May 24, 2010
MADISON, Wis. - The Old Dominion sailing team will compete in two Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) National Championships from May 25-June 3 in Madison, Wis.
The eighth-ranked women's team, which qualified for nationals after finishing fourth at the MAISA Women's Championships, will be on a mission to capture their fourth team national championship in the school's history.
The co-ed team, which has won two national championships in program history and is currently ranked No. 13, qualified for dinghy nationals after picking up a fourth-place result in an 18-team field at the western semifinal in Seattle, Wash.
The women's team, which has been ranked as high as No. 1 this season, will be led by junior skipper Stephanie Roble and senior skipper Katrina Williams.
"Our women have just finished our nationals training camp and they are very excited and focused," said head coach Mitch Brindley. "We have had a great week of focused training coming on the heels of a strong season. With our women's squad, we are fortunate to have three talented skippers (Stephanie Roble, Katrina Williams and Morgan Wilson) to fill two skippering spots.
"I think our depth is a great advantage. We have moved Morgan in a crewing role in the front of the boat with Katrina and she is adding a great deal to the team dynamic. The whole team is focused, but Stephanie (from East Troy, Wis.) seems very much at ease to be "going home" to Wisconsin."
Wilson and sophomore crew Emily Reich will also be looking to make major impacts for the Lady Monarchs.
"I know our women will be disappointed if we finish outside of the top three," Brindley stated. "But I know our focus will be on sailing well race-by-race and leg-by-leg, minimizing mistakes."
The co-ed team has been ranked in the Top 20 all season long and has continued to move up the national rankings over the last two months. Senior captain Alan Alkins and Roble will be major players for the coed team.
"For the coed squad, we had a great performance, particularly in B division from Alan Alkins and Wilson Stout, at the ICSA Semifinals," said Brindley. "I feel like the team is peaking at the right time.
"In the last few weeks of the season Alan has really developed mature tactics and confidence on the starting line. The ICSA/ Gill National Championship will be an incredibly tight event. We are excited and ready for some fun competition."
The women's national championships run from May 25-28, while the co-ed team will compete from June 1-3.
-ODU-