TAMPA, FLA., FEB. 27, 2026 – The South Forida sailing team will look to continue a strong opening to the 2026 season when the Bulls send three boats to compete Saturday and Sunday in the Mendelblatt Open Team Race in Charleston, S.C.
 
It will be the Bulls second time sailing in the waters off Charleston, S.C. in the last three weeks. USF previously put up strong showings in the SAISA Women's Top 6 Fleet & Team race hosted by the College of Charleston on Feb. 14-15.
 
For the Mendelblatt Open Team Race, varsity skippers Kailey Warrior and Sara Menesale with crews Madisen Hamai and Ruth Bergman will be competing.
 
Setting The Stage:
Head coach Allison Jolly's team finished first among four teams at the USF Women's Team Race last weekend on the Bulls' home waters off St. Petersburg, Fla.
 
The Bulls also opened the spring season in strong fashion with top finishes in the SAISA Women's Top 6 Fleet and Team Race held in Charleston, S.C. on Feb. 14-15.
 
In that event, the Bulls finished just behind College of Charleston in the Women's Top 6 Invite and in the 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.