Navy Sports Central

Grit, Wind, and the Madeleine Cup: Mary Brigden Makes Navy Sailing History

Send a textIn this installment of 50 Years of Excellence in Women's Athletics at the Naval Academy, we bring you Mary Brigden from the Class of 1981. Mary was an accomplished sailor by the time she was in high school, winning several junior national championships while growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When she got to Annapolis, where Mary traded in her X-Scow for a 420 and rebuilt her game under coaches who sharpen her skills to get her ready for collegiate racing. She makes strategic choices to collect coed regatta starts, chases All‑American points, and engages is a daily strength training program that sharpens her edge. The result is a skipper ready for a defining test.The ICSA Championships in Charleston, SC deliver that test. With whitecaps and wind in the high gears, rivals expect Navy to fade. Instead, Mary and crew Karen Mulvaney stack top‑three finishes, conserve energy where it matters, and attack when it counts. The final race is a clinic in control: hiking through gusts, holding shape, and driving clean while the fleet eases to survive. The payoff is a big time trifecta—the Madeleine Cup for winning the Women's A‑division, the Gerald C. Miller trophy, given to the best women's team, and the Leonard M. Fowle Trophy, crowning Navy as the 1981 national champions. Finally, there was Mary's history making achievement of being named the first woman All American in any sport at the Naval Academy, the culmination of a long held dream. If you like these kinds of stories, check out the episode. Follow the show, share it with a friend who loves college sailing or Navy sports, and leave a review to tell us your favorite moment from Mary’s rise.Support the showIf you like what you hear, support the Mids and the show at the same time! Navy Sports Central is a proud affiliate partner of Fanatics.com, the Ultimate Fan Gear Store! Click on the link to start shopping now!

Trust, Discipline, and the Power of Eight: Alexandria Vallancey Becomes a World Champion

Send a textIn our second of installment marking 50 years of excellence in women's athletics at the Naval Academy, Alexandria Vallancy joins us to continue her story. She shares her journey as she prepares for the U23 World Rowing Championships and what it took to cross the finish line first to become a world champion in her sport.  Alexandria also talks about the challenges  that come with balancing her professional life as a naval officer with her athletic goals and what it takes to stay competitive while in the national team pipeline. The discipline that requires while maintaining a high level of performance as a division officer is certainly unique. Finally, Alexandria gives her perspective on the legacy of Navy women’s athletics—50 years strong and how her experience put her in the position she is in today. If this conversation struck a chord with you, follow the show, share it with a Navy sports fan, and leave a review to help more listeners find these stories.Support the showIf you like what you hear, support the Mids and the show at the same time! Navy Sports Central is a proud affiliate partner of Fanatics.com, the Ultimate Fan Gear Store! Click on the link to start shopping now!

Finding the Catch: Alexandria Vallancey's Transition From Basketball To Navy Rowing Champion

Send a textIn today's special edition of Navy Sports Central, we kick off a series honoring 50 years of women at the Naval Academy. And we begin with the story of Alexandria Vallancey, a Corvallis High basketball star who arrived at Annapolis intent on Division I hoops and left as a force in Navy Women’s Rowing. What began as a walk-on curiosity at Hubbard Hall became a new identity, built on brutal practices, clean catches, and the unglamorous grind of the erg.We'll trace Alexandria’s rapid rise from novice to the first varsity eight, the victories in the Cooper Sprints, dual wins over East Coast powers, and a string of Patriot League Championships that stretched Navy’s dominance. Then the stakes climb: an invitation to the Henley Royal Regatta’s historic King’s Cup, a mixed military crew that included two women, and a nation’s colors on the line. Feel the rhythm of head-to-head racing as Canada and France fall, and experience the drama in the final as a decisive move lifts the American boat Overlord past Germany while cheers of  “USA” help push the boat down the course. The win marks a powerful return to the international stage for Navy rowing—and it's a milestone in the larger story of women’s athletics at Annapolis.We also look ahead: the pandemic’s interruption, a return to form with another league title, and the next horizon—qualifying for the U23 U.S. National Team and competing at the World Rowing Championships. If you care about Navy sports, women’s sports history, rowing strategy, or the mindset it takes to reinvent yourself, you don't want to miss this story. Be sure to follow the show, share it with a Navy fan, and leave a review to help more listeners find these stories. Then tell us: what bold pivot are you ready to make?Support the showIf you like what you hear, support the Mids and the show at the same time! Navy Sports Central is a proud affiliate partner of Fanatics.com, the Ultimate Fan Gear Store! Click on the link to start shopping now!

