First of three

Female college sailors are preparing for the ICSA Women's National Championship

The first of the three Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) National Championships, sponsored by Pentax Imaging Company and Vanguard Sailboats – gets underway tomorrow hosted by The Lady Monarchs from their Sailing Center at Old Dominion University.

The ICSA Women's National Championship will see competitors from 18 schools, all of which qualified for this championship through conference eliminations. Racing will be held in FJs on the Elizabeth River over three days from 23-25 May, followed by the announcement of the Quantum Female College Sailor of the Year at the conclusion of racing.

ODU will be working the home-court advantage in a bid to claim their fourth women’s national title (1982, 1987 and 2002). Senior skipper Cara DiSanti with sophomore crew Alyssa Ayres will sail A-Division, while freshman skipper Katrina Williams with sophomore crew Elyssa Albert and freshman Jane Bleakney will be on-the-water in B-Division.

The College of Charleston, ranked second in the nation, will need to be sharp in order to extend their reign as champions. Sophmore skipper Andrea Savage and junior crew Danielle Neri - with eyes set on repeating Cougar history - will race in A-Division with freshman Rebecca Bestoso. Freshmen Allie Blecher and Christina Murray with junior Julia Southworth will sail B-Division. Shannon Heausler and Bethany Herbert, both freshmen, are alternates.

Two additional teams that look strong coming into this event are St. Mary’s College, winners of the 1995 title, and Harvard University, champions in 2005. The St. Mary’s Seahawks have dominated the national rankings since late March and will have junior Adrienne Patterson skipper their A-Division boat with senior crew Melissa Pumphrey. Freshman skipper Sara Morgan Watters with junior Mattie Farrar will race B-Division and sophomore Jennifer Chamberlin will be the Seahawks’ alternate crew for both divisions.

Harvard’s A-Division team will be helmed by sophomore Megan Watson with senior Christina Dahlman - a two-time ICSA All-American Crew and the only returning member of the 2005 winning team. Sophomore skipper Roberta Steele will sail B-Division with sophomore Lauren Brants and senior Cassandra Niemi. Freshman Liz Powers will be The Crimson’s alternate skipper/heavy crew.