2001-02 Sailing World Preseason Predictions and District Rankings

Determined by Sailing World’s coaches’ panel: Mitch Brindley, Old Dominion; Ken Legler, Tufts; and Mike Segerblom, USC

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MAISA [Middle Atlantic]

Again this year, competition in MAISA events will be ferocious. Fresh off a win at the 2001 Team Race North Americans last spring, Georgetown should be at the top of the charts again this year. The graduation of a handful of All-Americans will only be a small speedbump for the Hoyas. They return Brian Bissell, Ken Ward, Curtis Flood, and Leah Williams, all of whom have championship experience.

At women’s regattas look for Liz Sampson and Eliza Ryan as skippers while Mimi Elliot is abroad for the fall. Joining the Hoya women’s team will be skipper Cordo Carraher and crews Barbara Hall and Dorothee Bergin.

The St. Mary’s Seahawks will be tough this year as their youth now has a year of experience and the same teams from both women’s and coed North Americans return, with Danny Pletsch and Leah Anderson both redshirting the fall. In addition, the Seahawks will look to newcomer Chuck Asper in singlehanded divisions. Women skippers Jamie Smith and Ali Sharp will again be the team to beat at district women’s events.

Old Dominion should be on solid ground with the return of All-Americans Brad Funk, Sally Barkow, and Liz Biondi. Moving up this year will be seniors Matt Allen and Ryan Thorvaldsen and sophomore Jack Kerr. With Barkow leading Corrie Clement, Debbie Cappozi, Jessica Simpson, and freshman Anna Tunnicliffe, the Monarchs will field a very deep women’s team.

Returning to the Monarchs as Assistant Coach will be two-time All-American Mark Zagol.

Hobart/William Smith return the very capable Ed Norton, Sam Roger, John Pierce, and Matt Simpson. Count on the Statesmen to be contenders. On the women’s side, HWS returns Amanda Callahan and Sonja Smith, both of whom are championship savvy.

The big news at Kings Point is the departure of Jay Kehoe for Stanford and appointment of Kim Logan as head coach. KP will look good as return all the starters from their victorious America Trophy team, including Stu Colie, Dave Chapman, and Dave Wright. Last spring’s B division starter, Chris Breland, will redshirt the fall season. Additionally, Kings Point has a large group of plebes this year anchored by Peeter Must, winner of the 2000 ISSA Singlehanded Radial Championship.

The Naval Academy returns much of last season’s team with Travis Weber, Mike Stapleton, Justin Smith, and Ricky Lang all back to sail for the Midshipmen. Joining the Mids will be Travis’s brother, Spencer. The women also have experience coming back in Emily duPont, Lindsey Bartel, and Alexis Bestoso.

Equally last year’s impressive performance will be difficult for Queen’s University. But the hiring of John Curtis as head coach should help. Furthermore they have some standouts joining the team this year in Raif Richardson, Ryan Mahaffey and Benn Gun, Richardsoin is a noted Laser II sailor, and Gun brings a good deal of team racing experience from Australia. It’s expected that distinguished seniors Bernard Luttmer and Oskar Johansson will have to skip the collegiate sailing this year as they focus on their final year of studies and their Olympic campaigns. Both will surely be missed.
Washington College should also figure prominently in district events. They return Mike Buckley, Meg Nichols, and Simon Dey.

MAISA COED:
1 Georgetown
2 St. Mary’s
3 Old Dominion
4 Kings Point
5 Hobart/Wm. Smith
6 Navy
7 Queen’s
8 Washington College

MAISA WOMEN:
1. St. Mary’s
2. Old Dominion
3. Navy
4. Hobart/Wm.
5. Georgetown Smith
6. Washington Coll

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MCSA [Mid West]

Despite losing Bora Golari and Amy Leenhouts to graduation, The Michigan Wolverines will likely be the strongest team in the MCSA. The defending champions in all three spring districts, Michigan will be led this year by skipper Nathan Marshall and crew Ellen Hartwell.

Miami University graduated Kelly Reese and Notre Dame graduated RJ Wolney. The Badgers of Wisconsin will be likely be Michgan’s top competition in the MCSA.

