 |
Navy Sports CentralAuthor: Karl Darden
What if I told you about a group of elite college athletes who compete in 36 different sports at one of the toughest institutions in the nation. For them, its not about name, image, and likeness or any other kind of major endorsement deal. Because at the end of the day, their ultimate goal is to serve their country. These young men and women represent the best our country has to offer. They compete at a high level on both the national and world stage, and their stories have mostly gone untold. Im here to change all of that. With Navy Sports Central, you'll get the latest news on the athletes, and their teams, gain some unique insights in our Deep Dive segment and hear from some great guests along the way. So please join me, Karl Darden, and check out Navy Sports Central wherever you get your podcasts to learn more about these incredible athletes and our nations future leaders. Language: en-us Genres: News, Sports, Sports News Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Blazing a Trail and Securing a Legacy: Mary Brigden Shares Her Story
Episode 82
Saturday, 14 March, 2026
Send a textA fun open-water race winds up becoming a fight for survival. One moment Mary Brigden is navigating heavy weather off Fort Lauderdale. And in the next, she’s underwater in the dark, trapped beneath an overturned yacht with rigging pinning her down. Fortunately, her naval aviation training helps her overcome this catastrophe, and she is rescued with the rest of her crew. From there, we pull back to take a look at the larger journey: Mary enters the U.S. Naval Academy during only the second year that women were admitted and becomes Navy’s first women’s All-American in any sport. We talk about the culture of the time, how the sailing team became a place to compete and belong, and the skill set that separates great sailors from good ones. After graduation, Mary takes us through her preparation for the 1988 Olympics. She shares the unforgettable experiences that come with sailing all over the world. We close on legacy: honoring the women pioneers in Naval Academy athletics and Mary's commitment to help make the Robert Crown Sailing Center a first class facility for future midshipmen. Subscribe to Navy Sports Central, share this with a Navy sports fan, and leave a review. What part of Mary’s story hit you the hardest?Support the showIf you like what you hear, support the Mids and the show at the same time! Navy Sports Central is a proud affiliate partner of Fanatics.com, the Ultimate Fan Gear Store! Click on the link to start shopping now!
