BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- At the end of every sports season, traditionally prior the final regular season home game, we honor our senior student-athletes for their contributions to their respective programs prior to playing their final home game at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. With the current global climate and spring seasons being cancelled our seniors had the opportunity to walk on the field with their family taken away from them. In honor of our seniors we would like to take the time to recognize them and their time as a Buccaneer.

Unlike the other spring sports at the Academy, Sailing has a season in the fall and a season in the spring. Their fall schedule consists of their most competitive races, including the Kennedy Cup, the NEISA National Championship which takes place at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. This past fall the Buccaneers finished third in the Kennedy Cup, besting their fifth place finish from 2018. This spring, the team had prospects of racing from Newport, R.I. to Bermuda and a number of other competitive and relaxed events around the country. The Sailing program is not sponsored by the NCAA but rather by the NEISA. Following the decision by the MASCAC and NCAA to suspend and ultimately cancel the seasons of their sponsored sports, the NEISA was the last man standing, until they too made the decision to cancel the spring sailing season.

Typically, the Buccaneer sailing team does not have their own senior day due to the location of the races and the nature of the events. But, with the spring ever changing and our Sailing program being one of our most prestigious programs, as we are a Maritime Academy, we wanted to take the time to recognize the three seniors on the spring roster.

We begin with Maya Stephani. From Chicago, Illinois, Maya is a Facilities Engineering major who competed in 30 races for the Buccaneers in her four years at the Academy. Stephani began her sailing career working crew. In her sophomore year she was the skipper at practices and competed as a skipper that fall. In the spring of 2018, Maya skippered in NEISA A division against the best women sailors in New England at the NEISA Women's Championships. Maya was always a team player and in her last two seasons on the team would both skipper and crew during events depending on team needs during races.

Next is South Kingston, R.I. native and Marine Engineering major Alex Bowen. Alex was the skipper in the 2019 McMillan Cup to qualify for the national championship event and then skippered the third place finishing team in the 2019 Kennedy Cup. In total, Alex competed in 46 regattas in his time as a Buccaneer including races in all six New England stats, Maryland, California, and Florida. Alex is described as a leader on and off the water for the program.

Finally, Captain Megan Laurie. The Marine Science, Safety, and Environmental Protection major from South Weymouth, Mass raced in 33 regattas in her career including winnings the New England Dinghy Tournament in the spring of 2018 with Alex Bowen and skippering for the Bucs in the NEISA Women's Championship and Reed Trophy Division B. Megan was a dual threat for the sailing team spending most of her time as a crew. She and Maya competing in the Women's Championship in 2018 was the first time the Bucs had competed in the event, a significant step forward for the program and women sailors at Mass Maritime.

From all of us in the Department of Athletics, your coaches and your teammates, thank you to our three seniors sailing team members for your dedication to our storied sailing program and the Academy. Congratulations on all of your accomplishments on and off the water and good luck on all of your future endeavors.