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INTER-COLLEGIATE SAILING ASSOCIATION NAMES 2009/2010 ICSA ALL-AMERICA SAILING TEAM

 
Boston College Wins Fowle Trophy

NEWPORT, R.I.  (June 9, 2010) – The Intercollegiate Sailing Association of
North America (ICSA) has announced the members of its 2009/2010 ICSA
All-America Sailing Team, along with the Quantum Female College Sailor of
the Year, the College Sailor of the Year, Sportsman of the Year and the
winner of the Leonard M. Fowle Memorial Trophy for the all-around best
college team.  The ICSA All-American honors are awarded to competitors who
have demonstrated outstanding performance in competition during the college
sailing year (fall and spring seasons) just concluded.  A panel of
representatives from each of the seven ICSA conferences reviews each
sailor’s individual results and sailors are named to the team as
All-Americans, Women’s All-Americans and/or All-American Crews.  Their names
will be added to the permanent ICSA Hall of Fame display located in the
Robert Crown Sailing Center at the U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis, Md.).

2010 College Sailor of the Year – Thomas Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI), a
graduating senior from Yale University (New Haven, Conn.) and four-time
recipient of ICSA All-American Honors (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010), has been
named the ICSA’s 2010 College Sailor of the Year. 

Barrows was recognized for his numerous wins in A-Division over the course
of the 2009-2010 season, which, when combined with the scores from
B-Division, earned Yale the overall win at the Harry Anderson Trophy , the
Nevins Trophy, the Danmark Trophy and the Old Guard Regatta for the Owen
Trophy.  He was first in A-Division at the Truxtun Umsted Intersectional at
which Yale finished fifth overall, and he placed third at the ICSA/Laser
Performance Men’s Singlehanded National Championship.  At the beginning of
May he finished second in A-Division at the ICSA National Championship
Western Semi-Finals, the event which qualified Yale to advance to the finals
of the most important event of the college sailing year – the ICSA/Gill
National Championship.  At that event, held June 1-3, Barrows skippered to
fifth in A-Division with the Bulldogs finishing sixth in the overall
standings.

The review panel noted that “his wins were sometimes by a wide margin,
combined with a strong team race record, and he had a level of consistency
over a large record that was astonishing.”

“I never expected it to tell you the truth,” the soft-spoken Barrows
remarked about receiving the College Sailor of the Year Award.   “I was
nominated last year, but it [the award] was never really a goal of mine.  I
set more of a goal to win each individual event. . . it was never about
winning the award, but more about wining as a team.”

Barrows grew up in St. Thomas and was on-the-water cruising with his parents
before learning to sail through the junior program at St. Thomas Yacht Club.
Introduced to soccer at a very young age, he lettered in high school and was
the team’s leading scorer, while also playing volleyball and basketball.
“I really enjoy competing,” he said.

Since his arrival at Yale in 2006 Barrows has been a key player and was
named Team Captain in 2008 and 2009. He won the 2007 Laser North American
Championship and competed at the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil, placing
ninth overall.  He represented the US Virgin Islands in China at the 2008
Olympic Games, finishing 21st out of 43 competing nations in the Laser
class.

Barrows thanked a number of people during the awards presentation and later
explained that it was the help he received along the way that took him far
in sailing.  “It was great as a freshman to have a crew [Abigail Coplin, who
crewed for Barrows his first two years at Yale] who could teach me about
boat trim and boat handling.  I was more of a Laser sailor in high school
and she showed me the ropes.  I thanked Blair Belling, who I sailed with for
the last two years, and also Marla Menninger who has been heavy air crew and
my crew in everything outside of college sailing.”

At age 12 Barrows met Zach Leonard, Yale’s Director of Sailing, when the
latter spent four months in St. Thomas.  Leonard had a significant influence
on Barrows, especially after he left the island.  “We weren’t sure what path
to take, coaches to hire, events to enter.  Zach was always very helpful in
giving guidance, and pushing me to do well in school.  I never thought about
going to an Ivy, but he showed me that that was a realistic goal and I
really fell in love with Yale when I came to visit.  I’ll always feel
indebted to him for allowing me to have this experience.”

