Zack Leonard '89 has been the head varsity sailing coach at Yale since 2002 and has led the program to 17 National Championships and six Fowle Trophies for team of the year in college sailing. The former Yale All-American sailor and team captain is also the McNay Family Director of Sailing.
Leonard started his collegiate coaching career in 1987 when he led the US Coast Guard Academy varsity sailing team during a leave of absence from Yale. From 1989 to 1992 he was head sailing coach at Brown University, where the team won a Fowle Trophy. After a break from coaching, Leonard returned to Yale in the fall of 2000. Under his guidance, the Yale team began to steadily climb the national rankings.
In 2002 the team was promoted from club to varsity status. During his tenure at Yale, Leonard has led the team to 17 ICSA National Championships, six Fowle Trophies and a total of 46 podium finishes at National Championships. In the spring of 2015, Leonard coached the Bulldogs to an historic sweep of the Women's National Championships that included the Co-ed Dinghy National Championship, the National Team Racing Championship and the Fowle Trophy for overall team of the year. Under his guidance, the Yale sailing team has produced 169 All-American sailors since 2004.
Leonard's sailors have also been successful in Olympic competition. Isabelle Kinsolving '02 represented the United States in the 2004 Athens Games in the Women's 470 class, finishing 5th. Stuart McNay '05 represented the US in the 470 class in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024, finishing 4th in 2016. Thomas Barrows '10 represented the US Virgin Islands in Lasers in 2008 then represented the US with Yale teammate Joe Morris in the 49er class in 2016. Sarah Lihan represented the US in the Women’s 470 class in 2012. Ian Barrows won a Bronze medal representing the US in the 49er class in the 2024 Olympics. In 2011 Leonard took some time away from Yale and coached Sarah Lihan and the US women’s 470 class leading up to the London Olympics.
As a competitor Leonard is a four-time US Team Racing Champion (Hinman Trophy) and won the UK Team Racing Champion (Wilson Trophy). He has won the Hinman Masters Team Race 3 times and won the Grand Masters once. In the Olympic Tornado Class Leonard won US and Canadian National Championships and finished 10th in the World Championship in 1996.
Outside college coaching, Leonard served as the head coach of the US International 420 team from 2001 to 2015 and was a coach of the US Olympic Sailing Team at a number of World and Continental Championships. He was also a coach for the US squad at the 1993 Goodwill Games.
Leonard was named the 2006 National Coach of the Year for Sailing by the US Olympic Committee and later served for eight years as a member of the US Olympic Sailing Committee.
