BRISTOL, R.I. — Roger Williams University sailing opened the 2026-27 season in a big way, competing across five regattas throughout New England on Sept. 12-13 and making its presence felt against a loaded field that featured some of the region's top collegiate sailing programs, including Brown University, Harvard University, Boston College and Yale University.
The Hawks collected three division victories while posting multiple top-five finishes, highlighted by a first-place performance at the Mt. Hope Invitational on their home waters in Bristol. RWU also finished fourth at the Toni Deutsch Trophy, third at the Bears Invitational, and fifth at both the Pine Trophy and Harry Anderson Trophy.
Hawks Make Their Mark Across New England
RWU opened the weekend with a strong showing at the Toni Deutsch Trophy at MIT in Cambridge, Mass., placing fourth overall with 116 points in a massive field of 116 teams.
Tavia Smith (Wilmington, N.C.) and Maddy Martin (Indianapolis, Ind.) led the way for the Hawks, capturing first place in B Division to secure RWU's first division victory of the weekend.
The Hawks continued their strong opening weekend at the Pine Trophy at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., finishing fifth overall with 49 points.
At the Bears Invitational hosted by Brown University in Providence, R.I., Roger Williams posted a third-place finish with 56 points, adding another top-three result against a competitive field.
Hawks Own the Home Waters
Roger Williams made the most of its home-water advantage at the Mt. Hope Invitational, securing a first-place finish with 143 points at the Richard L. Bready Mount Hope Bay Sailing and Educational Center in Bristol, R.I.
The Hawks battled a strong field that included U.S. Coast Guard Academy, University of Rhode Island, Salve Regina University and Massachusetts Maritime Academy, showcasing their depth across the home-water competition.
Maisy Sperry (Dartmouth, Mass.) and Sophia Fuller (St. Petersburg, Fla.) powered the Hawks to a division victory, while RWU added second- and sixth-place finishes across the remaining divisions to claim the top spot overall.
The home-water triumph marked one of three division victories for the Hawks during opening weekend and gave Roger Williams an early statement win against several strong regional programs.
Angus, Lory Strike Gold at Yale
The Hawks closed out the weekend at the Harry Anderson Trophy at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., where Bo Angus (Richmond, Va.) and Jed Lory (Severna Park, Md.) captured first place in B Division.
The duo's division victory gave RWU its third division win of the weekend, while the Hawks finished fifth overall with 106 points and added another top-17 finish among the field.
With three different crews earning division victories across three separate regattas, Roger Williams showcased the depth and versatility that will be critical throughout the 2026-27 campaign.
Three Division Wins Set the Tone
From Bristol to Boston, Providence, New London and New Haven, the Hawks consistently found themselves near the top of the leaderboard throughout opening weekend.
RWU's three division victories came from Smith and Martin at the Toni Deutsch Trophy, Sperry and Fuller at the Mt. Hope Invitational, and Angus and Lory at the Harry Anderson Trophy.
Combined with a first-place overall finish at home, a third-place finish at Brown, a fourth-place finish at MIT and fifth-place finishes at Coast Guard and Yale, the Hawks established themselves as a force across the region right from the start of the season.
Opening Weekend Results
- Mt. Hope Invitational: 1st place — 143 points
- Bears Invitational: 3rd place — 56 points
- Toni Deutsch Trophy: 4th place — 116 points
- Pine Trophy: 5th place — 49 points
- Harry Anderson Trophy: 5th place — 106 points
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Hawks return to the water next weekend, Sept. 18-19, competing across five regattas throughout Massachusetts.
Roger Williams will compete in the Monotype Trophy and NEISA Women's Singlehanded Championship at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass., with both events beginning Friday at 2:00 p.m. and continuing Saturday with times to be announced.
The Hawks will also compete in the Regis Trophy at Boston University in Boston, Mass., the Mystic Lake Invite at Tufts University in Medford, Mass., and the Hatch Brown Trophy at MIT in Cambridge, Mass., all on Saturday, Sept. 19.