Barrows majored in Sociology and thinks he may become a professional sailor
in the future.  His immediate plans, however, are to represent the USVI
again in the Laser, this time at the 2012 Olympic Games.  With that goal in
mind, this summer he will be in the thick of international competition
starting with the XXI Central American & Caribbean Sports Games in Puerto
Rico, followed by Skandia Sail for Gold and the Laser World Championships,
both in England.  In the fall, he will return to New Haven as an assistant
coach for the Bulldogs.

“It [the award] means a lot to me, but mostly it means that it puts the Yale
program back on the map as one of the top teams in college sailing,”
concluded Barrows.  “Sailing only became a varsity sport in 2004 and since
then the program has really taken off and had a lot of success.  So wining
this award is representative of how the program has developed into a great
program.  In sailing it is easy to recognize one person, but past team
members have done well and not gotten rewarded.  I’ve learned from some of
them and I wouldn’t be here without them today.”

2010 Quantum Female College Sailor of the Year – Allison Blecher (Fullerton,
Calif.), a graduating senior from College of Charleston (Charleston, S.C.),
has been named the 2010 Quantum Female College Sailor of the Year.  She is
the second Lady Cougar to win the honor and, in addition, was named an ICSA
All-American for the fourth consecutive year (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010).

“It’s still kind of shocking . . . it hasn’t set in yet,” remarked Blecher
about 10 days after being named Quantum Female College Sailor of the Year at
the conclusion of the ICSA Women’s National Championship on May 28.  “I
wanted it for such a long time and now I did it.  Wow!”

The review panel praised Blecher’s exceptional and extensive record that
spanned both fall and spring seasons and saw her always finishing in the top
tier of A-Division.  In particular, they noted that her performance as
A-Division skipper not only helped win the ICSA Women’s National
Championship for College of Charleston but also was “one of the truly
dominate performances in the last 20 years at the women’s championship.”

Blecher’s top performances during the 2009-2010 season included placing
third at the ICSA/Laser Performance Women’s Singlehanded National
Championship.  Sailing A-Division, she won at the Navy Women’s Spring
Intersectional, was second at St. Mary’s Women’s Intersectional and was
sixth at the Atlantic Coast Women’s Championship contributing to those three
regatta wins by College of Charleston when added to the scores from
B-Division.  The Cougars finished fifth at the Navy Women’s Fall
Intersectional where Blecher was second in A-Division.

At the ICSA Women’s National Championship, Blecher and crew Alyssa Aitken
w
on four races of the ten sailed to earn the win in A-Division with a low
score of 22.  When combined with 62 points from B-Division, College of
Charleston was the winner of the women’s national title for the second time
in five years by a convincing 25-point margin over Boston College.

“I wouldn’t say that I had a strategy,” said Blecher.  “I put the whole
award thing in the back of my mind.  As a team we looked at every event as
getting one step closer to nationals.  We went prepared for events and felt
comfortable in the breeze and in the end it helped basically with the whole
season.  And it paid off as we were able to be calm at nationals and it was
an amazing regatta.”

The child of two sailors, Blecher grew up sailing in Marina del Rey at
California Yacht Club.  She is back in California and will spend the summer
coaching at Cal YC to “ease her way out of college.”  After majoring in
corporate communications with a minor in global logistics, Blecher doesn’t
think a desk job is in her immediate future.  She may take a year off and
then go back to grad school, but likely will get into college coaching
before trying an Olympic campaign, most likely for 2016 as it would be
“cutting it a little close” to try for 2012.

Blecher knew she was a finalist for the Quantum Female College Sailor of the
Year honor, but said that when she heard her name called at the awards:  “I
didn’t think.  I was just happy.  A lot of the credit goes to my coaches and
the team.  The past four years have been a really interesting, fun journey.
I met Alana O’Reilly (who won this award in 2006) when I went to visit the
school.  When I first got to Charleston my freshman year she told me she had
high hopes for me.  I didn’t have a high school team . . . I sailed
singlehanded and wasn’t a rock star by any means.  One thing just led to
another.”

2010 ICSA Sportsman of the Year – Liz Powers (Wellesley, Mass.), a Harvard
University (Cambridge, Mass.) graduating senior, has been recognized as the
2010 ICSA Sportsman of the Year. 

“She is without question one of the most outstanding people I have ever
coached,” said Michael O’Connor, Head Coach at Harvard University,
explaining that Powers was also selected the Sportsman of the Year by the
women in the NEISA conference as well.  “The inquisitive nature that she
brings to everything rubs off on people.  Everyone is always happy to see
her.  She competes at the highest level and anyone that ever sails against
her knows that she is just a tremendous sport and a great athlete and just a
great person to be around.”

