Kate Knifton graduated from Texas in 2022 and is currently set to stroke the United States W4- at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.

1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing practice; was there anything memorable about it?

My dad owns a rowing club in Austin and is a rower himself, so he had been trying to convince me to try rowing my entire life. In my sophomore year of high school, I finally gave in after quitting competitive dance. I agreed to attend a week of practices on the condition that my dad took me on a Lululemon shopping spree and greeted me with smoothies when he picked me up from practice each day. I had low expectations but fell in love with the team at Texas Rowing Center immediately and have been rowing ever since.

At my very first rowing practice, we did a one-mile run test. At the time I was not a very good runner, so after running the first few laps I attempted to stop and start walking. To my surprise, my dad appeared out of nowhere and started running next to me, encouraging me to keep going and finish the run. Apparently, he had been hiding in his car watching the entire practice. Although now he watches from afar, he is still my biggest fan and always encourages me to keep pushing through challenges.

2. Was there a practice, race or other event when you fell in love with the sport, or when you knew you might not be too bad at rowing? When you thought you could make the national team?

I first fell in love with rowing after my first week of practice in high school. Even though most of the girls on the team had already been rowing together or went to the same school, I instantly felt so included. Rowing attracts the most accepting and hardworking people you’ll ever meet, and I am so grateful to be surrounded by them every day.

3. Best race/practice, worst race/practice?

My best race was the 2021 NCAA Championship Varsity Eight final. Not just because we won, but for what it symbolized for the entire program. It was the University of Texas’s first National Championship win and represented a culmination of many years of hard-working, badass women.

Knifton stroking the 2021 Longhorn V8+

My worst race was the 2017 Pumpkinhead Regatta. My dad and I raced the “Parent-Child Double”, an event he takes very seriously. In an attempt to cut the course as tight as possible, we ran straight into a novice quad coming around a turn. The bow of my dad’s brand-new boat came right off and needless to say, we did not win the race.

4. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?

During winter break of my freshman year, my friend and teammate from Texas was in town, so we went for a row in the pair together at my high school club. One of us had forgotten to close our oar lock, so about 3k into the row, we went straight into the water. We were so thankful thinking that at least everyone was home for break, and no one noticed. But, when we got back to the dock, the first person we saw was our coach Dave, who had coincidentally picked that day to give his neighbor a rowing lesson.

5. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?

Enjoy the people you are surrounded with. The most valuable thing you will take away from rowing are the relationships you form with your teammates and coaches. Your teammates are the people that will get you through the tough times and be there with you to celebrate the good ones!

Hometown: Austin, TX
Club Affiliation: Princeton Training Center
Date of Birth: July 5, 2000
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 160lb
Undergraduate Education: Texas, 2022
National Teams: Four - Junior, 2017-18; Under 23, 2022; Olympic, 2024

International Results: Finished third in the four at the 2024 World Rowing Cup II...Won in the four at the 2022 World Rowing Under 23 Championships...Won bronze in the four with coxswain at the 2018 World Rowing Junior Championships...Finished 10th in the pair at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games...Finished ninth in the pair at the 2017 World Rowing Junior Championships.

National Results: Won the varsity eight and team title at the 2022 and 2021 NCAA Women's Rowing Championships...Won the varsity eight at the 2019, 2021, and 2022 Big 12 Conference Championships...Finished second in the varsity eight and second in the team standings at the 2019 NCAA Women's Rowing Championships...Finished second in the pair at the 2018 USRowing Youth National Championships.

Personal: Kaitlin was named the Big 12 Athlete of the Year in 2023 and was the Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2023. She was named USRowing's 2022 Under 23 Female Athlete of the Year and was a 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee. Kaitlin enjoys workout classes, drawing, makeup, and digital marketing. Before joining rowing, she danced for 13 years; and in high school, she performed in the Macy's Day Parade. Kaitlin's dad was a rower on the club team at UT and also rowed on the national team after college. He currently owns a rowing club in Austin called the Texas Rowing Center, where she rowed in high school. In her sophomore year of high school, her dad finally convinced Kaitlin to give rowing a try, and she has been in love with it ever since. One of her personal heroes is her dad. In addition to owning Texas Rowing Center, he created the TRC High Performance Center. Kaitlin said she is so inspired watching him do what he loves everyday and changing the lives of the rowers that train there. Her favorite place to compete at is Sarasota, Florida, and her favorite place to travel to is London, England. Her most memorable Olympic moment is when Kerri Strug secured the gold for Team USA at the 1996 Olympics, overcoming an ankle injury.