Rower Kerry Grundlingh ’27 Dies in Cycling Accident in Johannesburg

Kerry Grundlingh ’27, a rower and economics major, died after a cycling accident in which she was struck by a car in her hometown of Johannesburg, according to an email sent to the University community Sunday morning by Regan Crotty ’00, dean of undergraduate students.

“Our entire community is grieving this tragedy, and our hearts go out to Kerry’s family, loved ones, friends, and teammates on the women’s open rowing team,” Crotty said. “At difficult times like this, we encourage you to reach out to one another for connection and consolation, and to call on University resources when you need support.”

Grundlingh was a graduate of St. Mary’s School, Waverley, in Johannesburg. She competed for South Africa at the 2021 and 2022 Junior World Rowing Championships and rowed for Princeton as a freshman and sophomore, winning a second varsity medal in 2024 and first varsity gold at the Ivy League championships in 2025.

In a remembrance posted online by the athletics department, head rowing coach Lori Dauphiny called Grundlingh “an exceptional rower and student-athlete, and that is just the beginning of who Kerry was as a person.

“She leaves a legacy of her life lived as a tremendous daughter, sister, friend and teammate who constantly gave the best of herself for the betterment of others in each and every daily interaction,” Dauphiny said.

Grundlingh was a member of Mathey College and a tutor through the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, according to her LinkedIn page.

Crotty said in her email that the University will host a memorial service for students in the fall, and she added that counseling services are available for students at 609-258-3141 or on the TigerLife website and for staff at 800-437-0911.