On Saturday, February 21, NC State will host the Thomas H. Stafford Jr. Trophy Regatta at its home venue of Lake Crabtree County Park. The event honors Dr. Thomas H. Stafford Jr., a longtime champion of student life at NC State University and a valued supporter of the Wolfpack sailing program. Dr. Stafford served the university in numerous leadership roles, including as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs from 1983 until his retirement in 2012. His lasting impact on generations of students continues to inspire the spirit of community and tradition that defines this regatta.
“This event reflects the best of what college sailing can be,” said head coach Dana Magliola. “It brings together strong programs from across the region while celebrating someone who has invested so much in the student experience at NC State. Hosting teams at home in Raleigh is always special for us, and we are excited to welcome a competitive fleet this year.”
This year’s Stafford Trophy Regatta will feature teams from across the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (SAISA) Conference, including Auburn University, Clemson University, Davidson College, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, UNC Wilmington, the University of South Carolina, the University of Tennessee, and Wake Forest University, alongside host NC State. This year's event poster will once again be available as a limited edition giveaway for competitors and spectators at the venue and on campus in the week leading up to the event.
This year's limited edition regatta poster will be available at the event or on campus in the week leading up to the regatta.
The regatta will begin on Saturday morning with an opening ceremony at 9:45 AM at the Lake Crabtree Waterfront near the viewing tower. Racing will commence immediately following the ceremony and will continue, weather permitting, until approximately 4:30 PM. Teams will compete in a series of races throughout the day, with the lowest combined team score securing the Stafford Trophy title. “The Stafford Trophy has quickly become one of the highlights of our spring season,” Magliola added. “It is competitive, welcoming, and a great opportunity to showcase our sailors and our venue to the broader college sailing community.” Live scoring for the event can be found at https://scores.collegesailing.org/s26/thomas-stafford-jr/.
