Ky Ebright

Who was Ky Ebright?

Carroll M. Ebright, better known as Ky Ebright was a coxswain at the University of Washington and legendary coach for the University of California, Berkeley crew team. Ky lettered at Washington in 1916 and 1917 and was a Washington assistant coach through the 1923 season. He was then sent to Berkeley to take over as the Head Coach in the fall of 1923 to revive the Cal rowing team. As described in The Log of Rowing at the University of California, Berkeley. 1870-1987 written by Jim Lemmon, Ky Ebright took the job at Cal only after he was assured that his job at Washington would be waiting for him if things did not work out in Berkeley.

He is the only man to coach three Olympic gold medal-winning eight-oared boats. He coached the Cal Men's crew from 1924 through 1959. He died in Berkeley, California at the age of 85.

During his tenure, the Cal Bears men's varsity 8 won the following events:

Olympics

⁕1928 Summer Olympics – Gold Medal

⁕1932 Summer Olympics – Gold Medal

⁕1948 Summer Olympics – Gold Medal

IRA Championships – National Title

⁕1928

⁕1932

⁕1934

⁕1935

⁕1939

⁕1949

In 1956, Ebright was inducted into the United States Rowing Hall of Fame. In addition, four of his varsity boats have been inducted: