Honors & Accomplishments
• Has guided Cornell to four appearances at the women’s national championships (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019) in six varsity seasons.
• Led Cornell to national championship appearances in all three disciplines (women's, team racing, coed) in the same season for the first time in program history in 2017-18.
• Directed the Big Red to third place at women’s national championships in 2013, the program’s first-ever podium finish.
• Won MAISA conference titles in 2018-19 and 2019-20 and had the team ranked in the top five nationally each of the last two seasons, including a program-best No. 3 to close 2020.
• Head coach of the Big Red club team from 2010-14 prior to sailing becoming a varsity team.
Coaching Experience
• Head Coach, Cornell University (2010-present)
• Assistant Coach, United States Naval Academy (2008-10)
U.S. Sailing Certifications
• Level 3 Certified US Sailing Coach
• Certified Instructor Trainer
Sailing Experience
• Hobart College (2003-07)
• All-American for Hobart and William Smith Colleges
• Helped school to a pair of national titles and five top three national efforts
• U.S. Sailing Championships
• Won 2018 Hinman Trophy Team Racing National Championship
• Competed 2009-2012, 2016 and 2018
Education
• B.S., International Relations, Hobart (2007)
At Cornell
When women's sailing was elevated to varsity status in June of 2014, Cornell searched far and low for the right person to lead the program to prominence. Turned out, they didn't need to go far to find him.
Brian Clancy, who served as head coach of the Big Red's sailing club team from August 2010 - July 2014, was named the varsity sailing coach in July 2014. He became the Ted Moore `71 Director of Cornell Sailing when the position was named in June 2021.
Since being elevated to varsity status, the Big Red has qualified for the Women's National Championships four times (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019), as well as the coed (2018, 2019) and team race (2018) championships. Big Red boats have captured 19 regatta titles and produced seven All-Americans and 20 all-conference sailors.
The 2019 season was a banner year, with two All-Americans, a program-best six regatta titles and appearances at both the women's and coed national championships - including a spot in the finals at the Sperry Women's meet. Cornell was ranked in the top five nationally during the campaign. That came on the heels of a 2017-18 season which saw the Big Red qualify for nationals in all three disciplines (women's, team racing, coed) in the same season for the first time in program history.
Ranked No. 3 nationally coming out of the 2019 fall season, the Big Red women claimed a pair of conference titles, including its second straight MAISA Women's crown. Freshman Lillian Myers won the Faye Bennett, who went on to finish fifth at the national singlehanded championships. In all, Cornell finished in the top five at 16 fall regattas before their season was cut short due to the outbreak of the corona virus nationwide. The Big Red ended the season ranked No. 3 nationally.
Guiding the club for four years, Clancy led the program to great heights. He helped the Big Red to a number of national championship appearances, which they hadn’t seen since the 1980’s, including the first podium finish in team history at the Women's National Championship in 2013 for third place. The Big Red has had two student-athletes named as All-Americans during his tenure.
The men's and women’s singlehanded and coed fleet racing teams have also earned spots at national championships under Clancy. Within the MAISA Conference the team has consistently named athletes to All-Conference honors as well as all-conference/ICSA academic honors.
Prior to Cornell
Clancy spent two years as an assistant coach at the U.S. Naval Academy (2008-10). During that timeframe he helped the program to six national championship events and was instrumental in reinvigorating the historical Navy sailing program.
Clancy has coached at the highest youth level as well leading the U.S. Sailing Junior Championships as Head Coach in 2011. In 2010 he helped coach at the I420 World Championship in Israel, and coached other international events in Greece, Germany, and France.
Sailing Career
A 2007 graduate of Hobart with a degree in international relations, he helped Hobart and William Smith Colleges to a pair of national titles, a second place effort and three third place finishes during his All-America career (2003-2007). He later went on to compete in U.S. Sailing Championships after college.Clancy won the prestigious U.S. Sailing National Team Racing Championship for the Hinman Trophy in 2018.
Personal
Clancy resides in Ithaca with his wife Caitlin and their three children.
* Updated June 2021
