ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. -- The Cornell sailing team placed seventh at the America Trophy, the MAISA Open Fleet Race Championship, as Penn and Navy secured the conference's automatic bids to nationals. Competing in a deep 18-team field on the St. Mary's River, the Big Red totaled 212 points over 14 races in each division during a two-day regatta that featured steady breeze Saturday and a stronger northwesterly push on Sunday.

Cornell showed flashes of front-of-the-fleet speed, highlighted by an A Division race win from Sophia Devling and Sophia Mulvania early in the regatta. The A Division rotation of Devling, Marcus Greco, Mulvania and Emil Damji finished seventh overall with 100 points, while the B Division team of Ava Gustafson and Grace Penque placed ninth with 112 points. The Big Red opened the weekend with a sixth-place combined score through two rotations and remained in the middle of the standings throughout, battling tightly packed competition that saw just 26 points separate third through sixth place.

Despite missing out on the conference's two qualifying spots, Cornell will eye an at-large bid to claim its third straight appearance at Open Nationals. The Big Red will begin competition at Women's Team Race Nationals on Sunday, April 26 in New Orleans, with some of the team heading to Kings Point for the Admirals Trophy beginning on Saturday.