Rebecca McElvain '19 Promoted to Permanent Head Coach of Dartmouth Sailing

HANOVER, N.H. — Mike Harrity, Dartmouth's Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation, announced today that Rebecca McElvain '19 has been named the permanent head coach of the Dartmouth sailing program. Named interim head coach last year, McElvain led the program to one of its most successful seasons in years.

"We conducted a national search and spoke with outstanding candidates, and no one brought the same passion Rebecca has for elevating our program and for what makes Dartmouth truly special," Harrity said. "When Rebecca initially stepped back from consideration, she was navigating some personal decisions, and we respected that completely. As the season progressed, it became clearer that she was the right person to lead this program. When she reconsidered pursuing the full-time role, we didn't hesitate. The coaching community reached the same conclusion we did, and being named by her peers as the Coach of the Year in both the Ivy League and NEISA in her first season is a powerful measure of a coach. The momentum she is building is remarkable and we are excited about the future of Dartmouth Sailing."

McElvain was named the 2026 NEISA Coach of the Year, one of the highest honors in collegiate sailing. The award marks the first time a Dartmouth head coach has received this distinction since 2014. Alongside assistant coach Zoë Hoctor, McElvain was also honored as the 2026 Ivy League Co-Coaching Staff of the Year, which is a first in program history. Earning Coach of the Year recognition in both conferences simultaneously is an unprecedented achievement for Dartmouth sailing.

In her first season as interim head coach, McElvain guided the program to outstanding results across all disciplines. The open division finished fifth at the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) Fleet Race Nationals, while the team reached the final four of the Team Race Championships, which has only been achieved two other times in program history, once in 2019 and in 2004. The women posted a strong sixth-place finish at the Team Championships, further underscoring the program's national standing.

McElvain also coached her student-athletes to major awards this season. Bella Casaretto '26 was named NEISA Women's Skipper of the Year and Lilly Baker '27 was named NEISA Babineau Crew of the Year. Baker was the first Dartmouth winner of that award since 2007. Eight student-athletes were awarded All-NEISA Team honors, including three All-Ivy recognitions, a testament to the individual excellence McElvain has cultivated across the roster.

"I want to thank Mike Harrity for his support, and for the incredible opportunity to be the Head Coach of Dartmouth Sailing," McElvain said. "I'd also like to thank my sport administrator, Mallory Poole, for her support and guidance throughout this process. Over the past year, we've worked to build a championship culture rooted in grit, accountability, and connection, and I'm proud of the progress our student-athletes have made together. It is an honor to lead a program with such a rich tradition, passionate alumni, and exceptional student-athletes. I'm excited to continue building on Dartmouth Sailing's legacy and pursuing championships at the highest level. Go Big Green!"

The program has embraced a culture anchored around core values of passion, integrity, and growth, as well as a team motto that captures the year-round commitment required to compete for national titles: "Nationals aren't won in May."

A San Diego native and 2019 Dartmouth graduate, McElvain was an accomplished sailing student-athlete during her time at the college and was an honorable mention All-American as a first-year and a back-to-back All-American her junior and senior years. She returned to Hanover in 2020 as an assistant coach under then-head coach Justin Assad after the COVID-19 pandemic before assuming the interim head coaching role ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Dartmouth Sailing competes out of the newly constructed Tim and Barbara Michels Family Boathouse, a $13-million state-of-the-art facility on Lake Mascoma that opened in 2024, replacing the Allen Boathouse that had served the program since the early 1950s. With a 27-athlete roster including the program's largest freshman class since 2021, all the ingredients are in place for sustained success under McElvain's leadership.

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