CHARLESTON, S.C. – Conner Blouin has been elevated to College of Charleston sailing head coach, as announced Wednesday morning by director of athletics Matt Roberts.
 
"We are thrilled to elevate Conner as the Head Coach of College of Charleston Sailing. His expertise on the water as a coach and a decorated international sailor himself, has earned an enormous amount of respect from our current student-athletes and the sailing community," Roberts said. "He has made a positive mark on our program as an assistant coach the past five years and we look forward to returning to national prominence under his leadership."
 
"I know I have big shoes to fill, becoming the next head sailing coach at College of Charleston," Blouin said. "Nevertheless, given the history and legacy of the program it is an exciting and humbling opportunity."
 
Blouin has been with the Cougar sailing program since July 2018 serving as an assistant coach helping lead Charleston to the 2019 Coed Dinghy National Championship and 2021 Women's Dinghy National Championship. Charleston's most recent national title in 2021 led to their ninth Fowle Trophy in program history, given to the best overall collegiate team.
 
Charleston has consistently been a top-tier sailing program under Blouin's tutelage including top-15 ranks in both the Open and Women's national rankings this last spring.
 
Prior to his time at Charleston, Blouin served as an assistant coach at St. Mary's College of Maryland from 2015 through 2018 and served as the head coach of his alma mater Washington College prior to that.
 
During his first season at Washington, Blouin guided the program to a berth in the ICSA Co-Ed Dinghy National Championship Semifinals. His second campaign at the helm featured three regattas wins, including the Central Fall Qualifier, Salisbury Open, and the Jeremy A. Pinkerton Memorial.
 
Blouin was a two-year team captain, three-time Most Valuable Sailor, and two-time All-America Honorable Mention skipper at Washington College, in addition to two All-MAISA selections and an Academic All-America First Team honoree in 2010. As a senior, Blouin became the second student-athlete in school history to win both the College's Senior Athletic Award, given to the top senior athlete, and the Alfred Reddish Award, given to the senior male athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average.
 
During his tenure at Washington College, Blouin sailed in the program's first three ICSA Co-Ed Dinghy National Championship Semifinal regatta appearances, as well as the program's first-ever appearance at the ICSA Co-Ed Dinghy National Championship regatta in 2009. He wrapped his collegiate sailing career with a school-record 12 career divisional first-place finishes. He led Washington College to a consistent top-20 ICSA Co-Ed National ranking, including a peak ranking of eighth in 2009.
 
Blouin continued his competitive national and international sailing career after graduating from Washington College, highlighted by a second-place finish at the 2011 International Laser Class Association (ILCA) Grand Prix, Laser Radial. He also won a bronze medal at the 2011 CORK Olympic Classes Regatta, Laser Radial; placed fourth at the 2011 Laser Radial North Americans; and finished fifth at the 2010 Sunfish World Championship in Italy. Blouin was also the third-highest finishing American at the 2011 Laser Radial North Americans, which qualified him for the 2012 Laser Radial Open World Championship.
 
In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Blouin has coached high school and youth teams in Rhode Island, Chicago, Annapolis and Florida. His background also includes a stint as a marketing and sales associate at ZIm Sailing in Rhode Island, and time as a communications associate with US Sailing.
 
What they're saying about Conner Blouin
 
"Conner has proven himself to be a winner as both a sailor and coach.  While his accolades include being named a Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Finalist buoyed by a string of national and North American championships; Conner's desire to help sailors be their absolute best is what makes him a special coach." – Adam Werblow, Head Coach, St. Mary's College of Maryland Sailing
 
"I have known and sailed against Connor since he was around 12 or 13. I'm excited for the CofC Sailing program to see Connor being named the new head coach! They need a focused, motivated, and talented leader like Connor at the helm. I have no doubt Connor will bring the excellence to our Cougars and we will see them at the top. As a sailor, I have been competing against Connor in the Sunfish and Waszp for the last 15- 20 years. I've watched him flourish over the past five years as he has won numerous national and North American championships. He is no doubt one of the best small boat sailors in North America and fresh off winning the US Pan American trials where he will be representing the US in Chili this Fall. On and off the water Connor is a class act, I'm excited for Connor and the Cougars!!" – David Loring, Charleston Community Sailing Vice President, 3x Sunfish World Champion and Laser North American Champion
 
"Conner Blouin is an outstanding coach whose recognition on the world stage will aid in the recruitment of talented youth sailors. His dedication to improving the bottom line of the team, ability to realize the full potential of naturally talented sailors, and the wealth of sailing knowledge that he possesses will all serve him greatly in his capacity at the head of this program. It's a great day to be a Cougar!" – Jack Sutton '22
 
"We are thrilled to elevate Conner as the Head Coach of College of Charleston Sailing. His expertise on the water as a coach and a decorated international sailor himself, has earned an enormous amount of respect from our current student-athletes and the sailing community. He has made a positive mark on our program as an assistant coach the past five years and we look forward to returning to national prominence under his leadership." – Matt Roberts, Director of Athletics
 
"Conner's talents as a champion are well documented. His numerous accomplishments and National Championship wins are impressive…he is truly one of the most decorated sailors in the country today. But what makes Conner so special and unique is his ability to articulate what makes him the incredible sailor he is to those he is coaching. Not every champion has the skill, or passion, like Conner, to help guide their students and team to be their very best. Conner is also the epitome of a champion both off and on the water when it comes to sportsmanship, so he is also the perfect role model the team would love to follow.  The C of C Sailing Team is so fortunate to have Conner as their head coach and have so much to look forward to!" – Greg Fisher, former College of Charleston Director of Sailing