Kelly and Tekeian to Represent the U.S. at U23 World Rowing Championships

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Former University of Virginia standouts Kate Kelly and Zoe Tekeian have been named to the United States’ U23 National Team that will compete in the 2024 U23 World Rowing Championships, held Aug. 18-25 in St. Catharines, Canada, USRowing announced.

Kelly will be the 7-seat and Tekeian will cox the women’s eight for the U.S. Kelly is making her third appearance at the U23 World Championships. Kelly earned a bronze medal in the women’s four with coxswain in 2022 and raced in the women’s four in 2023. Tekeian is making her U23 World Championship debut.

Kelly was named to the 2024 CRCA All-America second team. The two-time All-American helped the Cavaliers to a runner-up finish at the ACC championship and 13th-place finish at the NCAA Championship. Kelly was part of UVA’s Varsity Eight that placed second at the ACC Championship and 13th at the NCAA Championship.

In 2024, Tekeian coxed UVA’s Second Varsity Eight to a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championship and runner-up finish at the CC Championship. She is a three-time CRCA National Scholar-Athlete and three-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree.

The U.S. will have crews competing in 15 events including the men’s and women’s single sculls, double sculls, quadruple sculls, four with coxswain, and eight, as well as the men’s pair, men’s and women’s four, lightweight men’s single, and lightweight men’s pair. The U.S. will not be sending boats in the women’s pair or lightweight women’s events.

At the 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, the U.S. won five medals including two golds, one silver, and two bronze medals. The U.S. ranked fifth in the medal table and finished in a tie for third in total medals. Eleven athletes return from the 2024 U23 squad.

The U23 roster includes athletes from 21 states. Pennsylvania leads the way with eight athletes, while California is close behind with seven.