About Emma Sticklen
Emma Sticklen is a member of the University of Texas swim team where she is currently majoring in Exercise Science with a minor in business. Born and raised in Katy Texas, Sticklen attended Taylor High School and swam club for Katy Aquatics. Prior to college, Sticklen was a three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and two-time NISCA All-American. Additionally, she is the 2019 Texas State champion in the 100 butterfly and backstroke and still holds the Texas state record in the 100 butterfly (51.88). In 2020, she was an Olympic Trials qualifier.
2020-2021
At the Big 12 Championship, Sticklen finished 2nd in the 100 fly (51.99), and 3rd in the 200 fly (1:55.52) and 50 free (22.56). At the NCAA championships, Sticklen finished 7th in the 200 fly (1:54.09) and placed 11th in the 100 fly (51.91). To close her freshman year, she was named CSCAA Scholar All-American First Team.
2021-2022
Sticklen’s swimming skills continued to improve as she captured gold in the 200 fly (1:52.82), placed 2nd in the 100 back (52.67), and finished 3rd in the 200 IM (1:56.69) at the Big 12 conference. As a team player, Sticklen was part of three relays placing 12th in the 200 free relay, 5th in the 200 medley, and 4th in the 400 medley relay at the NCAA championship. Individually, she placed 4th in the 100 fly (50.29) and 7th in the 200 fly (1:52.22) at the NCAA championship.
2022-2023
As a junior, Sticklen won gold in the 200 fly (1:52.11) and silver in the 200 free (1:46.49) and 200 IM (1:57.88) at the Big 12 Championship. At the NCAA championship, Sticklen teamed with Olivia Bray, Lydia Jacoby, and Kelly Pash to set a new program record in the 400 medley relay (3:25.18) to win bronze. Winning another bronze, Sticklen teamed with Olivia Bray, Anna Elendt, and Grace Cooper in the 200-medley relay (1:33.22) setting another program record. Individually she won the national championship in the 200 fly (1:49.95), which is a new meet and program record at the NCAA championship, tied for 5th in the 100 fly (50.15), and placed 6th in the 200 IM (1:54.09). After a record-breaking season, Sticklen was named Big 12 Swimmer of the Year.
2023-24
Against TCU, Sticklen won the 100 back by nearly two seconds with a time of 52.29, and she also doubled up with a 52.28 win in the 100 fly. She was a similar 52.95 and 52.76 in the 100 back and flu respectively against UVA.
Against Texas A&M, Sticklen was on point, posting a 50.48 100 fly, then the #2 time in the nation.
At the Texas Invite, Sticklen was right on her best form. On night 1, she split a swift 22.69 on fly to help Texas’s 200 medley relay to a 1:34.14, well under the ‘A’ standard. On day 2, Sticklen clocked a solid 1:54.94 200 IM.
Sticklen took on the 100 fly/back double in prelims, posting times of 50.72 and 51.78 in the fly and back respectively. She dropped the 100 back final and crushed a 50.36 100 fly as a result.
On the final day, Sticklen sent a warning shot in prelims with a nation-leading time of 1:51.50 in the 200 fly. In the final, she dropped a further second, posting a 1:50.31, not far off her PB of 1:49.95 which won 2023 NCAAs.
At NC State Sticklen broke the pool record with a super fast 50.39, just off her midseason time of 50.36, which ranked #2 in the nation.
Sticklen was just off of her season bests at Big 12 Conference Championsips. On the first night, Sticklen clocked a 22.38 50 fly split on Texas’ victorious 200 medley relay. That split was well under the 22.69 she posted at midseason and just off the 22.32 she clocked on the relay that set the UT Record at 2023 NCAAs.
The next night, Sticklen clocked a solid 1:55.05 200 IM for runner-up behind Kelly Pash, just off her season best. She followed that up with a 50.61 100 fly the next night, a little off her season-best.
Sticklen and Pash went head to head again in the 200 fly on night 4. Sticklen took it out fast, and Pash focused on the back half. They seemed to turn in unison at the last wall, but Pash stayed underwater longer and ultimately got her hands on the wall first, 1:51.66 to 1:51.68.
Sticklen’s 88 points helped power Texas to their 22nd and final Big 12 Conference Championship title. The first Big 12 Conference Championship was held in 1997, making this the 28th iteration of that event. The Longhorn women have been crowned the Big 12 championships 22 times during that span, including the last 12 years in a row.
Come NCAAs, Stickelen stuck to her typical 200 IM/100 fly/200 fly schedule. In the 200 IM She was 1:55.12 in prelims to qualify for the B final before putting up a season-best 1:54.19 in the final for 11th, a mere .1 seconds off of her PB. In the same session, Sticklen clocked an impressive 21.35 50 free split to help Texas to 3rd in the 200 free relay.
