Former U.S. National Team member Emily Klueh is returning to USA Swimming as the organization’s manager of mental health and emotional wellness.
For the past eight years, Klueh has worked as a clinical mental health and sports performance clinician at the University of Michigan, where she swam collegiately. In her new role, she will provide direct care to the National and National Junior Teams as well as education on a “wide variety of mental health, emotional wellness, and holistic practices and resources,” according to a USA Swimming press release.
“I am thrilled to be back with USA Swimming,” Klueh said. “Swimming provided so many opportunities to work towards success, travel the world and meet incredible people. It’s not without struggle, pressure, demands and expectations which drove my passion to be in this field. We are dedicated to providing care for our athletes wherever they fall on the continuum of well-being.”
Klueh was one of the first mental health officers to attend the Olympic Games (Tokyo 2021) as a contractor with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and USA Swimming for mental health services.
“Bringing Emily on staff is an important step in our organization’s efforts towards supporting the complete athlete,” USA Swimming National Team managing director Lindsay Mintenko said. “Emily’s history of being a National Team Athlete as well as working with athletes at the University of Michigan will provide a valuable asset to our athletes.”
As a swimmer, Klueh was a member of the U.S. National Team for a decade, competing at the FINA World Championships, Pan Pacific Championships, Pan American Games and the World University Games. In 2013, she became the first American to win the FINA World Cup Circuit in the 10K.
Klueh competed as Emily Brunemann before marrying fellow U.S. National Team member Michael Klueh in 2015. Later that year, they became the first married couple to represent Team USA at an international meet.