Kelly Rickon began rowing at the ZLAC Rowing Club, the oldest women’s rowing club in the United States, first formed in 1892. Rickon coxed the quad sculls for the US at the 1979 and 1983 World Championships as well as winning a silver medal in quad sculls in 1984. Rickon was also a member of the ill-fated 1980 US Olympic team. Prior to moving up to the coxswain seat, Rickon had pulled an oar competitively. Rickon eventually worked for Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego as university advancement development officer.