Amy Fuller Kearney Position: Head Coach Experience: 8th Season Alma Mater: UCSB '90

Entering her eighth season at the helm of the UCLA women's rowing program in 2008-09, Amy Fuller Kearney has established the Bruins as a national competitor. UCLA sent a varsity eight crew to the NCAA Championships in three consecutive seasons (2005-07), after having made the transition from a club team to a varsity squad in 2001-2002.

Under the guidance of Fuller Kearney in 2007, UCLA's varsity eight crew advanced to the NCAA Championships in Oak Ridge, Tenn., finishing 14th overall. In 2006, the Bruins' varsity eight raced to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships in West Windsor, N.J. In the spring of 2005, the Bruins sent an at-large eight to the NCAA Championships, where UCLA finished 15th overall. This season, Fuller Kearney looks to lead the Bruins to a fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships.

In 2007, Fuller Kearney guided UCLA to first-place finishes in back-to-back dual meets against Loyola Marymount and San Diego State to open the season. In the fourth weekend of the season, the Bruins performed well at the San Diego Crew Classic, placing its varsity crews fourth and third, respectively, in the grand finals. Midway through the season, UCLA's second varsity raced past USC in the annual dual meet between both crosstown rivals. In the season-culminating Pac-10 Championships, UCLA finished fourth overall.

Fuller Kearney's team earned recognition at season's end, as two senior rowers (Elizabeth Lee and Leach Wachtel) earned CRCA National Scholar-Athlete honors, and two others were named CRCA All-West Region selections (Vanessa Teff and Lynn Hancock). Teff earned first-team Pocock All-America honors in addition to capturing All-Pac-10 team accolades. A capable group both on the water and in the classroom, 10 Bruins gained Pac-10 All-Academic honors.

In 2006, Fuller Kearney and the Bruins earned first-place dual-meet finishes against Loyola Marymount, UC Irvine and Minnesota before posting a sixth-place finish at Pac-10 Championships in May. At the San Diego Crew Classic, UCLA advanced to the Grand Final in all three events and finished fifth in the varsity eight race. The Bruins finished first in all four events at the Miller Cup, and later capped their season with a strong performance at the NCAA Championships.

In 2005, the Bruin women reached the Grand Final in every event at the Pac-10 Championships. The varsity eight raced to a top 16 ranking and an at-large invite to the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history. The second varsity eight also made history by bringing home a silver medal from the Pac-10 Championships, a first for UCLA since rowing was elevated to NCAA varsity status.

Named UCLA rowing'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. Fuller Kearney 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.

An accomplished athlete, Fuller Kearney is a three-time Olympian and former World Record holder. Her competitiveness has given her an assortment of national and international experience. In 1993, she earned U.S. Rowing Female Athlete of the Year honors. Two years later, Fuller Kearney 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+.

Aside from her decorated Olympic career, Fuller Kearney has also 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.

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 masters degree in education from University of Tennessee, Chattanooga in 1998.

Fuller Kearney has also been certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a Health Fitness Instructor and is a U.S. Rowing certified coach. She resides in Newhall, Calif., with her husband, Joe, and daughter, Shannon.