In the 100 fly prelims, Sticklen led a 2-3-4 qualification for Texas with a 49.73, a PB and just her 2nd sub-50 second 100 fly. In the final, Sticklen lowered her PB to 49.70 as Texas kept their 2-3-4 seeds. Sticklen’s runner-up was lost in the noise of Gretchen Walsh’s absurd 47.42 winning time. A little later, Sticklen clocked a 49.67 100 fly split in the 200 medley relay to move Texas from 5th to 2nd, a position they maintained to the finish.
On the final day, Sticklen and Bray pushed each other in the final heat. Sticklen was out very quickly with 24.03 on the first 50. Bray was more than half a body back at 24.95. Sticklen increased her lead to just over 1 second at the 100 with 51.94. But the back half was all Bray’s to get the touch over Sticklen, 1:51.51 to 1:51.54.
Sticklen swam a radically different race in the final, turning second to Bray at the 50 in 24.72, and fell into 3rd at the 100 in 53.18. At the 150, Sticklen seemed out of contention but powered home in 28.68 thanks to a monster last underwater to defend her national title in 1:50.99.
2023-24
Against TCU, Sticklen won the 100 back by nearly two seconds with a time of 52.29, and she also doubled up with a 52.28 win in the 100 fly. She was a similar 52.95 and 52.76 in the 100 back and flu respectively against UVA.
Against Texas A&M, Sticklen was on point, posting a 50.48 100 fly, then the #2 time in the nation.
At the Texas Invite, Sticklen was right on her best form. On night 1, she split a swift 22.69 on fly to help Texas’s 200 medley relay to a 1:34.14, well under the ‘A’ standard. On day 2, Sticklen clocked a solid 1:54.94 200 IM.
Sticklen took on the 100 fly/back double in prelims, posting times of 50.72 and 51.78 in the fly and back respectively. She dropped the 100 back final and crushed a 50.36 100 fly as a result.
On the final day, Sticklen sent a warning shot in prelims with a nation-leading time of 1:51.50 in the 200 fly. In the final, she dropped a further second, posting a 1:50.31, not far off her PB of 1:49.95 which won 2023 NCAAs.
At NC State Sticklen broke the pool record with a super fast 50.39, just off her midseason time of 50.36, which ranked #2 in the nation.
Sticklen was just off of her season bests at Big 12 Conference Championsips. On the first night, Sticklen clocked a 22.38 50 fly split on Texas’ victorious 200 medley relay. That split was well under the 22.69 she posted at midseason and just off the 22.32 she clocked on the relay that set the UT Record at 2023 NCAAs.
The next night, Sticklen clocked a solid 1:55.05 200 IM for runner-up behind Kelly Pash, just off her season best. She followed that up with a 50.61 100 fly the next night, a little off her season-best.
Sticklen and Pash went head to head again in the 200 fly on night 4. Sticklen took it out fast, and Pash focused on the back half. They seemed to turn in unison at the last wall, but Pash stayed underwater longer and ultimately got her hands on the wall first, 1:51.66 to 1:51.68.
Sticklen’s 88 points helped power Texas to their 22nd and final Big 12 Conference Championship title. The first Big 12 Conference Championship was held in 1997, making this the 28th iteration of that event. The Longhorn women have been crowned the Big 12 championships 22 times during that span, including the last 12 years in a row.
Come NCAAs, Stickelen stuck to her typical 200 IM/100 fly/200 fly schedule. In the 200 IM She was 1:55.12 in prelims to qualify for the B final before putting up a season-best 1:54.19 in the final for 11th, a mere .1 seconds off of her PB. In the same session, Sticklen clocked an impressive 21.35 50 free split to help Texas to 3rd in the 200 free relay.
In the 100 fly prelims, Sticklen led a 2-3-4 qualification for Texas with a 49.73, a PB and just her 2nd sub-50 second 100 fly. In the final, Sticklen lowered her PB to 49.70 as Texas kept their 2-3-4 seeds. Sticklen’s runner-up was lost in the noise of Gretchen Walsh’s absurd 47.42 winning time. A little later, Sticklen clocked a 49.67 100 fly split in the 200 medley relay to move Texas from 5th to 2nd, a position they maintained to the finish.
On the final day, Sticklen and Bray pushed each other in the final heat. Sticklen was out very quickly with 24.03 on the first 50. Bray was more than half a body back at 24.95. Sticklen increased her lead to just over 1 second at the 100 with 51.94. But the back half was all Bray’s to get the touch over Sticklen, 1:51.51 to 1:51.54.
Sticklen swam a radically different race in the final, turning second to Bray at the 50 in 24.72, and fell into 3rd at the 100 in 53.18. At the 150, Sticklen seemed out of contention but powered home in 28.68 thanks to a monster last underwater to defend her national title in 1:50.99.