MCSA COED:
1. Michigan
2. Wisconsin
3. Minnesota
4. Northwestern
5. Ohio State
6. W. Michigan

MCSA WOMEN:
1. Michigan
2. Wisconsin
3. W. Michigan

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NEISA [New England]

Harvard remains the top team in NEISA; they were barely affected by graduation. Sean Doyle and Michelle Yu, Margaret Gill and Susan Bonney, and Clay Bischoff and Lema Kikuchi all return to contend for all kinds of intersectionals and championships for the Crimson.

Tufts seeks to defend its somewhat improbable dinghy championship without Adam Deermount and Lisa Keith, but the Jumbos will have 2001 North Americans A Division Champion Peter Levesque and Caroline Hall for two more years. Tufts also has several junior and senior skippers ready to step up. On the women’s side Tufts graduated standouts Jen Provan, Laurin Manning, and Lee Icyda. Sophomore AJ Crane becomes the women’s team leader.

Boston College has the returning college sailor of the year in Tyler Pruett, but not his super star crew Elise Mazareas. Mark Teborek, Brad Yetmen, and Carrie Howe will continue to play important roles for the Eagles.

The Dartmouth Big Green suffered the most of NEISA’s big four this spring as the team lost graduation of Pat Hogan, Carly Prior, Erin Maxwell, Leslie Sandberg, and Katie Lyndon to graduation. Stepping up into even bigger roles will be Scott Hogan, Jen Morgan, Kevin Horrigan and Thalia Pascalides.

The young Yale Elis improve with Stu McNay, Brandon Wall, and freshman Julie Papanek. Meanwhile, the young Brown Bears also move up with Chris Ashley, Alex Mehran, Whitney Besse, and freshman Anne Davidson.

Boston University Terriers return Liza Burnes to lead sophomore dinghy and Laser sailor Streett Silvestri and Brian Baranaskus and crew Jen Baker.

The Camels of Connecticut College will be led by the international experience of the sophomore Amanda Clark. The Vermont Catamounts are led by Nat Spencer and the URI Rams return a strong team led by Chad Atkins. Coast Guard will be competitive with Brad Soule and Mike Newell. MIT has incoming freshman JM Modisette.

Bowdoin and Roger Williams are seeking to upgrade their programs; they both have a number of good skippers. Bowdoin will have 18 new Larks and Roger Williams is exploring several improvements to their facilities.

NEISA COED:
1. Harvard
2. Tufts
3. Boston College
4. Dartmouth
5. Yale
6. Connecticut College
7. Brown
8. Rhode Island
9. MIT
10. Coast Guard

NEISA WOMEN:
1. Connecticut College
2. Dartmouth
3. Boston College
4. Brown
5. Tufts
6. Yale
7. Harvard
8. Boston Univ
9. Bowdoin
10. Vermont

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NWICSA [Northwest]

The general picture in the North West seems to be continuing to improve-more sailors and stronger teams. Fortunately for University of Washington several years of hard work and program development gives them the strength and depth to swallow the loss of several key players to graduation, including Anthony Boscolo, Lea Saunders, Jason Salvo, and Stephanie Hall. Led by Coach Andy Mack and sailors Michael Karas and Andy Schimdt, they should continue with a large and talented team that will again be the force in the Northwest.

Western Washington University will continue to be strong, but will experience changes with some upperclassmen focusing on academics and some focusing on the development of a women’s team.
Washington State seems to be building strength as they return both starting skippers and a top crew. University of Oregon loses Team Captain Violet Barnard but several young team members should carry the flag. Portland State University continues its effort to rebuild.

NWICSA COED:
1. Washington
2. Western Washington
3. Washington State
4. Oregon
5. Portland State

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PCIYRA [West Coast]

The Hawaii Rainbows graduated their top two coed starters, Brent Harrill and Josh Henrich, but a pack of returning talent, Molly O’Bryan, Willi Edwards, Steve Brown, Jennifer Warnock, Adam Corpuz-Lahne, Sarah Hitchcock, and Renee Decurtis, and an exceptional incoming freshman class that includes Bryan Lake, Joey Pasquali, and Matt Stine should make them the team to beat on the PCIYRA. With the Spring North Americans held in Hawaii for the first time in history the rest of the country should also struggle to beat the Hawaii coed team and the defending ICSA champion women’s team.

