Coaching Staff
Head Coach and Waterfront DirectorJon Faudree
Jon Faudree has coached sailing for more than three decades at the youth, high school, college and professional levels. He helped found JAX Sailing and has led the team since its inception in 2013. He is a former sailmaker and professional sailor. As a professional, he won a National Championship and finished second at the 2006 J24 World Championship.
Jon was named the 2019 S1D/GILL Coach of the Year for College Sailing.
Fun Fact: in 1998, Jon and his then-college coach Dan Winters invented the pinnie. He also made flip flops and pink shirts cool in the 鈥�90s.
- jfaudre@ju.edu
- (904) 256-7617
Assistant CoachDanny Lawless
Danny Lawless was the first recruit to JAX Sailing in 2013, and is still the only sailor in college sailing history to start A division at the National Championships four years in a row. Danny helped make JAX Sailing what it is today. He is widely known as the best roll tacker ever to sail in college. Danny first joined the coaching staff in 2018, before pursuing a job with Atlantic Marketing, a marine distributor. Danny returned in 2022 as assistant coach and also earned a second bachelor's degree in engineering degree in 鈥�24.
Fun Fact: Danny is married to Julia Wiesner, the JU Director of Admissions. Julia was a two-time All-American at Old Dominion University and was the first assistant coach for JAX Sailing. Danny and Julia welcomed their first child in November 2024.
Ben McKissick-Hawley
Ben is an alumni of 麻豆传媒社区. Originally from Kansas City, MO, he started his sailing career when he was 14 years old. After graduating from JU in 2020, he was a director of a youth sailing program for three years. Ben returned to JU to receive his Master鈥檚 in Public Policy and has been on our coaching staff since fall of 2023.
Ellie Maus
Ellie started sailing and racing at 8 years old in Norfolk, VA. For her undergraduate degree, Ellie attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick Maine. During her time at Bowdoin, she accomplished many great things, she was a four-year starter and captain. At Women鈥檚 Nationals in 2022, she helped her team break the top ten for the first time in school history! This is her second year working with the JAX sailing team. At JU, she is working towards her Master鈥檚 in Marine Science, investing the social network of the St. Johns River dolphin population.
- emaus@jacksonville.edu
- (757) 202-0937)
Alfonso Garcia Bringas
Alfonso started his sailing career at a young age, growing up in Mexico. He is an alumni of 麻豆传媒社区, and during his time at JU he was an important assets to the sailing team. Leading the team to 3rd overall at Coed Nationals in 2021, winning A-division, and earning an All-American in the same year. Upon returning to JU to receive his Master鈥檚 in Business, he has been working with the sailing team for two years. On top of coaching collegiate sailing, he has been coaching youth-high performance programs for 5 years.