Mid-Term Grades: The Navy Football Report Card

Send a textWelcome to Navy Sports Central, the official podcast of the Navy Sports Nation!Today, we take a look at how  Navy Football is doing at midseason We will shine a spotlight the playmakers driving a 6–0 start, and pinpoint what must tighten up before the team's toughest stretch of games. Before that, we'll check on some of the other sports in the yard, including k water polo, women’s soccer, and men’s cross countryFinally, you'll hear the story of Luke Lombardo's dramatic singles win over his opponent in golf that delivered Navy’s 1200th victory over Army across all varsity sports.Follow Navy Sports Central wherever you get your podcasts:Check out the Navy Sports Nation group page on Facebook!Music is provided courtesy of Audio Jungle. Artists featured in order:Seven In Music (Intro)Alexiaction (Deep Dive)Loka Music (Navy Golf Lead In)Cinematic Alex (Closeout Music)Join the Navy Sports Nation group on Facebook. Hit the follow button on your podcast app to get every episode downloaded to your directory. Share your grade for the Mids by sending fan mail using the link in the show notesSupport the showIf you like what you hear, support the Mids and the show at the same time! Navy Sports Central is a proud affiliate partner of Fanatics.com, the Ultimate Fan Gear Store! Click on the link to start shopping now!

Countdown 2025: Knocking Out the Bully (and Much, Much More)

Send a textWelcome to Navy Sports Central, the official podcast of the Navy Sports Nation!Have you ever thought about what defines a truly unforgettable sports moment? Is it the stakes, the rivalry, the upset, or the individual brilliance that creates memories lasting a lifetime? In this special year-end edition of Navy Sports Central, we tackle this question by counting down the top 10 most memorable moments from the 2024-2025 Navy athletics season.The countdown features remarkable achievements across multiple sports, from squash and gymnastics to the ones that typically take center stage like football and lacrosse. We celebrate the dominance of men's cross country as they secured their fourth straight Patriot League title, while men's track & field picked up their eleventh consecutive championship. Equally impressive was the women's swimming team winning their 13th straight conference title through extraordinary depth, despite not having a single individual swimming champion.But rising above all these accomplishments is our #1 moment: the Navy women's lacrosse team shocking resident Patriot League bully and top seeded Loyola in overtime to capture their first conference championship since 2018.To explore this historic victory in depth, we're joined by special guest Cynthia Lisa ('00), who provides expert analysis on how the Mids managed to overcome a five-goal third quarter deficit against a Greyhound program that had never lost a regular season Patriot League game in their history (93-0). We spotlight freshman sensation Alyssa Chung's five-goal performance and Mikayla Williams' championship-winning shot in overtime, while paying tribute to legendary coach Cindy Timchal's sustained excellence over 43 seasons.Whether you're a die-hard Navy sports fan or simply appreciate stories of athletic achievement against the odds, this episode captures what makes following these remarkable student-athletes so rewarding. Subscribe to Navy Sports Central and join our Facebook community to stay connected as the Mids prepare for another exciting sports season beginning this fall. Support the showIf you like what you hear, support the Mids and the show at the same time! Navy Sports Central is a proud affiliate partner of Fanatics.com, the Ultimate Fan Gear Store! Click on the link to start shopping now!