Bulls have posted top two finishes the last two weeks
 
TAMPA, FLA., MARCH 30, 2026 – The USF sailing team continued to string together top finishes over the weekend as the Bulls finished second in the SAISA Women's Top 9 Fleet Race hosted by the University of Miami. It marked USF's second-consecutive top two finish in Florida after placing second at Jacksonville the previous week.
 
The Bulls posted a total of 96 to finished ahead of teams from NC State (120), Miami (156), Jacksonville University (157), Clemson (205) and Florida State (238), seeing only Rollins College edge ahead of the USF with a score of 75.
 
South Florida was represented by skippers Grace Jones and Sara Menesale with crews Melissa Jones, Cate Brennan and Esme Pray.

Saturday began under an AP flag delaying racing as a light northerly breeze quickly faded to flat calm. A light easterly began to fill around 11:15 a.m. and sailors were sent out to the racecourse. Racing began in a shifty 4-6 knot breeze which slowly built to 8-12 knots and locked into steadier direction by the end of the day. Ten races were sailed in combined divisions, with racing ending at 5:30 pm.

No races were sailed on Sunday as continuous squalls were passing through the racing area.

Up Next:
Head coach Allison Jolly's team will head to Connecticut for the first of two weekend competitions before returning to St. Petersburg to host the SAISA Women's Team Race and Fleet Race Championships, April 10-12. The Bulls open competition in Connecticut at the Vietor Trophy Fleet Race on Saturday and Sunday, hosted by Connecticut College.
 
The Bulls will stay in Connecticut to also compete in the Emily Wick Fleet Race held April 4-5 in New London, Conn., also hosted by Connecticut College.
 
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.