Brendan FeeneyThis is the team to beat. Their biggest challenge might be mental. The pressure is on, especially on J. Callahan who is reigning College Sailor of the Year, Rolex Finalist, and Olympic hopeful. If we want to look for any chinks in the Crimson armor, they're likely when the breeze is very light and very strong.
Chris KlevanBest team this year, last year and in memory.
John MolliconeDefending National Champs, they looked strong as always at the Liam O'Keefe Team Race to start the season and will be tough to beat. Can anyone take them down for the title this year?
Charles HigginsDefending champs went undefeated in week one, not much to say beyond that!
Annabel CarringtonThey are a strong and disciplined team. I see them being very successful throughout the season and into Nationals.
Brendan FeeneyWhen I think master-of-the-fundamentals in sports I think of Roger Federer on the court and Roger Williams on the Digital N. From starting, to communication, to boathandling this team makes it their mission to be at or very near the top of our sport in disciplines required for success in team racing. Watch this team the next they are in a 1,4,5. It's majestic and it's why this team has repeated success. Are they fast enough to pace with Harvard and Stanford?
Chris KlevanClear dark horse spoiler to everyone's top picked Harvard
John MolliconeLooked strong at the Liam O'Keefe Team Race to start the season and lost the event on a protest to Harvard. A lot of the same group as last year that finished third at Open Team Race Nationals, they will certainly be battling to win every major team race and Nationals.
Charles HigginsFirst regatta but dropping a race through a protest and one to Yale keeps them solidly behind Harvard for me. I think the gap between the top 3-4 teams is incredibly close though.
Brendan FeeneyOn boat speed this is the fastest team in the country. That makes racing this team very scary; they can put opponents away right after the start, disarming teams that rely on combative team racing to win races. We should not discount their team racing ability either. They sail against a star-studded coaching staff at practice everyday. Their challenge: beating the best teams consistently.
John MolliconeSame team as last year that finished 4th at Open Team Race Nationals. Perfect 10-0 at the Nelson Roltsch at Tulane last weekend against solid Navy, Tulane, and Charleston teams. They will be in the mix for the top spot this year.
Charles HigginsReally solid showing so far this season having not dropped a race. They're only getting better and more disciplined. Every race is winnable for this team.
Annabel CarringtonI can see them winning against some good teams. They did well at the Liam O'Keefe Trophy at home to start the season.
Brendan FeeneyThis team regularly challenges every team they race against. Why? Because of their unorthodox style. They put teams under pressure, shaking opponents' nerves and causing opponents to make big mistakes that they are not used to making. Thenr, it becomes even more difficult for opponents to come back because they are surprised at themselves for making such mistakes. Can they carry it to the Final Four?
Chris KlevanProbably the choice to join Roger, Harvard and Stanford in the top-4. But nothing has really happened yet, so we'll see what changes over the remaining 99% of the team race season.
Charles HigginsThis team seems clearly more in the top group of 4 than with the next group of 5 below. Really solid core and will continue to get better.
Annabel CarringtonA strong group of returning sailors that work together well and will have lots of time at Tulane before the Nationals.
Brendan FeeneyThis roster is strong — as fast as they have ever been, disciplined, well coached, and confident. That's a scary combination. Plus, they are all-in as evidenced by heading to Tulane this past weekend and planning their sping break training there as well. Their 2nd team is poised to make practices competitive. Their biggest challenge will be mental: they are no longer underdogs; people now expect big things from this team. How will they handle the pressure? I expect this team to come out of MAISA and contend for the Final Four.
Chris KlevanProbably the best team in MAISA. Returning the team that won some real regattas last year but faltered at the big show. It remains to be seen if they have another level to get to or if their finish at nationals is more indicative of their standing than the regatta wins celebrating their one year anniversary.
John MolliconeA solid group of returners from last year and a good performance at the Nelson Roltsch at Tulane to open the season along with a good B-team to push the group. My early favorite in MAISA, let's see how they do when they come to NEISA at the end of March for the Marchiando Team Race.
Charles HigginsBest of MAISA I would agree. Teams in the 5-9 rankings for me are very close and Navy is at the moment the top of this group.
