SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis swimmer Emily Bartylla will swim at Occidental this fall and is excited to compete for the Tigers next year.

“When I visited on my overnight, the team did everything they could to make my visit really special,” said Bartylla. “I attended five classes with four different people and I got to get in the pool with them. I really got to experience their atmosphere and how they balance their practices with academic success. It was the main factor in my decision.”

Bartylla will compete for Head Coach Steve Webb. The Tigers recently finished sixth at the SCIAC Championships, breaking 11 school records in the meet. She plans to study in the 3-2 engineering program with Caltech, working on a dual degrees including a (BA) in engineering or physics from Occidental College and (BS) Engineering and Applied Science from Caltech.

Bartylla has swam since she was a young girl and has been USA swimmer for seven seasons and has competed for the Sierra Marlins for the majority of her high school career. The dedication needed to be a top swimmer has helped her.

“I love the structure of going to practice every day,”” said Bartylla. “It makes me manage my time and homework. It keeps me structured.”

But her time representing St. Francis has been her favorite time in the pool.

“St. Francis swimming is one of my favorite things,” said Bartylla. “I love that it is non-cut. It is all about having fun with swimming. People do not get too competitive because they are there to support each other.”

Bartylla remembers her first practice like it was yesterday. Head Coach Richard Levin helped her settle in by asking junior Emily Peters to help the new swimmer out at her first practice.’

“I was really nervous, did not know anyone and knew it was important,” said Bartylla. “He told her to come talk to me. It started my first day really well.”

Bartylla has developed into a team leader herself in the program over the course of her career. 

“Emily is the backbone of the swimming program, she has always been a very talented swimmer, but when she arrived as a freshman she was shy and sometimes timid and over the last four years she has grown and developed into a wonderful young lady and a true leader on this team and this campus.” said Head Coach Richard Levin. “She will be greatly missed. We wish her the best at Occidental next year!”

She has been a team captain for the Troubadours, helping continue the culture of the program under Levin.

“Everything,” said Bartylla of what her coach has meant to her. “I met Richard when I was in the seventh or eighth grade and I knew instantly St. Francis swimming was a completely different environment and really supportive.”

Bartylla, who is from Granite Bay, has posted a personal-best of 1:10.29 in her signature event, the 100 breaststroke. She has her sights set on a strong finish. The Troubies host the Delta League meet at Jesuit at the end of the month before the Sac-Joaquin Sections in May.

“I want to have a great sections meet,” said Bartylla. “We only have a few meets left. We will finish strong so I am excited.”

Bartylla served as the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), working with representatives from each of the school’s 12 varsity programs She represented the school at a conference hosted by the section office this fall and has volunteered with the Special Olympics and coordinated the schools Girls and Women in Sports Day this past February.

“It was really important to me because I got to see how all different sports can affect people,” said Bartylla of her time with the SAAC. “We attended the Women in Sports Leadership Conference. I did not fully understand before that how different sports can help people grow. Swimming taught me time management. There is so much more. It showed me how important it is to have our Athletics department so strong.”

Bartylla will participate in the St. Francis Spring Signing Day event on Wednesday in the Campus Life Center.