UCLA Athletics Mourns the Passing of Amy Fuller Kearney

LOS ANGELES – Amy Fuller Kearney, former UCLA women's rowing head coach and Senior Advisor within the UCLA Athletics Department, died on Saturday morning in Los Angeles due to complications of breast cancer. She was 54 years old.
 
Amy Fuller Kearney served as UCLA's head coach for 20 seasons – from 2001-02 through 2020-21, when she shared Pac-12 Women's Rowing Coach of the Year honors with Washington's Yasmin Farooq. She established the Bruins' program as a consistent national competitor, having guided UCLA through a successful transition from club to varsity status upon her arrival in 2001. She transitioned into a role as Senior Advisor in the summer of 2021, assisting with a variety of mentoring responsibilities and department projects, while continuing to support the women's rowing program before retiring in April of 2022.
 
UCLA's women's rowing finished as high as third at the 2012 Pac-12 Championships and had success at national events such as the San Diego Crew Classic and the Clemson Invitational. 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. Amy routinely produced high-level rowers on the international scene, with multiple student-athletes (both current and former) earning medals at the U23 World Championships and qualifying for multiple Olympic teams.
 
Named UCLA's head coach on July 2, 2001 – the sport's inaugural NCAA season – Fuller Kearney came to Westwood after having served one year as assistant coach for the Stanford women's crew program (2000-01). At Stanford, she guided the Cardinal to its first top-20 national ranking in the program's NCAA history.
 
Prior to serving as assistant coach at Stanford, Fuller Kearney was an assistant coach at San Diego State for two years (1998-2000). She worked with the Aztecs while training for the 2000 Olympics with the U.S. National Team. Fuller Kearney has also spent time working as an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga (1996-98) and for the U.S. National Team (1997).
 
From 1993-96, Fuller Kearney served as a motivational speaker for Champion International, a U.S. Rowing sponsor. She began her coaching career at UC Santa Barbara, her alma mater. From 1990-91, she led the women's novice program. Two years later, from 1992-93, she was the head coach of the women's team.
 
A three-time Olympian and world record holder, Fuller Kearney accrued a strong national and international rowing background. In 1993, she earned U.S. Rowing Female Athlete of the Year honors. Two years later, she was a finalist for the Sullivan Award, presented annually to the nation's top amateur athlete. She spent the fall and winter of 1995 competing with the America's Cup Syndicate, America 3. She was a member of the first ever all-women's team to challenge for the America's Cup.
 
As a starboard aft grinder, Fuller Kearney used her strength and endurance to earn a starting spot among the world's top female sailors. In the spring and summer, Fuller Kearney again turned her focus to rowing and helped the women's eight to a World Championship in Tampere, Finland. Fuller Kearney earned trips to the Olympics in 1992, 1996, and 2000. In 1992, she brought home a silver medal in the Women's 4-. In 1996 and 2000, she placed in the top 6 in the Women's 8+.
 
Additionally, Fuller Kearney competed in eight World Championships, earning one gold medal and six silver medals (1989, 1991, 1993-94, 1997-98 and 1999). An extension of Fuller Kearney's international experience includes the Goodwill Games, the Lucerne International Regatta, and the Henley Royal Regatta. At the 1994 Goodwill Games, her women's 8+ team captured the bronze. Competing at the Lucerne International Regatta (1991, 1994-96 and 1998), she brought home five medals - three gold, one silver, and one bronze. At the 1998 Henley Royal Regatta, Fuller Kearney added another gold medal.
 
Fuller Kearney continued her rowing success at the C.R.A.S.H. B Sprints. She was the 2000 and 2001 World Record holder on the rowing ergometer and placed first for open women. On the national level, Fuller Kearney rowed for the U.S. National Team for 11 years (1989, 1991-2000). During this era, she recorded 12 gold medals, two silver and one bronze.
 
As a sophomore at UC Santa Barbara, Fuller Kearney discovered a passion for rowing. She later earned one gold medal and one bronze medal on the collegiate national level. In 1990, she was honored with the school's Associated Students Athlete of the Year Award. In 2006, Fuller Kearney was an inaugural inductee into the UC Santa Barbara Recreational Sports Hall of Fame. In 2010, she was inducted into the National Rowing Hall of Fame.
 
A Westlake Village, Calif., native who prepped at Westlake High School, Fuller Kearney graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in biology. She earned her master's degree in education from University of Tennessee, Chattanooga in 1998. She is survived by her husband, Joe, and daughter, Shannon.
 
Statements Regarding the Death of Amy Fuller Kearney
 
Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics Martin Jarmond
"We mourn the loss of a wonderful person and cherished colleague. Amy touched many lives, including her profound impact on the rowing community and countless student-athletes. I send my deepest condolences to her husband, Joe, and daughter Shannon."
 
UCLA Women's Rowing Head Coach, Previn Chandraratna
"The world has taken our friend, colleague, and mentor too soon, and we will miss her dearly. Amy was an icon in the rowing world who, over personal gain, chose to spend her livelihood pushing young women to reach their potential. Her legendary strength, toughness, and tremendous loyalty to those she loved was an inspiration to us all."
 
The Shelly Carlin UCLA Head Softball Coach, Kelly Inouye-Perez
"I'm heartbroken over the loss of my Bruin sister Amy Fuller. She will be forever remembered as an elite Olympic athlete, inspiring coach and mentor and loving wife and mom. She fought hard every day and was able to share quality time surrounded by those who loved her most. We will miss her dearly and will never forget the amazing memories we shared as Bruin Family!"
 
University of Washington Women's Rowing Head Coach, Yasmin "Yaz" Farooq
"Amy was a force of nature, as a rower and a coach. 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 and Farooq were lifelong friends and members of the 1995 U.S. women's eight that became the first American eight to win gold at the World Rowing Championships.