June 4, 2007 - Sailing

Seahawks Reap Numerous Honors

The St. Mary's College of Maryland sailing teams capped off a very successful 2006-07 campaign, which included two Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) national championship titles, by having several Seahawk skippers and crews for their impressive accomplishments this year. Also receiving recognition from the ICSA was Mike Ironmonger, Director of the Waterfront at St. Mary's. Junior Adrienne Patterson (Newport Beach, CA) was tabbed as the 2007 ICSA Quantum Female Sailor of the Year, while also earning a spot on the Women's All-America squad. Graduating senior John Howell (Galesville, MD) was selected as the 2007 Robert H. Hobbs Trophy (Sportsman of the Year) winner. Howell is the third St. Mary's sailor to receive this prestigious award, which is the most by any college or university. He was also named a Coed Honorable Mention All-American. Freshman Sara Watters (Oxford, MD) was also picked as a member of the Women's All-America team, while junior John Loe (Baton Rouge, LA) and freshman Jesse Kirkland (Warwick, Bermuda) garnered a spot on the Coed All-America squad.Graduating seniors Melissa Pumphrey (Annapolis, MD) and Hilary Wiech (St. Michaels, MD) and junior Meredith Nordhem (Chicago, IL) earned spots on the Crew All-America team.

Ironmonger was selected by the ICSA Hall of Fame Committee as the 2007 recipient of the Graham Hall Award for Outstanding Service by a College Sailing Professional, which recognizes organizers, administrators, advisors, or coaches who have served the best interests of college sailing at the club/team, conference, or national level. There are one or two honorees per year and nominees must have passed their 45th birthday. Ironmonger loves the sport of sailing and has spent the past 29 years as a professional, growing the sport as both a teacher and student of the game. Although Mike is a spectacular racer - having won nearly every race on the Chesapeake Bay from being a Laser Masters champion to winning in everything from one-design keelboats all the way up to 60 foot race boats - it is his belief that sailing is a sport that should be enjoyed by all. Although many racers know Mike for his two second-place finishes in the Worrell 1000 back when "men were men" (three guys in a Hobie 16 sailing non-stop), Mike has dedicated his career as the Director of the Waterfront Director at St. Mary's, building a model program that makes sailing accessible to the average college student (Special Olympian, junior sailor, etc.) and helps them to enjoy it for a lifetime. Because Mike has created an environment where sailing is recognized as "a cool lifetime sport", St. Mary's has made a major commitment to the intercollegiate sport. Mike, "The Admiral," has served as the director since l978. In his 27 years at St. Mary's, the sailing program has developed from relative obscurity to national prominence. Mike is a U.S. SAILING Judge, Department of Natural Resources Safe Boating Instructor, U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain, and avid competitor. He has won Chesapeake Bay championships in boardsailing, Laser masters sailing, and PHRF racing. He founded the St. Mary's College Sailing Camp and the Yacht Donation Program.