May 24, 2004

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NORFOLK, VA (May 24, 2004) -The Old Dominion University women's sailing team is gearing up for the ICSA Women's National Championship, taking place May 26-28 in Cascade Locks, OR. The Lady Monarchs will look for their 15th national championship and second of the 2003-04 season, after Anna Tunnicliffe defended her ICSA Women's Singlehanded Championship in November. ODU already has some experience at the championship site, finishing 7th at the Rainier Cup, April 17-18.

Sailing for ODU in A division will be Anna Tunnicliffe (Perrysburg, OH) and Christabelle Fernandez (Virginia Beach, VA). In B division, Maureen Castruccio (Pleasanton, CA), Cara Gibbons-Neff (Annapolis, MD) and Cara DiSanti (Seacliff, NY) will be sailing. The team of Tunnicliffe and Fernandez has been highly successful this season, resulting in five division wins during the season.

ODU will be one of 18 teams competing in the ICSA Women's Championship, which has teams from every national district. ODU qualified for the event by winning the MAISA Women's Dinghy Championship, held at the ODU Sailing Center, April 24-25, where Tunnicliffe and Fernandez took first place in A division. The Lady Monarchs finished 3rd in the ICSA Women's Championship in 2003.

"Overall, we are definitely in the hunt for the top and the favorite to win A Division," ODU Sailing Head Coach Mitch Brindley said. "Any of about seven teams could win the regatta."

Keep checking back at www.ODUSports.com for results.

2004 ICSA Women's Championship Teams:
1. ODU
2. Navy
3. Hobart/Wm Smith
4. Georgetown
5. Wisconsin
6. Michigan
7. Michigan State
8. Harvard
9. Tufts
10. Yale
11. Connecticut College
12. Dartmouth
13. Boston College
14. Washington
15. Hawaii
16. Stanford
17. College of Charleston
18. Texas A&M Galveston

ODU Crew:
A:  Anna Tunnicliffe (Perrysburg, OH), Christabelle Fernandez (Virginia Beach, VA)
B:  Maureen Castruccio (Pleasanton, CA), Cara Gibbons-Neff (Annapolis, MD), Cara DiSanti (Seacliff, NY)