USA Swimming Adds Emily Klueh to National Team Staff

Photo Courtesy: David Farr

USA Swimming Adds Emily Klueh to National Team Staff

USA Swimming on Monday announced the hiring of Emily Klueh to its national team staff as a manager of mental and emotional wellness.

Klueh, under her maiden name Emily Brunemann, had a long swimming career. She was part of Team USA’s staff for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as a mental health officer. She is a licensed mental health clinician who has worked in the athlete performance department at the University of Michigan.

“I am thrilled to be back with USA Swimming,” Klueh said in a press release. “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’s duties will include helping American swimmers in the national and national junior teams access mental health care, through the AthleteAssist program. She spoke with Swimming World last year about how her competitive past provides insight into her work as a mental health practitioner.

Klueh understands swimming performance better than most. A standout at Michigan, she was the 2008 Big Ten swimmer of the year and the NCAA champion in the mile. She spent 10 years on the U.S. national team, in the pool and in open water events. She competed at the FINA World Championships, the Pan Pacific Championships, the Pan American Games and the World University Games. Klueh was the first American to win a 10-kilometer race on the FINA World Cup circuit.

Klueh received her master’s degree in social work in Ann Arbor and completed sports psychology credentialing. (She is married to NCAA champion swimmer Michael Klueh.) She has worked in the athletic department in mental health and sports performance.

“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.”

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