By DAN GARTLAND

EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR

Many students might be surprised to learn that Fordham has a sailing team. They might be even more surprised to find out that the team is really successful.

Last week, for the first time in the team’s history, the Rams qualified for the national semifinals in the Co-ed Dinghy division by finishing eighth in their conference championship regatta.

There were 18 schools competing at the conference championships, with eight spots in the national semifinals on the line. Fordham had two pairs of sailors competing: Connor Godfrey, GSB ‘16, and Dan Canziani, FCLC ‘14, in the A Division, and Emma Pfohman, FCLC ‘13, and co-captain Adam Keally, FCRH ‘15, in the B Division. Co-captain Mary Kate Cervin, FCRH ‘15, served as first alternate.

During the first day of competition, Fordham and Cornell battled for eighth, but at the end of the day’s 24 races, Fordham led by 20 points. (A first place finish is worth one point, second place is two points and so on. The team with the fewest points wins.)

Fordham gave a few points back early the next day with a pair of lackluster finishes but rallied later in the day to secure eighth place, only 11 points behind SUNY Maritime for seventh.

Cervin said the experience was gratifying for all involved.

“We’ve kind of gone through some struggles this year,” she said. “We started the season with, like, 25 kids, and now we have, like, 16. We’ve definitely developed so much as team […] so I think after coming through all that and still being able to reach one of our major goals felt so good.”

Among the challenges the team faces is a shoestring budget. Being a club sport, money is tight. But, Cervin says, the team has a supportive alumni base which makes generous donations. The rest of the money comes from selling raffle tickets in the summer months.

A portion of those funds will pay for the team’s trip to the national semifinals this coming weekend, hosted by Hampton University and Old Dominion University, both in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. The field there will be split into two 18-team segments, with the top nine from each group advancing to the finals in May at the University of Texas.

Cervin hopes that the team’s success will earn them the recognition they think they deserve.

“We’re trying to make a name for ourselves, not only on campus, but nationally,” Cervin said.