TAMPA, FLA., APRIL 6, 2026 – The USF sailing team finished off a strong regular season on the waters of Thames River in Connecticut as the Bulls finished fifth among 15 teams at the Emily Wick Fleet Race hosted by Connecticut College.
 
The event capped a strong regular season for the sailing team as they look to defend their conference title at the SAISA Women's Team Race and Fleet Race Championships hosted by the Bulls in St. Petersburg April 10-12.
 
At the Emily Wick, the Bulls posted a total of 162 to finish ahead of teams from St. Mary's College (169), Columbia (191), Fordham (210), Tufts (256), George Washington (263), MIT (268), Vermont (297), Rhode Island (302), Boston University (311) and Princeton (365) in the field.
 
Bowdoin College on the event with a total score of 122. They were followed by the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (136), Northeastern (153) and host Connecticut College (157).
 
After a slight delay to await favorable winds, racing got underway around noon on Saturday under sunny skies with a 10-15 knot southeasterly breeze. Fleets switched boats for race 8A/B, which was a fitting time as the breeze drastically clocked E-ESE after the 7B race.
 
On Sunday, a foggy Thames greeted sailors, but lifted in time for racing to commence at 10 a.m. A 5-8 knot southerly wind gradually shifted southwest in the two hours of racing.
 
Up Next:
Head coach Allison Jolly's team will host the SAISA Women's Team Race and Fleet Championship in St. Petersburg April 10-12.  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 Bulls have had great success in Florida waters this year, including winning the four-team USF Women's Team Race in St. Petersburg back in February.
 
National Championships Coming to St. Petersburg In May:
The season USF sailing season culminates May 15-18 as the Bulls will 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.