of the spring season and compete in our home waters," Jolly said. "We had a strong result at last week's event and look to continue that momentum as we sail close to home. It is also a great opportunity to preview the SAISA Championships and Fleet Racing National Championships we will host later this spring in St. Petersburg."
 
Setting The Stage:
Jolly saw her team open the spring season in strong fashion last weekend as the Bulls posted top finishes in the SAISA Women's Top 6 Fleet and Team Race held in Charleston, S.C.
 
In the regatta that featured the top six ranked teams in the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (SAISA), the Bulls finished just behind College of Charleston in the Women's Top 6 Invite. In Sunday's Women's Top 6 Team Race the Bulls tied the second-best record with a 5-3 mark but finished third after losing a tiebreaker.
 
Championships Coming to St. Petersburg This Spring:
Championship season begins April 10-12 as South Florida will host the SAISA Women's Team Race and Fleet Race Championships in St. Petersburg. The Bulls won the SAISA conference championship last year, securing the Ann Boyd Trophy in winning the Fleet Racing Championship and finishing second in the Team Racing Championship hosted on their home waters.
 
The season culminates May 15-18 as the Bulls will also serve as the hosts for the College Sailing Women's Fleet Racing National Championships for the first time since 2013. South Florida will compete against the nation's elite for a national title at the SkyBeach Resort in St. Peterburg.
 
Event Attendance:
Attendance at USF sailing events is free. USF 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 12 of the last 13 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.