Delaney is a Florida native who comes to Maine via a winding path from West Palm Beach. Her love of sailing was ignited by an opportunity to join the newly formed sailing team at her high school, Oxbridge Academy. She’s been driven by a passion for the sport since that first practice-despite her “late” start in the sport. The coaching she received from Olympic silver medalist and America’s Cup skipper John Kolius and Sunfish World Champion Joanne Kolius made pursuing a college sailing a possibility.
Delaney graduated from the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg with a bachelor’s degree in communication with a journalism concentration, a minor in history, and a lengthy sailing resume. Under the coaching of Olympic gold medalist, Sailing Hall of Fame member, and mentor Allison Jolly she sailed as both skipper and crew on the top 20 ranked Women’s and Open teams and competed in three National Championship finals. She also began competing in the J70 circuit and took any opportunity to expand her knowledge which led her to clinics in the foiling M32’s used in the World Match Racing circuit.
Coaching has always been a driving factor for Delaney’s passion in the sport. She began teaching learn-to-sail classes at the U.S. Sailing Center of Martin County, a non-profit community organization, for five years before spending three summers as the head coach of Annapolis Yacht Club’s Opti Green Fleet. Her experiences within community sailing organizations and elite youth racing programs equally informed her knowledge of the sport and greater sailing community.
When she’s not coaching the sailing team, she’s probably working with her partner on their 62-year-old wooden liveaboard sailboat, rowing on their local lake, or off hiking one of Maine’s many mountains; including all four summit routes on Katahdin.
She’s happy to share her sailing motto with the students at MMA: “Sail fast, have fun, make friends.”
