BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University sailing program will be represented on both the national stage this spring, as the Hawks earned selections to the 2026 College Sailing Open and Women's Team Race National Championships, the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) announced Tuesday.
Roger Williams is one of a select group of programs nationwide to qualify teams in both championship events, highlighting the program's continued strength across disciplines. The Hawks' open squad enters the championship ranked third nationally, while the women's team heads to nationals ranked 10th nationally.
The championships will be hosted by Tulane University in New Orleans, with the Open Team Race National Championship scheduled for April 23–25, followed by the Women's Team Race National Championship on April 26–27.
The Hawks secured a berth in the Women's Team Race National Championship as part of a 12-team field that includes Bowdoin, Brown, College of Charleston, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Stanford, Tufts, Tulane, Michigan, and Yale. Roger Williams earned its selection following a competitive showing at the Legler Trophy, the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association (NEISA) Women's Team Race Championship, where the Hawks placed seventh against one of the nation's deepest conference fields.
On the open side, Roger Williams will compete in a 16-team field featuring Boston College, Brown, Charleston, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Harvard, Hobart and William Smith, Northwestern, St. Mary's (Md.), Stanford, Tufts, Tulane, Pennsylvania, Coast Guard, and Navy. Ranked third nationally entering the event, the Hawks strengthened their resume with a fourth-place finish at the Fowle Trophy, the NEISA Open Team Race Championship.
Selections for both championships were determined by ICSA selection committees, which evaluate teams beyond automatic qualifiers. Conference champions in each region earned automatic bids, while the remaining spots were filled through at-large selections based on performance, strength of schedule, and head-to-head results.
