Kelly Named 2024 USRowing U23 National Team Female Athlete of the Year
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Former University of Virginia standout Kate Kelly (Vashon Island, Wash.) was named the 2024 USRowing Under 23 National Team Female Athlete of the Year, USRowing announced Tuesday (Sept. 24).
Selected by the athletes and coaches of the team that competed at the 2024 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in St. Catharines, Canada, Kelly will be recognized on Attager Row at the Head of the Charles on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 5 p.m.
A three-time under 23 national team member and four-time national team rower overall, Kelly won a silver medal as a member of the 2024 U23 women’s eight. Kelly earned a bronze medal in the women’s four with coxswain in 2022 and raced in the women’s four in 2023.
“I am truly honored to be selected as the Female U23 Athlete of the Year,” said Kelly. “I want to thank the people around me for making such a tremendous impact on who I am, both as an athlete and as a person. Thank you to my college coaches, Kevin Sauer and Kelsie Chaudoin, and my high school coach Richard Parr for always believing in my ability. Thank you to my national team coaches Sarah Trowbridge, Asiya Mahmud, and John Graves for continuing to push me to be my best at an international level. Additionally, thank you to my younger brother, Davis Kelly for always pushing me to be a better person and athlete, and for being someone who I always strive to be a role model for, and my family for always believing in me and giving me the support to row at such a high level.
“Most importantly, thank you to my teammates at Virginia. My time at Virginia has been highlighted by the team that I had the privilege of being a part of. It was always an honor to practice and race with the sabers on my chest, and I will miss it every single day now that I have graduated. I hope to always live by the motto – ‘Entitled to nothing. Grateful for everything.’ Training with international caliber athletes for the past three summers is inspiring, to say the least. The women that I had the honor of training beside have taught me the power of working together as a unit towards one common goal. The power of pushing for one another is unlike any other drive in sport, and I feel as though I experienced that feeling this summer the second that I got on the water. I got lucky with the people that I got to race with this summer, and I can only hope to find a crew like that down the line. Thank you to the 2024 U23 women’s eight!”