Career Highlights:
- 2019 ICSA Hall of Fame Inductee.
- Has won two national championships in his years as assistant coach.
- Finished in the top 6 at Nationals while coaching the women’s team from 2001-06
- Earned All-American distinction three times during his UH sailing career.
In his 22 years as assistant sailing coach, Jesse Andrews has been an integral part of UH’s success. The former Rainbow All-American’s superb on-the-water skills has been an instrumental teaching tool as the Rainbows have taken home two national titles, and had nine top five finishes in his time coaching
Over the years, he has helped the University of Hawaii host numerous Pacific Coast Championships, four ICSA National Championships and a yearly Peter Wenner Rainbow Invite that now attracts college sailing teams from Japan, Canada and all over the ICSA. He has served on the PCCSC board in various leadership positions over the years.
His positive influence on the University of Hawaii sailors and in college sailing in general has not gone unrecognized. In 2019, Andrews was inducted into the ICSA Hall of Fame after being awarded the Graham Hall Award. The award recognizes organizers, administrators, advisors, or coaches in a professional capacity who have served the best interests of college sailing at the team, conference, or national level.
Born Nov. 3, 1973, in Mystic, Conn., Andrews’ first sailing experience was at age 9 when he, his father and grandfather sailed from Maine to Connecticut in an 18-foot Marshall Catboat. Soon after, Andrews enrolled in sailing lessons at the Mystic Seaport in Connecticut and went on to become one of the top youth sailors in the nation. At age 15, Andrews won the Blue Jay National Championships. He also competed in International 420's and Vanguard 15's.
He transferred from The University of Rhode Island to the University of Hawai’i after competing in his fourth 420 world championship in Australia. He graduated from UH in 1997 with a degree in liberal studies. Following his graduation, Andrews traveled throughout Europe as part of the British Universities Sailing Association All-Star team racing tour.
During his time as a Rainbow sailor Andrews participated in 26 regattas, including three national championships. In the spring of ‘95 and ’96, Andrews earned All-American honorable mention accolades. In his senior year, he earned All-American honors, becoming only the fourth Rainbow sailor to receive this distinction.
With the development of the women’s sailing team in the Fall of 1997, Andrews was a welcomed addition to the coaching staff and has been with the program ever since. Not only does Andrews race on the water to challenge the sailors, he also leads vigorous sailing drills that hone the sailors’ boat handling skills. He spends countless hours maintaining boats and has been a constant presence with the program, whether at practice or traveling with both the Rainbow Wahine and coed teams to mainland regattas.
Andrews, who has held the position of Youth Sailing Director at Kane‘ohe Yacht Club since 1998, still enjoys competing in sailing and team racing. He lives in Kane‘ohe with his wife Shelley, daughter Sage and son Makani.
