California Athletics Hall of Fame
A walk-on who swam in high school and never rowed competitively until arriving at Cal, Kara Kohler announced herself immediately by winning the 2010 Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year award. She progressed from second-team All-American as a freshman to first-team honors by her sophomore year, going on to earn four-time All-American status and leading Cal's varsity eight to the 2013 NCAA championship as a senior. Kohler's international career has now spanned three Olympic Games — 2012, 2020 and 2024 — highlighted by a bronze medal in the quadruple sculls at the 2012 London Games. She added a bronze medal in the single sculls at the 2019 World Championships and was named USRowing's Female Athlete of the Year that same season, cementing her status as one of the most accomplished rowers to come through the Cal program.
