Nickname: "Squirt"
Height: 5-3
Weight: 125
Birthplace: Kansas City, Mo.
Residence: Southern California
High School: Mercer Island H.S. (Mercer Island, Wash.) '02
College: University of San Diego '06
Majors: B.A. in Communications with a Media Emphasis and a double minor in Leadership and American Humanics (Nonprofit Management)
Graduate School: University of Southern California, Rossier School of Education '08
Graduate Degree: M.Ed with an Athletic Administration Emphasis from the Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs (PASA) program
Coaches: Michael Collins, Leslie Taft / Chuck Alexander, Michael Cintas
2011 Senior World Ranking (as of 11/16/11): 103rd
2011 World Cup Ranking: 70th
2011 National Ranking: 4th
See Rendy Lynn's Athlete Q&A from June 2011
Sports Played in High School: varsity member for 4 years each of the: Mercer Island High School women's swimming/dive team (No. 2 swim team in the nation as a freshman plus state champions 1999) and the women's water polo team (state champions all 4 years and a member of second-team All State); USA Water Polo Bronze Team member and Silver Camp participant (200-2002)
Hobbies: rock climbing, scuba diving, camping, art, photography, painting, and discovering new music at music festivals
Family: her father, Dutch Opdycke ("The Flying Dutchman") was a downhill ski racer
Favorite Foods: she does not discriminate - she loves all kinds of food
Pre-Competition Meal: depends on what she is gearing up for
Favorite Athlete: she is amazed by the everyday person who rises up to challenge one of their goals to aspire toward a dream.
Favorite Movie: "Hatari"
Favorite Book: "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
Favorite Music: classic oldies, alternative & rock (60's - to present), world and all things electronic
Favorite Country Visited for Competition: New Zealand
Did You Know?: Rendy Lynn is the coach of the Mater Dei High School varsity men's and women's swim team...she is an open water swimming consultant with numerous certifications in both athletic and educational venues
Quotable Rendy Lynn Opdycke: "My philosophy of life is 'To LIVE with an exclamation point!'...and my personal motto has always been both athletically and academically, 'Impossible is just a word.' Athletics is not only a part of my life - it is my passion. When I am participating in "down time", I am enjoying Shakespeare, Cirque du Soleil, Monet, being a Chargers fan, and reviewing true life bios such as Albert Einstein or watching inspirational movies like "Remember the Titans", "Miracle" and "Rudy"'
MAJOR COMPETITION RESULTS:
2012 January Domestic Qualifier in Colorado Springs: 4th
2011 December Domestic Qualifier in Colorado Springs: 2nd
2011 World Championships (Moscow, Russia): did not advance past semifinals
2011 U.S. Nationals (Colorado Springs): 4th
2011 NORCECA Championships (Guadalajara, Mexico): 17th individual/SILVER in women's relay with Samantha Achterberg
2011 Domestic Qualifier in Palm Springs: 6th
-Two world records for marathon open water swimming:
-first woman and the fastest time to swim across Santa Barbara Channel 2007
-the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame recognized this historical swim crossing
-this swim combined with the "Triple Crown" resulted in the first "Quad" of marathon open water swims
-fastest completion time for the "Triple Crown" of marathon swimming 2008
-(Manhattan Island Marathon swim: 28.5 miles, English Channel: 21 miles, & Catalina Channel: 21 miles)
-the "Triple Crown" was completed in 36 days: July-August 2008, and was also the fastest total swim time for all three events - 70:50
-San Diego Hall of Champions Featured Athlete: 2006-present
-Washington State High School women's swim team state championship team member & rewarded with the honor of being a member of the second-best high school team in the nation: 1999
-Washington State High School women's water polo champion team member: 1999-2002
-Washington State 2nd Team All-State Water Polo team member: 2002
-Los Angeles Marathon finisher: 2008 (running)
-Cape-Atlantic Woman's Lifeguard Swimming Champion (Atlantic City, N.J.): 2005
-Atlantic City Beach Patrol: No. 1 Academy Grad, Rookie, Female: 2004-05
-Athletic/Academic All-American: 2002-07
-USA Open Water National Championships participant: 2002-06
-FINA world-ranked open water swimmer: 2003-05
-FINA 37.5K Around-the-Island World Cup first American to finish: 2003
-USA World Championship Open Water Swim Team member (25k): 2005
-NCAA Division I/USD Intercollegiate student-athlete/swimmer: 2002-05
-USA Water Polo Bronze Team member and Silver Camp participant: 2000-02
-American Diabetes Assoc. 10-mile No. 1 animal soloist fundraiser: 2003-07
-USA Modern Pentathlon World Cup Team member: 2011
2010 Domestic Qualifier in Colorado Springs: 3rd
2010 USAP National Championships (Youth A): 2nd
2010 USAP National Championships (Junior): 2nd
2010 USAP National Championships (Senior/Open): 3rd
2010 Youth A World Championships participant
last updated 1/20/12