Kelly Pash is a competitive swimmer who represents the United States internationally. She is a 20x NCAA All-American and 25x Big-12 Conference Champion.
High School
Pash was ranked #10 on SwimSwam’s Top 20 High School Recruits Class of 2019, and on March 5, 2018, announced her verbal commitment to swim for Texas.
College (Texas)
2019-2020
Pash started her collegiate career in a big way, swimming to lifetime bests in multiple events nearly every time she dove into the water. By the end of her first semester, she had recorded lifetime bests in the 200 IM (1:57.10), 400 IM (4:10.79), 100 fly (52.57), 200 fly (1:54.54), and the 200 free (1:44.41).
Pash continued to improve at her first Big 12 Championships, where she won the 200 IM (1:55.91) and 200 fly (1:54.56) while earning a runner-up finish in the 400 IM (4:07.71). She also swam on the winning 400 free, 800 free, 200 medley, and 400 medley relays and was awarded with the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Award.
Her freshman year ended abruptly when the 2020 NCAA Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020-21
After winning a Big 12 title in the 200 IM (1:55.13), Pash made the most of her first NCAA Championships as a sophomore with three individual A-final appearances. She collected multiple podium finishes thanks to third-place showings in the 200 free (1:43.50) and 400 medley relay (3:27.83). She also tied for fourth in the 200 fly (1:53.52) and placed seventh in the 200 IM (1:55.72).
2021-22
Pash showed off her versatility by going 3-for-3 at the Big 12 Championships as a junior, claiming individual titles in the 200 IM (1:56.31), 400 IM (4:07.65), and 100 free (48.42). At NCAAs the following month, she recorded another third-place finish in the 200 free (1:42.38) while adding fifth-place finishes in both the 200 fly (1:52.01) and 200 IM (1:53.31). It was her second season in a row making three A-finals at NCAAs.
2022-23
Pash’s senior season got off to a strong start when made her SCM debut at the World Cup stop in Toronto and beat Olympic medalist Hali Flickinger in the 200 fly with a winning time of 2:03.61. At the Minnesota Invitational in December, she threw down a nation-leading time in the 200 fly (1:51.96), then added another top mark in the NCAA in the 200 free (1:42.73) during a dual meet against NC State in January. Pash also partnered with swimwear brand arena in January.
Pash once again went 3-for-3 at Big 12s with individual titles in the 200 IM (1:53.94), 400 IM (4:05.55) and 100 free (47.68). At the 2023 NCAA Championships, she made one A-final, picking up another third-place finish in the 200 fly (1:51.89) while placing 10th in the 200 IM (1:54.32) and 11th in the 200 free (1:43.61). Her Texas teammate, Emma Sticklen, topped the podium in the 200 fly (1:49.95). Pash and Sticklen combined with fellow Longhorns Olivia Bray and Lydia Jacoby to take down the Texas program record in the 400 medley relay (3:25.18).
After NCAAs, Pash said she’d come back to Texas to train for the summer and “go from there.”
2023-34
Pash started off the season with a bang, clocking a 1:52.92 200 fly in a suited exhibition at the Dust Off Your Boots Classic. Pash headed down to Santiago, Chile to represent the US at the Pan-American Games
At the Texas Invite, Pash showed excellent form. She opened the meet with a 1:42.64 200 free leading off the UT 800 free relay. The next day, Pash won the 200 IM in a personal-best 1:53.18. She also put up a strong 46.87 100 free split in the 400 medley relay that night.
Pash swam a solid 51.35 100 fly in prelims. In the same session, Pash also clocked a 4:08.72 400 IM. She scratched the 400 IM finals. In the 100 fly finals, Pash rocked a new PB with a 50.37. Pash then anchored the Longhorns’ 200 free relay in 21.45.
In the 200 fly on the final night, Pash undercut her season best with a 1:52.17. Pash later led off the Texas 400 free relay in 47.44.
Against NC State, Pash just missed her 200 free season best with a 1:42.88 for the win. She was also 1:54.47 in the 200 fly for another win.
At the Sterkel Classic, Pash and teammate Oliva Bray clocked 200 fly PBs with times of 1:51.22 and 1:51.88 respectively. That gave Texas the top 3 times in the NCAA as their teammate Emma Sticklen led the country with her 1:50.31 from midseason. Pash was also 50.40 in the 100 fly and 47.72 in the 100 free.
Pash was just off her season-best form at Big 12 Championships but still managed to win 3 individual events and 4 relays. On night 1, she swam 1:42.76 leading off the 800 free relay. The next night, Pash won her 5th straight 200 IM title with a 1:53.80.
She scratched both the 400 IM and 100 fly, where she was the #2 seed in both, on day 3 in favor of the 200 free. Pash won the 200 free in a 1:42.97, just .27 seconds off her meet record. Pash later anchored the 400 medley relay in 47.87.
Pash went head-to-head against Sticklen in the 200 fly. Sticklen was out fast but Pash stayed composed and was leading by the 100. She kept a narrow lead over Sticklen to the finish where she won by just .002 seconds in 1:51.66. Pash then anchored the 200 free relay in 21.65 as Texas clocked a meet record.
With just the 400 free relay on the final night, Pash anchored in 46.90.
It was a small shock when NCAA lineups were released and Pash opted for the 100 fly over the 200 free. Pash was slightly off her season bests at NCAAs but still managed to amass an impressive 45 points to help the Longhorns to another National runner-up.
Pash led off the 800 free relay with a 1:42.89 as Texas took 7th. The next morning, Pash was a 1:53.37 in the 200 IM to qualify back 4th. She added just a little with a 1:63.64 for 6th in the final. Pash then anchored the Texas 200 free relay in 21.59 as they took 3rd.
On day 3, Pash comfortably qualified back in the 100 fly with a 50.69. She was a little faster in the final with a 50.55 for 4th. Finishing 2nd and 3rd were fellow teammates Emma Sticklen (49.70) and Olivia Bray (50.52) as Texas grabbed 48 points. Pash then anchored the 400 free relay in a 46.76 as UT took 2nd.
Pash saved her best for last as she clocked a 1:51.57 200 fly in the final to finish 2nd behind Sticklen. Bray placed 5th in the final, giving UT 56 points in the event (Campbell Stroll placed 12th for 6 points). Pash closed out her NCAA Career with a 47.15 anchor in UT’s 10th place 400 free relay, securing Texas 2nd overall.
National/International Swimming
2023 Pan American Games (Santiago, Chile)
Taking some time to represent the US during her NCAA season, Pash was well rewarded, winning 2 individual medals and 2 relay medals. In the 200 fly, Pash grabbed bronze with a 2:10.30, well off her PB of 2:08.00 but still quick given the early season timing of the meet. In the 100 fly, Pash was just .22 seconds off her PB with a 57.85 to take silver behind Maggie Mac Neil.
Pash clocked a quick 1:58.26 200 free split to help the US win the 800 free relay. She also split 57.62 on the victorious 400 medley relay.
