NStar Articles

Want to know what’s hot on the Yard these days? From fresh apparel drops to can’t-miss gear, we’ve rounded up ten midshipman-approved Navy souvenirs. Whether you’re shopping online at Navyonline.com, stopping in at the USNA Gift Shop, or stocking up before your next football tailgate party, this list covers the best of the best. These finds don’t just look good - they do good, supporting the Brigade of Midshipmen.

The pool was cold, the instructors were unrelenting, and the first week of summer training seemed designed for one purpose only: to make candidates quit. For Midshipman 1/C Lily Williams, that was exactly the point. She hadn’t signed up for Navy Search and Rescue (SAR) school in Jacksonville, Florida, expecting it to be easy - she had signed up to be tested.

At the United States Naval Academy, strength isn’t just measured in muscles—it’s tested through character, teamwork, and sheer willpower. From the very beginning of Plebe Summer to the final march across the stage at graduation and commissioning, each midshipman is shaped by a series of physical and mental challenges. One of the most grueling—and meaningful—of these milestones is the USNA Sea Trials, held each May.