Although UC Santa Barbara returns most of its top sailors, changes in coaching and general leadership may prove to the real obstacles that stand between this team and them performing up to their potential.

USC and Stanford both return all of their starters and also welcome an influx of new blood with Jeff Allen, Lauren Gross, and Amy Halvorsen joining Stanford and Harrison, Paul Taylor, Charles Hood, and Ben Palmer joining the Trojans. Veteran Stanford Head Coach Steve Bourdow is leaving and will be replaced by former Yale and Kings Point coach Jay Kehoe. USC is looking to veteran coach and former All-American Mike Pinckney to provide on-the-water development as assistant coach.

UC Irvine is probably making the biggest moves in the west. Led by alumni coach Jonathan Posner this program has done some tremendous rebuilding during the past several years and this fall’s freshman class of over 10 notable recruits-Lauren Maxam, Jordon Korss, Carlos Roberts, Kelsey Cochran, and Emily Hemberger to mention a few-should seal their return to prominence.

With lots of young talent and three returning seniors UC Berkeley will continue to be a player and continue to show that strong leadership and organization can keep a student run team on par with the “big guys.”

Cal Maritime returns a group of young talent led by captain Junior Nick Leik. A yet-to-be-named coach and some incoming freshmen should bolster this growing program. UC San Diego also continues to flourish under strong student leadership and will have a strong presence in the PCIYRA.

PCIYRA COED:
1. Hawaii
2. UC Santa Barbara
3. Stanford
4. USC
5. UC Irvine
6. UC Berkeley
7. Cal Maritime
8. UC/San Diego

PCIYRA WOMEN:
1. Hawaii
2. Stanford
3. UC Berkeley
4. USC
5. UC Irvine
6. UC Santa Barbara

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SAISA [South Atlantic]

No one will be surprised to find College of Charleston dominating the South Atlantic district; however, once again they will be under more and more pressure from the strengthening Florida teams. The Cougars lost Zach Fanberg, Kippy Chamberlain, and Sarah Taylor to graduation. All three made the ICSA All-America team in June. However, rising to take their places will be a trio of All-Americans-Marcus Eagan, Nathan Hollerbach, and Roseanne Monti-each of whom competed in last year’s North Americans. In addition, count on Karl Schutte to be a player, particularly in Lasers. Assisting Coach George Wood will be Cougar alumnus and All-American David Dabney.

The University of South Florida will battle for second in SAISA with Eckerd, Florida, Rollins, and Florida Tech. Led by coaches Stephanie Doyle and Stan Hyatt, USF returns most of last year’s team including Genoa Griffin, Garth Reynolds, and Ali Deese. The USF Bulls are in their second year of varsity recognition for the women’s team and they will be breaking in a new fleet of Vanguard FJs. They will be the host school for the ICSA Sloop North Americans.

At Rollins College, second-year coach Darryl Tamash hopes that returning nearly the whole team from last year will result in greater consistency this year. The team on the water will again be led by senior Cy Bent, junior Shea Szambecki, and sophomore Jess Willis.
Florida Tech skippers Joao Vogel and Dan Keene will be responsible for rebuilding their team. Having purchased Connecticut College’s fleet of FJs, FIT should be hosting more events this year.

SAISA COED:
1. Charleston
2. South Florida
3. Eckerd
4. Rollins
5. Florida

SAISA WOMEN:
1. Charleston
2. South Florida
3. Eckerd

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SEISA [Southeast]

Bruce Mahoney, the very popular national singlehanded champion, has graduated from Texas and has spent the summer representing the ICSA in the all-star college sailing tour of the British Isles. But even without their top sailor, Texas will likely lead the SEISA with Spencer Ogden. Chris LaBorde has one more year at Kansas, which could make some noise under his leadership. Texas A&M; Galveston will be active as usual while Tulane, once a perennially top ranked team, seeks to rebuild.

SEISA COED:
1. Texas
2. Texas A&M; Galv
3. Kansas
4. Tulane

SEISA WOMEN:
1. Texas
2. Texas A&M; Galv