Nominations for Powers described how she demonstrated week in and week out
to her teammates, competitors, coaches, opposing coaches, race committees
and regatta organizers “that you can battle for every point, race with and
against the very best, but always have a smile and a good thought for
everyone involved in the game we all enjoy so much.  This year’s selection
for the prestigious Hobbs Trophy did not have one single act; but rather an
elegance and drive that was infectious.”

Powers, along with her brother Spencer, learned to sail through the
community sailing program at Falmouth Harbor Sailing School on Cape Cod.
Her parents, neither of whom sail, signed her up for the program when she
was eight years old and she has been sailing ever since.  This summer she
will be the Head Instructor and Head Race Coach at Quissett Yacht Club
(Falmouth, Mass.), where she has been coaching for three years.  Come fall,
Powers, a  Sociology major, will start a year-long job in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, after being awarded the Stride Rite Public Service Fellowship
(open to Harvard students) to begin an entrepreneurial, and sustainable,
public service project.  She will start art collectives with homeless and
low income women, whom she met through volunteer work over the past four
years, with a goal of providing a creative outlet and a safe, social
environment for women in need. “I am incredibly excited to begin the
project,” said Powers.  “It is my dream job.”

“The award means so much to me,” said Powers via email from Dublin, Ireland,
where she is visiting until late June.  “I was incredibly shocked to receive
the award because I was not aware that individuals who primarily compete in
the women’s sailing circuit were eligible for the Hobbs Award.  It is so
incredible to be recognized and respected by my competitors and coaches as a
sportsman.  Over the past four years I have dedicated countless hours to
becoming a better sailor.  For me, being a ‘better sailor’ involves many
levels of hard work.  It means morning weight lifting sessions with my team
and countless drills pushing myself to get my life jacket wet on each roll
tack.  But more importantly, it means building my mental discipline and
ability to have fun during high pressure situations.  It means making sure
to compliment my competitors after they have had a great race. It means
respecting my competitors for their dedication to the sport.  It means
thanking the race committee, even when I am disappointed in my athletic
performance.”

O’Connor was Powers’ coach when she was a teenager at FHSS, and then at
Harvard:  “For the past eight years I have been blessed to have Mike
O’Connor as my coach and a powerful role model in my life.  I credit much of
what I have learned about sportsmanship to him.  He is always willing to
help not only his own team members but anyone around him. Thank you, Mike!”

Fowle Memorial Trophy – Boston College:  The Leonard M. Fowle Memorial
Trophy, recognizing the year’s best all-around performance in college
sailing, has been awarded to Boston College (Chestnut Hill, Mass.).
Presented since 1972, the award is determined by points accumulated at the
major Intercollegiate Sailing Association Championships. 

During the fall season, Boston College won both the ICSA/Vanguard Women’s
Singlehanded Championship and the ICSA Sloop National Championship.  Over
the last two weeks, The Eagles finished second at both the ICSA Women’s
National Championship and the ICSA/APS Team Race National Championship
before crowning their year with victory at the ICSA/Gill National
Championship.  BC is now the sixth school in 42-years of Inter-Collegiate
Sailing Association history to win all three spring championships (ICSA
Women’s Nationals, ICSA/APS Team Race Nationals, and the ICSA/Gill National
Championship).

For more on ICSA, visit www.collegesailing.org
<http://www.collegesailing.org/> .  A full list of the 2009/2010 ICSA
All-America Sailing Team follows. 

-end-

2010 COLLEGE SAILOR OF THE YEAR The Everett B. Morris Trophy
Thomas Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) – Yale University ’10

2010 QUANTUM FEMALE COLLEGE SAILOR OF THE YEAR
Allison Blecher (Fullerton, Calif.) – College of Charleston ’10

2010 SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR The Robert H. Hobbs Trophy

Liz Powers (Wellesley, Mass.) – Harvard University ’10

TEAM OF THE YEAR The Leonard M. Fowle Memorial Trophy
Boston College (Chestnut Hill, Mass.)

