USF Sailing Sixth at Mendelblatt, to Host National Championships
CHARLESTON, S.C., March 2, 2026 – The University of South Florida sailing team concluded competition at the Mendelblatt Open Team Race in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 28, finishing sixth among a competitive field of ten teams.
This marked the Bulls’ second time racing in Charleston waters within the last three weeks. USF placed behind the College of Charleston, Eckerd College, Jacksonville University, Rollins College, and North Carolina State. They outperformed teams from Florida State, Miami, Clemson, and Palm Beach Atlantic.
Strong Performance by USF Skippers and Crews
Varsity skippers Kailey Warrior and Sara Menesale, paired with crews Madisen Hamai and Ruth Bergman, achieved a 4-5 record during the regatta. They secured victories against Jacksonville, Florida State, Clemson, and Palm Beach Atlantic.
The competition benefited from ideal conditions, with 7-12 knot winds from the north allowing for a full schedule of races on Saturday.
Looking Ahead: Annapolis and Championship Season
The Bulls will next compete at the Jen Harris Women’s Team Race, hosted by the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, from March 7-8. Last year, USF finished tenth among twelve teams at this event.
Championships Hosted in St. Petersburg
This spring promises to be a landmark season for USF Sailing, with championship competition beginning April 10-12 with the SAISA Women’s Team Race and Fleet Race Championships, hosted in St. Petersburg, Florida. USF 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 will culminate May 15-18 as the Bulls will also host 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. Petersburg.
USF Sailing Program History
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, formed in 1997 and based out of St. Petersburg, has won eight SAISA conference titles and is led by head coach Allison Jolly, 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.
Attendance at USF sailing events is free and held at the Haney Landing Sailing Center on the University of South Florida campus.
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