Kay Rusher

Kay Rusher

  • Position
    Port/Starboard
  • Height
    5-11
  • Class
    Senior
  • Highschool
    St. Paul's School (N.H.)
  • Hometown
    Glenview, Ill.

Biography

The Rusher File
Biomechanical engineering major
Teaches sailing in Wisconsin during the summers after racing sail boats until she was 16
Reads to kids and helps raise money for a literacy charity with her sorority Pi Phi
Sister, Alie, is a freshman on the Stanford rowing team
Mother, Cynthia, rowed with Stanford head coach Yasmin Farooq at Wisconsin and was on the U.S. National team with her for the 1988 and 1992 Olympic games
Father, John, is a member of the Harvard Hall of Fame and was a two-time Olympic rower
Enjoys skiing, sailing, traveling and puzzles

2014-15 (Junior)
• CRCA All-Region 5 second team
• Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
• Qualified for the women's eight at the Henley Royal Regatta
• Reached the semifinals in the eight at the Henley Women's Regatta

• Team finished sixth at the NCAA Championships and fourth at the Pac-12 Championships

• Member of the varsity eight
• Earned five wins on the year
• Made the Grand Final at the NCAA Championships, placing fifth overall

• Silver medal at the Pac-12 Championships

• Claimed two wins and finished ahead of No. 2 Brown at the Lake Natoma Invitational
• Won dual races against No. 2 Virginia and No. 16 Washington State at the Pac-12 Challenge

• Earned a win with the varsity eight over No. 8 Washington and No. 17 Louisville in a five-team race at the Oregon State Classic
• Lost to No. 2 Cal in the Big Row
• Tallied second place finishes in both the collegiate 8+ and pair events at Head of the American

2013-14 (Sophomore)
• Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention 
• Competed with the varsity eight and second varsity eight 
• Placed fourth in the second varsity eight at the NCAA Championships after winning the heat and taking second in the semifinal 
• Won gold in the 2V8 to help Stanford claim its first Pac-12 Championship 
• Knocked off No. 2 Cal for the first time since 2011 with the 2V8 
• Recorded wins over No. 4 USC and No. 9 Notre Dame at the Lake Natoma Invitational 
• Defeated No. 9 USC a second time with the 2V8 in a dual match at Redwood Shores 
• Ended No. 2 Ohio State’s 19-race winning streak in the 2V8 at the Oregon State Classic 
• Started the spring with a win over No. 16 Louisville and loss to No. 3 Virginia in the Pac-12 Challenge
• Tallied a second place finish in the Collegiate/Open 4+ at the Head of the Lake 
• Raced in two events at the Head of the American, placing 14th in the Women’s Collegiate 2- with the Stanford D boat and 15th in the 8+ with the Stanford B boat
• During the summer she placed fifth in the pair at the Canadian Henley

2012-13 (Freshman)
• Notched a fourth-place finish in the Four Petite Finals at the NCAA Championships 
• Finished sixth in the Four Grand Final at the PAC-12 Championships 
• Defeated Syracuse in a morning dual race and placed first in a five-team afternoon competition as part of the Four at the Oregon State Classic 
•Won the Lake Natoma Invitational Novice Eight
• Downed Oklahoma as a member of the Novice Eight at the PAC-12 Women’s Challenge

High School
• A 2012 graduate of St. Paul's School in Concord, N.H.
• Rowed, played volleyball and was a nordic skiier as a prep 
• Helped eight to NEPSAC title in 2012 
• With the eight finished ninth at Youth Nationals in 2012 
• Earned Coach's Award and was named an All-Star volleyball player in 2012 
• In nordic skiing, finished ninth overall in the conference and earned the Coach's Award in 2012

Personal
• Born in London, England 
• Parents are John IV and Cynthia 

Rusher on Stanford
"I came here because of the weather. If I was going to be rowing in college, than I would rather be rowing on the water instead of training inside half the year. Now that I am here it is about so much more. It is really about the people. Everyone here is really amazing in their own way.”