Bulls will host the College Sailing Women's Fleet Racing National  Championships May 15-18
 
TAMPA, FLA., MAY 2, 2026 – The USF sailing team saw six student-athletes earn all-conference recognition when the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (SAISA) announced postseason honors Saturday.
 
The Bulls were represented by First Team All-SAISA Skippers Grace Jones, Ghislaine Van Empel and Kailey Warrior. Warrior was a finalist for the conference's Skipper of the Year.
 
The Bulls also saw three crew members earn honors as Catherine Brennan, Madisen Hamai and Melissa Janes were named First Team All-SAISA Crew selections. Hamai was a finalist for the Crew of the Year award.
 
Head coach Allison Jolly's team posted four top two finishes among their eight events in the spring season, including winning the USF Women's Team Race in St. Petersburg in February and finishing second in the SAISA Women's Top 9 Fleet Race hosted by Miami at the end of March.
 
The Bulls will return to the water May 15-18 as South Florida hosts the College Sailing Women's Fleet Racing National Championships in St. Petersburg for the first time since 2013.
 
Women's Skipper, First Team All-SAISA
Ashley Alfortish, College of Charleston *
Grace Jones, Univ. of South Florida
Kaitlyn Liebel, Jacksonville Univ. 
Annie Samis, Rollins College ^
Bella Shakespeare, College of Charleston *
Ghislaine Van Empel, Univ. of South Florida
Kailey Warrior, Univ. of South Florida *

Crew, All-SAISA
Gaelen Adam, College of Charleston
Arantxa Argibay, Univ. of Miami
Catherine Brennan, Univ. of South Florida
Reagan Carris, Jacksonville Univ. 
Taylor Collison, Jacksonville Univ. 
Marina Dryer, College of Charleston
Lucy Elvart, College of Charleston *
Avery Guck, Eckerd College 
Madisen Hamai, Univ. of South Florida *
Aidan Iaconis, College of Charleston
Melissa Janes, Univ. of South Florida
Paige Lubrano, College of Charleston
Christopher McCollum, Univ. of Miami
Jane McKenzie, Rollins College
Andrea Melnik, College of Charleston ^
Madison Mihan, Jacksonville Univ.
Clara Murphy, College of Charleston ^
Tia Soultanakis, Eckerd College
Ella Wisely, Jacksonville University ^
Lucy Zinn, College of Charleston *    

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.
 
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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.