The NEISA Awards committee has announced the 2026 All-NEISA teams following the conclusion of the Spring regular season. In addition to the teams, the committee has announced the following individual awards: NEISA Babineau Crew of the Year, NEISA Women's Crew of the Year, NEISA Open Skipper of the Year, NEISA Women's Skipper of the Year, NEISA Open Rookie of the Year, NEISA Women's Rookie of the Year, NEISA Sportsperson and Sportswoman of the Year, Senior Trophy, Student Leadership Award and Coach of the Year.
In selecting All-NEISA teams, the committee considers the competitive record of each candidate. This record consists of each candidate’s individual results in Interconference competitions, conference events, and fall Collegiate National Championship competitions, if any. In determining the quantity and quality of a record, the committee has particular regard for the following factors:
a) How the record compares to those of fellow competitors
b) The quality of competition in which the record was achieved
c) Results achieved competing with different skippers and crews
d) Whether the record spans the Fall and/or Spring seasons
e) How the record compares to those of All-NEISA sailors selected in previous years
The committee does not consider the following factors:
a) Candidates’ records in previous years
b) Candidates’ records in non-college events.
The committee selects All-NEISA teams in the following categories: The number indicated are the maximum that may be chosen in a year. The committee is not obligated to select the maximum.
Up to 10 Open All-New England First Team skippers and additional Second Team skippers, together totaling not more than 15.
Up to 10 Women’s All-New England First Team skippers and additional Second Team skippers, together totaling not more than 15.
Up to 15 All-New England Open Crew and up to 15 All-New England Women's Crew with selection based on the following:
a) Competitive record, judged in a manner similar to that of a skipper (as above)
b) Demonstrated leadership (may consider seniority)
c) Demonstrated outstanding body mechanics and boat handling skills
d) Proven ability to improve of the results of the skipper(s) with whom he/she sails
2026 All NEISA First Team Open Skippers:
Blake Behrens '27 - Brown University
Guthrie Braun '26 - Brown University
Justin Callahan '26 - Harvard University
Mitchell Callahan '26 - Harvard University
Carlos de Castro '26 - Roger Williams University
Chase Decker '28 - Dartmouth College
Robby Meek '27 - Harvard University
Morgan Pinckney '27 - Yale University
Ryan Satterberg '27 - Dartmouth College
2026 All NEISA Second Team Open Skippers:
James Brock '28 - Brown University
Tanner Krygsveld '29 - Boston College
Dorothy Mendelblatt '28 - Yale University
Kyle Pfrang '26 - Roger Williams University
Oliver Stokke '26 - Roger Williams University
Robert Ulmer '27 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2026 All NEISA First Team Women’s Skippers:
Bella Casaretto '26 - Dartmouth College
Katharine Doble '26 - Brown University
Laura Hamilton '27 - Brown University
Dorothy Mendelblatt '28 - Yale University
Zoey Ziskind '27 - Harvard University
2026 All NEISA Second Team Women’s Skippers:
Kate Danielson '28 - Harvard University
Olivia Drulard '27 - Dartmouth College
Eva Ermlich '26 - Northeastern University
Maddie Janzen '29 - Tufts University
Carly Kieding '29 - Yale University
Katherine McNamara '26 - Brown University
Lucy Meagher '27 - Roger Williams University
Sophia Montgomery '26 - Harvard University
Lauren Russler '26 - Bowdoin College
Caroline Sibilly '26 - Boston College
2026 All NEISA First Team Open Crews:
Vera Allen '27 - Brown University
Rosella Irfan '27 - Harvard University
Caroline Keeffe-Jones '26 - Brown University
Madeline Koelbel '26 - Dartmouth College
Phoebe Lee '26 - Dartmouth College
Jed Lory '27 - Roger Williams University
Jacob Posner '29 - Harvard University
2026 All NEISA Second Team Open Crews:
Lilly Baker '27 - Dartmouth College
Kate Castleberry '28 - Tufts University
Christina Chen '27 - Harvard University
Addyson Fisher '27 - Roger Williams University
Julia Miller '26 - Yale University
Ellie Pinto '27 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Carter Sheehan '27 - Roger Williams University
Annabel Woodworth '28 - Yale University
2026 All NEISA First Team Women’s Crews:
Lilly Baker '27 - Dartmouth College
Reese Corckran '28 - Brown University
Katherine Majette '27 - Brown University
Julia Miller '26 - Yale University
Sudi Zhao '26 - Dartmouth College
2026 All NEISA Second Team Women’s Crews:
Nathalie Caudron '29 - Northeastern University
Christina Chen '27 - Harvard University
JJ Drummond '27 - Harvard University
Eloise Goedkoop '27 - Tufts University
Lilly Ladd '26 - Tufts University
Kennedy Laureigh '26 - Boston College
Maren Matthews '26 - Roger Williams University
Sarah Moeder '26 - Yale University
Sophia Woodbury '28 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Amelie Zucker '28 - Harvard University
