Kim Lyko

Position:
Varsity
Height:
5-2
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Flanders, N.J.
High School:
Mount Olive

Working toward a double major in exercise and sport science and communication studies … Director of Carolina Fever, a student spirit organization … Serves as an ACT mentor, helping freshman student-athletes adjust to college life … Has earned spots on the Dean’s List and ACC Academic Honor Roll … Member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council

Rowing at UNC: In her second year as a varsity coxswain after one season on the novice squad … Coxed the novice eight during the 2001-02 school year and the varsity four in 2002-03 … Recipient of the novice team’s Weightlifting Award in 2001-02

Before UNC: At Mount Olive High School, Captained the softball team, played soccer and ran indoor track … Earned all-county, all-area and all-conference honors in softball and all-county honors in track … Named New Jersey Student Leader of the Year as a senior

More on Lyko: Born July 8, 1983, in Dover, N.J. … Daughter of Richard and Mien Lyko … Speaks French and is learning Vietnamese … Played the flute, violin, bells, xylophone and marimba … Favorite pastimes are watching or playing any type of sport … Says the word that best describes her is her nickname, Killa … Career goal is to work in the sports industry, perhaps in sports administration ,,, If she could trade places with anyone for a day, she’d pick Jennifer Lopez “because I’d have it all – the world would be at my beck and call and I could spend the entire day getting pampered and going on a shopping spree” … Favorite sport besides rowing is soccer … Says something few people know about her is that she’s half Vietnamese … Loves eating chocolate, even though she’s allergic to it … Inspired to start rowing because “coming from an athletic background, I wanted the opportunity to compete in a sport at a higher level. Rowing was this opportunity and I made the decision to try out and see what would happen”

Lyko on rowing: To someone who is not involved in or familiar with the rowing world, there is no way to explain why anyone would give so much of her body, mind and heart to the sport. I am a part of that rowing world, and it’s still a mystery to me.

Coach Haney says: “Kim is extremely competitive. Her aggressive mindset extends into her boat, driving her crew successfully across the finish line.”