Senior Spotlight: Emily Kiehn, Rowing
5/11/2020
A four-year member of the Owls, Emily Kiehn was part of the 2019 team that captured both the Dad Vail overall and women’s points trophies. As a freshman, she raced in both the novice eight and the second varsity eight, winning a silver at the Kelly Cup, and bronze at the Kerr Cup and Head of the Schuylkill Regattas. Her sophomore year, Kiehn competed in the highly decorated second varsity four that won gold at the Knecht Cup, Murphy Cup, and Kerr Cup Regattas. That boat took silver at the Eastern Sprints, the program’s first medal at the event, and also won bronze at the AAC Championships. As a junior and senior, she raced in the varsity eight boat, winning gold at the Kerr Cup, silver at the Knecht Cup and Navy Day Regattas, with a fourth place finish at the American Athletic Conference Championships. Emily graduated from the College of Liberal Arts with a degree in English.
Owlsports.com caught up with Kiehn, as she completed her degree at Temple.
In the book of your life, what’s the title of the Temple chapter? Growing Up- Things I Had to Learn by Myself.
What’s the best part about being a member of the crew team at Temple/what will you miss the most? The best part of Temple rowing is the friendships I’ve established along the way. These women are lifelong friends, but there’s nothing like going down a race course and crossing the finish line and your best friends are in the boat with you. That is a feeling and a moment that I wish I could have every day, and will surely be missed.
What is your favorite memory of being a student-athlete at Temple? My favorite memory as a student-athlete was when I was in the 2V4. The most memories and lessons were learned it that boat and I stand by that. I learned so much about myself and my teammates. But, my favorite memory was going up to every start line knowing without a doubt that my teammates had my back. The women in my boat were my absolute support system and it was an incredible feeling knowing we were going to win every race because we knew how to work together and for each other. That was a great season, and my most decorated season but it was those moments with my boat mates that were the most incredible memories of being a student athlete.
If you could give advice to your freshman year self, what would it be? Advice for my freshman year self would be: keep your head down and do the work, and stop seeking approval from coaches and others... hard work pays off. You don’t see flowers the day you plant the seeds and you have to work hard to see payoff.
Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself in five years completing my Master’s degree, and finding my niche in the corporate world.
I have so many people I’d like to thank for my journey, firstly my parents and my siblings. I would also like to thank the Spaeth’s who were my biggest champions. I’d also like to thank my best friends on the team for listening to me drone on about boat placement and hypothetical lineups. Finally, I’d like to thank my coaching staff and weight room staff for believing in me, the academic center for keeping me academically accountable, and the AT room for keeping me physically and mentally well.Emily Kiehn, Temple Rowing Class of 2020