Brendan FeeneyThis team is fast, very fast. That is always scary to race against. They will need to add consistent starting and play execution to challenge the next tier.
John MolliconeA solid performance at the Nelson Roltsch at Tulane, this team is on the rise from my first ranking. Graham Hall and Friis team races will give us a good idea of how good they are.
Charles HigginsDespite not having a starting boat from last season's squad, still a solid finish in New Orleans. Solidly in my 5-9 group.
Brendan FeeneyThere are big question marks for this team. However, history dictates that they will be relevant. Leonard has his work cut out — get Pinckney going and get the entire roster to believe that they can play with the top teams. We should be excited to see what this team can accomplish with a largely new roster.
Chris KlevanToo early in the season to tell.
John MolliconeA little rough at the Liam O'Keefe Team Race to open the season. No practice yet, some fast boats that will keep getting better, and a great coaching staff will make this team legit as the season goes on.
Charles HigginsA win against RWU is impressive, but the loss to MIT shows this group isn't quite there....yet.
Brendan FeeneyA talented roster, a home Nats, and teams making trips down to The Big Easy throughout the spring to practice against them: that's a great recipe for success. They'll be a tough out.
John MolliconeWill be tough on their home waters at Nationals
Charles HigginsDecent opening weekend missing a starter from last season's squad. They'll keep improving. I have them solidly in the mix of the 5-9 teams
Brendan FeeneyDon't be surprised when you check tech score on any given weekend and you see that this team has snagged a win off of Harvard, Rog, Brown, Stanford, etc. Their talent will enable them to upset the Nation's best. They will be exciting to watch.
John MolliconeI think this team will be good and we'll know a little more after they sail at the John Jackson Team Race this weekend. Added a great freshmen skipper, Tanner Krygsveld, who will help this team win races.
Charles HigginsIn winter training now, so we'll know more after the Jackson. Bringing back most of last year's squad and solid depth should see this team picking up where they left off.
Brendan FeeneyWe'll have to see what this team is capable of later in the spring. Right now it's too hard to tell.
Chris KlevanWeaker than last year. Better than most still
John MolliconeChase Decker and Phoebe Lee led the way at the Liam O'Keefe Team Race and without a strong skipper in Ryan Satterberg who was mising. I think they will be pretty good by mid season with some good practice and the entire group sorted out.
Charles HigginsShowed this weekend that graduation and inserting new starters is tough. Long season and this team will get better.
Brendan FeeneyFor the first time in a long time Callahan's roster is pretty much set. We may not see the frequent substitutions we are used to, but does Callahan trust senior Menditto? Another first-in-a-while for this team: Spring Break training in Florida. It will help them. Right now they are number 2 in MAISA. Can they close the gap with the NADS? It's large at the moment, but don't be suprised if they pull off an upset at the Prosser.
Chris KlevanUnclear at this juncture.
John MolliconePotentially an improved team from last year that will not be easy to sail against.
Charles HigginsI think this team sailed well this past weekend, but hard to gauge against MAISA at the moment, and Navy had their top team away.
Brendan FeeneyThis team is extremely well-coached, and they log tremendous hours at practice. Very often they enjoy visiting teams spending their spirng breaks in the County. The result: this team gets better, contends for the top of MAISA and holds their own at Nats. I don't see why that wouldn't happen again.
John MolliconeDon't know much about this group yet with a lot of turnover from last year, but as always I am sure they will be one of MAISA's strongest by the MAISA TR Champs.
Charles HigginsWell coached, and with experience and discipline they'll grow into becoming a team that can take wins off some top teams.
Brendan FeeneyThey were 12th at the Nats a season ago, but return their full complement. Expect them to be better and to have a fairly high ceiling because of a talented roster and a strong Team Race coach in Norfleet.
John MolliconeA tough weekend at the Liam O'Keefe Team Race but they will get better all year and I am sure Johnny will have them back at Nationals again this year.
Brendan FeeneyThey are as good and as hungry as they have been in several years. Their conference champ is at Cornell, a venue they know well. Can they make it to the big show?
John MolliconeTop three team in MAISA potentially, is this the year they get back to TR Nationals?
