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Sailing:
Mike Pinckney is in his eighth year as head coach of the UC Irvine sailing program. He has guided UCI to a Sloop National Championship in 2005, UCI's first national title since the men's water polo team won in 1989. Under Pinckney, UCI participated at the co-ed Dinghy National in 2007, while the women's team has competed at nationals twice. Pinckney has had four athletes garner All-American status as well as several All-Pacific Coast Collegiate Sailing Conference honors. Pinckney served as an assistant coach at the 2008 Paralympic Games, coaching former UCI All-American Nick Scandone to a gold medal in Beijing. Pinckey was honored in 2008 with the Edward F. Kennedy Trophy awarded to a man or woman who has made considerable contributions to yachting. In the classroom, Pinckney's team was honored with the Faculty Athletic Representative Award in 2007, which is given annually to the team with the highest grade point average. Prior to UCI, Pinckney was assistant coach at USC in the fall of 2001 and also served as an assistant coach at the College of Charleston from 1988-92. The 1989 graduate of the College of Charleston was a four-time All-American and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in January, 2004. He was involved in two Intercollegiate Sailing Association national championships at Charleston: as a sailor in 1986 and as assistant coach in 1988. During his coaching tenure at Charleston, the program had 16 All-Americans and one ICSA Sailor of the Year, plus captured two ICSA Sloop National Championships and two single-handed national titles. Pinckney also coached in the 1989 Goodwill Games. His brother, Jon, is a former sailor and coach at UC Irvine. |
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