In Memory: Amy Fuller Kearney

One of the most decorated women in U.S. rowing history, Amy Fuller Kearney passed away Saturday after bravely battling cancer for several years. She was 54 years old. Fuller Kearney leaves behind her beloved daughter, Shannon; husband, Joe; and hundreds of teammates and friends.

In a note to friends in May 2021, Fuller Kearney shared, "I am doing okay everyone. I will admit that time in the hospital can be tough. I am faced with moments of self-pity, asking, 'Why is this happening to me?' and huge fears for my family. But I am also getting stronger at finding my center, acknowledging my incredible good fortune and privilege in this life, and just working to find peace and positivity whenever I can."

An 11-time national team member and three-time Olympian, Fuller Kearney won seven world championship medals and an Olympic silver medal in Barcelona in 1992. She served as UCLA's head coach for 20 seasons – from 2001-02 through 2020-21 – before moving into a senior advisor's role in the UCLA athletic department.

"Amy was a force of nature, as a rower and a coach," said Yaz Farooq, Fuller Kearney's U.S. National Team teammate and women's head coach at the University of Washington, in a statement on UCLA's website. "She showed that grit, persistence, and love of rowing could take a true walk-on all the way to the podium at the Olympics. She was a fierce competitor but also an amazing daughter, mother, wife, and teammate. She absolutely loved coaching. Amy paved the way for so many women's coaches, myself included. She encouraged me to become a coach helped me throughout my career. I'm forever grateful for her friendship and wisdom."

Fuller Kearney grew up in Westlake Village, Calif., attending Westlake High School, before heading to UC Santa Barbara, where she picked up rowing as a sophomore and graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology in 1990. She earned her master's degree in education from University of Tennessee, Chattanooga in 1998.

She made her first national team in 1989, finishing sixth in the women's eight, and her first Olympic team in 1992, winning a silver medal in the women's four in Barcelona. At the 1993 World Rowing Championships, Fuller Kearney won silver in both the four and eight and was named USRowing's Female Athlete of the Year. She followed that up with another silver in 1994 in Indianapolis.

In 1995 in Tampere, Finland, Fuller Kearney won her only world title, helping the women's eight to the gold medal. Fuller Kearney would win two more silver medals in the eight in 1998 and 1999 and would make two more Olympic teams, finishing fourth in the eight in 1996 in Atlanta and sixth in the eight at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. That same year, she set a world record on the ergometer in the women's open division at the 2000 C.R.A.S.H.-B. World Indoor Rowing Championships. In 2010, she was inducted into the National Rowing Hall of Fame.

In addition to her rowing exploits, Fuller Kearney was a starboard grinder with the America3 all-women's sailing crew that competed for the America's Cup in 1995. That year, she was a finalist for the prestigious Sullivan Award, given to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States.

As a coach, Fuller Kearney joined UCLA in 2001 and established the Bruins' program as a consistent national competitor, guiding UCLA through a successful transition from club to varsity status. UCLA earned its first-ever team bid to the NCAA Championships in 2010 before making consecutive appearances at the national event in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Prior to UCLA, she served as an assistant coach at Stanford University.

Fuller Kearney began her coaching career at UC Santa Barbara. From 1990-91, she led the women's novice program, and from 1992-93, she served as the head coach of the women's team. Prior to serving as assistant coach at Stanford, she was an assistant coach at San Diego State for two years (1998-2000), working with the Aztecs while training for the 2000 Olympics. Fuller Kearney also spent time working as an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga (1996-98) and for the U.S. National Team (1997).

USRowing is deeply saddened by her passing. She will be greatly missed.

We will post additional information as it becomes available.