2021-22 / AS A FIFTH YEAR
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• CSCAA Scholar All-America (Second Team)
• Academic All-Big Ten
2020-21 / AS A SENIOR
• All-American (3-Meter & Platform)
• NCAA Championships Qualifier (1-Meter, 3-Meter, Platform)
• U.S. Olympic Team Trials Qualifier (3-Meter)
• Big Ten Bronze Medalist (3-Meter)
• Big Ten Medal of Honor
• CSCAA Scholar All-America
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Was at her best on the springboards but also was a championship finalist on the platform at Big Ten and NCAAs Championships
• Purdue's fourth female diver to be a two-time championship finalist and full-fledged All-American in the same year at NCAAs
• One of only 20 divers nationally to qualify for NCAAs in all three events
• Finished among the top 10 in all three diving events at Big Tens for the second year in a row
• Joined Maggie Merriman as Purdue's first female divers to medal at Big Tens in consecutive seasons since 2014 and 2015
• In the championship finals at NCAAs, finished sixth on 3-meter and seventh on platform, leading the way as Purdue had the top-scoring diving team at the women’s national championship meet
• Semifinalist on 3-meter at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials
• Season-best scores included 302.00 on 1-meter (at Wisconsin), 369.90 on 3-meter (at Big Tens) and 286.65 on platform (Senior Day meet)
Moved into eighth place in program history with her career best on 3-meter
• Opted to return for the 2021-22 season thanks to the NCAA's eligibility extensions related to the coronavirus pandemic
• Accounted for a team-high 72 points at Big Tens, winning bronze on 3-meter, finishing fifth on platform and winning the B final on 1-meter
• Has accounted for 255 team points during her career at Big Tens, easily the most of any Boilermaker since the scoring format changed beginning in 2016
• Swept the springboard events in the dual meet win vs. Illinois
• Victorious on 3-meter in the Senior Day meet vs. Indiana, Ohio State and Rutgers
• Runner-up on both springboards at the triple dual with Minnesota and Wisconsin in Madison
2019-20 / AS A JUNIOR
• All-American (Springboard -- Honorary Due to Cancellation of NCAAs)
• Big Ten Diver of the Year
• Big Ten Diver of the Championships & First Team All-Big Ten
• Big Ten Champion & Gold Medalist (3-Meter)
• Big Ten Bronze Medalist (1-Meter)
• CSCAA Scholar All-America
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree
• Big Ten Diver of the Week (Oct. 30, Nov. 27, Jan. 15, Feb. 5)
• Was at her best in the springboard diving events, but also qualified for the platform championship final at the Big Ten Championships
• Season-Best Scores: 310.65 on 1-Meter, 356.75 on 3-Meter, 266.45 on Platform
• Selected as Team MVP
• Durham Brothers Leadership Award recipient
• Finished among the top six in the championship finals of all three diving events at Big Tens, becoming the first Boilermaker to qualify for three championship finals since 2015
• Purdue’s first Big Ten champion and Diver of the Championships since 2014
• Joined Purdue Hall of Famer Carrie McCambridge as (female) Boilermakers to win Big Ten Diver of the Year
• Was in the 3-meter final and in position to qualify for the NCAA Championships when the Zone C Diving Championships were canceled along with NCAAs on March 12
• Accounted for a team-high 83 points at the Big Ten Championships, Purdue’s most since the scoring format changed in 2016; has scored 183 points at Big Tens for her career
• Led the team with nine individual event victories, sweeping the springboard events in dual meets vs. Notre Dame, Tennessee and Michigan State
• Victorious on 3-meter and runner-up on 1-meter at IUPUI’s House of Champions Invitational
• Finished among the top two in all three diving events at the Big Ten Triple Duals, winning on 1-meter
• Semifinalist on 3-meter at USA Diving Winter Nationals
• Selected to serve as a Boiler SAAC team representative during the 2020-21 school year
2018-19 / AS A SOPHOMORE
• Honorable Mention All-American (1-Meter & Platform)
• World University Games Qualifier (3-Meter)
• USA Diving Winter Trials Bronze Medalist (3-Meter)
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• CSCAA Scholar All-America
• NCAA Championships Qualifier (1-Meter, 3-Meter, & Platform)
