Knifton and Plihal Named 2025 USRowing Athletes of the Year

USRowing is pleased to announce that Kate Knifton has been named the 2025 Carie Graves Female Athlete of the Year, while Jacob Plihal has been named the 2025 Male Athlete of the Year.

Selected by the athletes and coaches of the Gemini.com senior national team that competed at the 2025 World Rowing Championships in Shanghai, China. Knifton and Plihal will be recognized at the Golden Oars Gala on November 13 at the Harvard Club of New York City. 

Olympian Kate Knifton captured a world title this year, winning the women’s four at the 2025 World Rowing Championships in Shanghai. This summer, she also won gold in the four and two silver medals in the eight at World Cup I and II. A year earlier, she guided the four to a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Olympic Games. Knifton has been a mainstay on the U.S. national team, progressing through every level of competition, from earning bronze in the U19 four with coxswain to claiming gold in the U23 four at the World Championships. At the collegiate level, she helped the University of Texas secure both varsity eight and team titles in 2021 and 2022. Knifton was also named USRowing’s U23 Athlete of the Year in 2022.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have been selected for this award by my teammates,” said Kate Knifton. “This recognition is a reflection of the collective effort, resilience, and energy that defined our team this year. Every athlete, whether a returning Olympian or someone stepping onto the senior team for the first time, played a huge part in our success as a team.”

“I especially want to recognize my boatmates, Teal, Azja, and Camille. It was an honor to experience the highs and lows alongside you. You constantly push me to work harder and be a better rower, teammate, and person.”

“A huge thank-you to our incredible coaches, PTs, doctors, and nutritionists for their help in guiding and holding our team together. A special thank you to Jesse Foglia and Josy Verdonkschot for their leadership and vision for where this team can go. You both set the tone for the LA28 campaign, and I’m so proud to be part of it.”

“Thank you to my teammates, the staff, and Dave O’Neill at the University of Texas for shaping me into the athlete and teammate I am today, and to my dad Matt, my mom Kristin, my sister Sophie, and the rest of my amazing family for being my biggest supporters. Finally, thank you to our incredible sponsors for making it possible to pursue what we love every day.”

Olympian Jacob Plihal enjoyed a standout season, earning his first World Cup medal in the single sculls with a second-place finish at World Cup I. His performance earned him World Rowing’s Rower of the Month honor and the 2025 George Pocock Award of Excellence. Plihal continued his success with a bronze medal in the quadruple sculls at World Cup II and remained with the quad for the World Championships, where the crew made history as the first U.S. men’s quad since 1998 to place in the top four at a world championship. Plihal had already distinguished himself on the national stage, placing 13th in the men’s single sculls at the 2024 Olympic Games, the best American result in the event since 2008. Earlier in his career, he competed for the U.S. in the U23 quadruple sculls.

“First and foremost, I want to thank both the coaches and athletes of the 2025 Senior National Team for selecting me as the USRowing Male Athlete of the Year,” said Jacob Plihal. “I am both honored and humbled to receive this prestigious accolade. There are many men on this year’s team, far more deserving of this award than I. Men who have embodied excellence, grit, resilience, and sportsmanship, both on and off the water. To my crewmates and the men of this year’s squad, your character and spirit have inspired me and shaped who I am as both a rower and a person; for this, I thank you.”

“To the women of this year’s team, thank you for being excellent training partners throughout the year. Your collective pursuit of greatness is contagious and inspiring.  Congratulations on a successful year, and to Kate Knifton for being selected as the Women’s Athlete of the Year.”

“To the USRowing coaches and staff of this year’s campaign, thank you for your guidance and effort in creating an environment of excellence and your work in making athletes’ lives easier day in and day out.” 

“To my family and friends, thank you for your unwavering support of my rowing pursuits and for your notable sacrifices these past 12 years. I would not be where I am today in the sport without you all.”

“Thank you to my coaches, Stephen Whelpley, Krystal Melendez, and Hillary Saeger, who have guided me at Craftsbury for the last five years. Also, to my coaches throughout my university rowing days at Northeastern University, as well as my U19 coach, Richard Parr, for his guidance from my first strokes on the water to his current investment in my journey. Lastly, to my hometown club, Vashon Island Rowing Club, for their continuous support and encouragement.”

“I would also like to thank my personal sponsors of the Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Concept2, and XBoat, for their substantial investment towards my rowing endeavors throughout the years.”

“There are many more who have played a role in my journey and deserve a share of this award; however, to name them all and adequately recognize their contributions would require an abundance of words too large for this brief acknowledgment.  For all the rest, you know who you are and the part you’ve played in the journey - thank you.”

The announcements for the Para and Beach Sprint Athletes of the Year will be announced later this month. 

USRowing would like to thank Filippi Lido, the Official Boat Supplier for the Gemini.com U.S. Senior and Para Rowing National Teams. Under the agreement, Filippi is providing USRowing a fleet of boats for international competitions, including the World Rowing Cup regattas, World Rowing Championships, Olympic Games, and Paralympic Games, as well as a domestic training fleet for the USRowing Training Centers.