NC State Sailing Qualifies for Kennedy Cup College Keelboat National Championship
RALEIGH, NC (October 21, 2025) The NC State Sailing Team has qualified for the Kennedy Cup College Sailing Keelboat National Championship Regatta, marking the program’s first-ever appearance at the nation’s premier collegiate big-boat sailing event. The qualification comes on the heels of strong showings against some of the top collegiate and service academy teams in the country, including Navy, Coast Guard, Kings Point, College of Charleston, and several maritime academies, at the Shields Trophy (5th place) and McMillan Cup (6th place), both hosted earlier this season by the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
The Kennedy Cup, recognized as the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association’s (ICSA) national championship for collegiate keelboat sailing, will be held November 1–2, 2025, at the U.S. Naval Academy. Teams will compete in Navy 44 Mark II sailboats, the same class used in the Wolfpack’s recent competitions, testing the squad's overall skill in teamwork, tactics, and seamanship over a demanding multi-race series.
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Trophy was presented to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1965 by Mr. C. Robert Yeager in behalf of the many friends of the late President. President Kennedy's love for sailing is perpetuated in the annual competition for the trophy, which represents the National Collegiate Large Yacht Invitational.
While the NC State Sailing program’s competitive focus is traditionally on doublehanded dinghy sailing, the team has participated in keelboat racing since 2017, using these opportunities to develop offshore and large-boat experience. This fall’s results, and the Kennedy Cup qualification, represent the most successful chapter yet in that effort.
“This is a milestone achievement for our sailors and our program,” said Dana Magliola, NC State Sailing Head Coach. “We’ve built a strong foundation in dinghy racing, but our performances in the Navy 44 fleet show the depth, adaptability, and teamwork our sailors bring to every format. To now qualify for the Kennedy Cup, and compete among the best collegiate keelboat teams in the country, is an honor that’s been years in the making.”
For more information about NC State Sailing and ways to support the team, visit www.sailpack.org or follow @SailPack on social media.