2009/2010 ICSA ALL-AMERICA SAILING TEAM

ICSA Coed All-American Skippers
Evan Aras (Annapolis, Md.) – Georgetown
University ’11
Thomas Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) – Yale University ’10
William Brown (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) – Brown University ’10
Charles Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.) – Georgetown University ’11
Taylor Canfield (St. Thomas, USVI) – Boston College ’11
Clinton Hayes (East Haddam, Conn.) – University of Vermont ’10
Jesse Kirkland (Warwick, Bermuda) – St. Mary’s College ’10
Juan Maegli (Guatemala ) – College of Charleston ’12
Michael Menninger (Newport Beach, Calif.) – St. Mary’s College ’11
Joseph Morris (Annapolis, Md.) – Yale University ’12
Tyler Sinks (San Diego, Calif.) – Boston College ’11
Cy Thompson (St. Thomas, USVI) – Roger Williams ’11

ICSA Coed Honorable Mention Skippers:
Chris Barnard (Newport Beach, Calif.) – Georgetown University ’13
Jackson Benvenutti (Bay St. Louis, Miss.) – College of Charleston ’10
Conner Blouin (Tampa, Fla.) – Washington College ’10
Scott Furnary (Rye, N.Y.) – Georgetown University ’11
Anne Haeger (Lake Forest, Ill.) – Boston College ’12
Ted Hale (Annapolis, Md.) – St. Mary’s College ’10
Zeke Horowitz (Sarasota, Fla.) – College of Charleston ’12
Jeffrey Knowles (Middletown, R.I.) – Brown University ’10
Alan Palmer (Yarmouth, Maine) – Harvard University ’11
Fred Strammer ( Nokomis, Fla.) – Brown University ’11
Marco Teixidor (Guayanbo, Puerto Rico) – Georgetown University ’10
Robert Vann (Tampa, Fla.) – U.S. Naval Academy ’11

ICSA Women All-American Skippers:
Elizabeth Barry (Riverside, Conn.) – Brown ’11
Allison Blecher (Fullerton, Calif.) – College of Charleston ’10
Sydney Bolger (Long Beach, Calif.) – Georgetown University ’12
Rebecca Dellenbaugh (Easton, Conn.) – Dartmouth ’10
Anne Haeger (Lake Forest, Ill.) – Boston College ’12
Shannon Heausler (Tampa, Fla.) – College of Charleston ’10
Sarah Lihan (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) – Yale University ’10
Emily Maxwell (Stonington, Conn.) – Boston College ’11
Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wisc.) – Old Dominion ’11
Sara  Morgan Watters (Oxford, Md.) – St. Mary’s ’10

ICSA Women’s Honorable Mention Skippers:
Emily Dellenbaugh (Easton, Conn.) – Brown University ’12
Amy Hawkins (Ocean Gate, N.J.) – University of Rhode Island ’12
Megan Magill (San Diego, Calif.) – St. Mary’s College ’11
Cara Vavalotis (Rehoboth,  Mass.) – Eckerd College ’10

ICSA All-American Crew:
Alyssa Aitken (Sandwich, Mass.) – College of Charleston ’12
Blaire Belling (Newport Beach, Calif.) – Yale University ’11
Elizabeth Brim (New York, N.Y.) – Yale University ’12
Christina Chance (Eastham, Mass.) – U.S. Naval Academy ’10
Sara Evans (E Greenwich, R.I.) – Brown University ’11
Madeline Jackson (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) – St. Mary’s College ’11
Caila Johnson (Middletown, R.I.) – Georgetown University ’10
Meghan Jordan (East Amherst, N.Y.) – Hobart and William Smith Colleges ’10
Michael Komar (Edison, N.J.)  – Old Dominion University ’10
Emily Massa  (Barrington, R.I.) – Boston College ’12
Marla Menninger (Newport Beach, Calif.) – Yale University ’10
Christina Murray (Annapolis, Md.) – College of Charleston ’10
Theresa O’Neil (Glendale, Calif.) – Brown University ’10
Catherine Solsvig (Greenwich, Conn.) – University of Vermont ’10
Kelly Stannard (Salem, Conn.) – Roger Williams University ’12
Alexandra Taylor (Hobe Sound, Fla.) – Georgetown University ’10
Jennifer Watkins (Edina, Minn.) – Tufts University ’10
Katie Weaver (Davidsonville, Md.) – College of Charleston ’10
Kelly Wilbur (Ipswich, Mass.) – St. Mary’s College ’10
Sandra Williams (Chicago, Ill.) – Boston College ’10