2026 Open Skipper of the Year: Honorees are selected by the NEISA Awards Committee. Recognizes skill and sportsmanship.
Justin Callahan ’26 - Harvard University – Winner
Blake Behrens '27 - Brown University – Finalist
Carlos de Castro '26 - Roger Williams University – Finalist
2026 Women’s Skipper of the Year: Honorees are selected by the NEISA Awards Committee. Recognizes skill and sportsmanship. Only results in Women’s competition are considered.
Bella Casaretto '26 - Dartmouth College – Winner
Katharine Doble '26 - Brown University – Finalist
Laura Hamilton '27 - Brown University – Finalist
Zoey Ziskind '27 - Harvard University – Finalist
2026 Women’s Crew of the Year: Honorees are selected by the NEISA Awards Committee. Recognizes the most outstanding crew in women’s only competition.
Katherine Majette '27 - Brown University – Winner
Lilly Baker '27 - Dartmouth College – Finalist
Reese Corckran '28 - Brown University – Finalist
2026 Babineau Crew of the Year: This trophy was donated by Coast Guard Academy sailors in memory of Cadet Julie Babineau, killed in a summer sailing accident in 1981. Honorees are selected by the NEISA Awards Committee and seeks to identify the best crew in New England.
Lilly Baker '27 - Dartmouth College – Winner
Christina Chen '27 - Harvard University – Finalist
Caroline Keeffe-Jones '26 - Brown University – Finalist
Katherine Majette '27 - Brown University – Finalist
Jacob Posner '29 - Harvard University – Finalist
2026 Open Rookie of the Year: Honorees are selected by the NEISA Awards Committee. Recognizes the most outstanding sailor in his/her first year of competition.
Jacob Posner '29 - Harvard University – Winner
Pearse Dowd '29 - Tufts University – Finalist
Keith Grupenhoff '29 - University of Rhode Island – Finalist
Tanner Krygsveld '29 - Boston College – Finalist
Noah Stapleton '29 - Brown University – Finalist
2026 Women’s Rookie of the Year: Honorees are selected by the NEISA Awards Committee. Recognizes the most outstanding sailor in her first year of competition.
Carly Kieding '29 - Yale University – Winner
Ella Benedetto '29 - Yale University – Finalist
Nathalie Caudron '29 - Northeastern University – Finalist
Maddie Janzen '29 - Tufts University – Finalist
2026 Sportsperson of the Year: This award goes to the most outstanding sportsperson in Open and Women’s sailing in NEISA.
Ben Mueller '26 - Tufts University – Winner
2026 Sportswoman of the Year: This award goes to the most outstanding sportsperson in Women’s sailing in NEISA.
Kaitlyn Hamilton '26 - Brown University – Winner
2026 Senior Trophy: The Senior Trophy goes to that member of the class who has exhibited the best combination of skill and sportsmanship throughout the last four years on NEISA.
Mitchell Callahan '26 - Harvard University – Winner
2026 NEISA Student Leadership Award: The NEISA Student Leadership award recognizes extraordinary leadership and achievement by an undergraduate whose efforts have made a significant contribution to the development, progress, and success of his or her club or team, conference or the ICSA. Demonstrated leadership over a period of years, rather than a single year, will receive the most consideration.
Tavia Smith '27 - Roger Williams University – Winner
2026 NEISA Coach of the Year: Honorees are selected by a vote of the conference coaches.
Rebecca McElvain - Dartmouth College – Winner
Thank You,
NEISA Awards Committee
Zoe Hoctor
John Mollicone
Mike O'Connor
Caroline Young
Johnny Norfleet - Chair
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Please note that as is indicated in the introductory paragraph of this message, these All-NEISA teams are compiled from performance in 2025-2026 academic year competition through the conclusion of the spring regular season, which ends on weekend 11 with the respective NEISA fleet race championships. Although the quick turnaround to the team race nationals this year necessitated delaying the release of these lists, the results from those two postseason national championships are not considered by the committee in the formation of these All-NEISA teams.
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