Career Accolades
- Pac-12 Champions- Team (2022)
- Two-time NCAA Championship Runner-Up- Team (2021, 2022)
- NCAA Championship Runner-Up- Second Varsity Eight (2021)
- All-America first team (2021)
- All-Pac-12 (2021)
- Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year (2019)
- CRCA All-America nominee (2020)
- Three-time CRCA Scholar-Athlete (2020, 2021, 2022)
- Three-time Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll (2020, 2021, 2022)
As a Senior (2021-22) • NCAA Runner-Up (Team) • Pac-12 Champion (Team)
- CRCA National Scholar-Athlete
- Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll
- Led the Cardinal to victory in the stroke seat at the Head of the Charles
- Rowed in the bow seat with the varsity eight in two wins at the Pac-12 Invite
- Rowed in the bow seat with the varsity eight in three top finishes at the Big-10 Invite
- Helped the second varsity eight to a second-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships as the 7 seat
- Rowed in the bow seat of the Cardinal’s fourth-place finishing varsity four boat at NCAA Championships
As a Junior (2020-21) • NCAA Runner-Up (Team, Second Varsity Eight)
- All-America first team
- CRCA National Scholar Athlete
- All-Pac-12
- Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll
- Called into USRowing U23 National Team Camp
- Stroked the varsity eight in a sweep over Cal at the Big Row
- Stroked the varsity eight in wins over USC and UCLA in Los Angeles
- Helped team & varsity eight to second place at Pac-12s as the stroke
- Stroke with second-place varsity eight at NCAAs, helping Stanford take second place overall
- Gold Medalist at the 2021 Under-23 World Championships BW8+
- Won silver medal at the 2021 Under-23 World Championships BW4-
As a Sophomore (2019-20)
- USRowing under-23 team selection camp
- CRCA All-America nominee
- CRCA Scholar-Athlete
- Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll
- Placed third overall and first among collegiate teams in the championship eights at the Head of the Charles
- Most of season canceled
As a Freshman (2018-19)
- Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year, joining Abby Loughrey (2003) as the only individuals in school history to earn the honor
- Member of the varsity eight, which placed fourth at NCAA Championships and second at Pac-12 Championships
International Competition
- Gold Medalist at the 2021 Under-23 World Championships BW8+
- Won silver medal at the 2021 Under-23 World Championships BW4-
- Competed in the Junior World Championships in 2016 and 2017
Prior to Stanford
- 2018 graduate of Staples High School in Westport, Conn.
- National champion in the varsity eight in 2016 and 2017
- Winner of the Head of the Charles Regatta in the junior varsity eight from 2015-2017, setting course records in 2015 and 2017
Personal
- Daughter of Gerry and Debbie
- Has two siblings, Grace and Brendan
- Sister, Grace, is a teammate at Stanford
- Mother, Debbie, was a four-time All-American on the Stanford synchronized swimming team
- Grandfather, Butch Brear, played basketball and baseball at Stanford
- Father rowed and played squash at Hobart
- Grandfather, Gerald McGinley, was an All-American football player at Penn
- Runner-up in the 2016 The New York Times Editorial Cartoon Contest
Why Kelsey McGinley Chose Stanford
- "I had been exposed to the excellent academics and sports teams at Stanford from my mom and grandfather, who are both alums. I was drawn to Stanford because of the high standard of excellence, beautiful campus, and strong familial ties.”