Advisor - Ian Beckley
Ian Beckley holds a PhD in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While earning his Masters degree and PhD from UW-Madison, he coached the Wisconsin Sailing Team for 5 years. Ian came to us from Hobart College where he received his BS in Geoscience with a minor in math. While there, Ian also served as Team Captain for HWS’s nationally ranked sailing team. Outside of college sailing, Ian is an overall winner of both the Chicago to Mackinac Race and Chicago NOOD regattas, among a myriad of other keelboat regattas. His coaching philosophy is focused not only on getting the Wisconsin Sailing Team to the highest level, but also ensuring that all members are leaving Madison with tools and skills to engage in sailboat racing for a lifetime.
Advisor - David Elsmo
As a Wisconsin native, Dave has spent his life on and around sailboats. After starting his US Sailing coaching career at 15 he went on to earn his degree in Commercial Recreation Management at the University of Minnesota while continuing to work as the Assistant Director at a local sailing school. After moving back to Wisconsin he began working for the Hoofer Sailing Club as our coach and Head of Instruction. He now advises the team he used to coach, working to promote our interests within the university and within college sailing. When not at work Dave loves to spend time racing sailboats, doing woodwork, camping, hunting, fishing, and spending as much time as is possible in the outdoors with his wife and dogs.
Keelboat Advisor - dylan gorman
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Dylan began sailing at a young age, on a myriad of J-boats. She came to UW-Madison to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering and during her time as an undergrad, was a dedicated sailor and leader of the Wisconsin Sailing Team. She served as Keelboat Captain for 3 years and as Captain during her final year of college. Upon graduating in May of 2026, she began working as a Municipal Engineer at Strand Associates, Inc., in their Madison office. She continues to support the team, bestowing her extensive keelboat knowledge onto a new generation of big boat sailors. Outside of sailing, Dylan enjoys competing in triathlons and traveling with her family.