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Big Ten Diver of the Week (Nov. 7, Jan. 16)
• Competed in all three diving events throughout the season
• Recognized with the team’s Whatever It Takes award for success and resiliency
• Accounted for the team’s top scores of the season on 1-meter (329.32, 6th) and 3-meter (362.85, 8th), moving up the program’s all-time lists
• Season best on platform (311.55) was at the Big Ten Championships; continues to rank seventh all-time in the event
• Qualified for the NCAA Championships in all three diving events, finishing among the top 10 on 1-meter and platform
• At the national championship meet, finished as the runner-up in the consolation finals of 1-meter and platform
• Only Boilermaker to score in two events at NCAAs in 2019
• Finished seventh in the 3-meter prelim at the World University Games but three of the top seven were Americans and only two competitors per country were permitted to advance to the final
• Also represented the U.S. on 3-meter at the FINA Diving Grand Prix in Southern California in April
• Was a 3-meter finalist at the USA Diving Senior Nationals Championships in May
• Finished among the top five in the championship finals of 1-meter (4th) and platform (5th) at Big Tens, accounting for 51 points to rank second on the team
• Victorious on 3-meter at Zones to qualify for NCAAs and also finished fifth on 1-meter and platform
• Led the team with seven individual event victories
• Swept the springboard events in the November triple dual with Tennessee and Wisconsin to win Big Ten Diver of the Week
• Also named Big Ten Diver of the Week after sweeping the springboard events at Michigan State
• Victorious on 3-meter at the Big Ten Triple Duals and Indiana Intercollegiates
• Placed third on 3-meter at the prestigious Texas Hall of Fame Diving Invitational in November
• Represented Purdue in platform diving at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge
2017-18 / AS A FRESHMAN
• NCAA Championships Qualifier (1-Meter & Platform)
• CSCAA Scholar All-America
• Competed in all three diving events throughout the season
• Purdue’s lone diver of 2018 to score in all three events at Big Tens, accounting for 49 team points to rank second on the squad
• Posted her season-best score on platform (320.40) at Big Tens, moving into seventh place in program history
• Posted her season-best score on 1-meter (316.88) at Indiana, moving into 11th place in program history
• Posted her season-best score on 3-meter (295.6) at the Big Ten Triple Duals
• At Big Tens, Placed fifth in the championship final of platform and second in the consolation final of 1-meter
• Qualified for the NCAA Championships via top-10 finishes on 1-meter and platform at Zones
• Placed 17th in the platform prelims at NCAAs, just one spot shy of qualifying for the consolation final
• Won bronze on 1-meter at the USA Diving Senior National Championships in May, advancing as a top-three finisher from the national qualifier round, and was also a finalist on 3-meter
• Co-recipient of the team’s most improved award
• Team’s only diver to score in all three events at the Purdue Invitational, accounting for 30 points via three top-13 finishes
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner for coaches Mike Wright and Debbie Bretscher at L&N STEM Academy in Knoxville
• Won three consecutive Tennessee state titles on 1-meter after finishing as the runner-up as a freshman
• 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials qualifier in 10-meter and 10-meter synchro
• USA Diving Junior Nationals 10-meter synchro national champ in 2017
• Also a Senior Nationals finalist in 2015 and 2016, winning silver in 10-meter synchro at the 2016 Winter Nationals
• Four-year Knox County area champion on 1-meter
• Established a new state record as a junior and city record as a senior
• Multi-year All-American
• Helped L&N STEM win the Knox Area team title and finish fourth at state in both of her upperclassman seasons
• L&N STEM senior of the year and Gryphon award of merit honoree
• Student government president
• National Honor Society
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• CSCAA Scholar All-America (Second Team)
• Academic All-Big Ten
2020-21 / AS A SENIOR
• All-American (3-Meter & Platform)
• NCAA Championships Qualifier (1-Meter, 3-Meter, Platform)
• U.S. Olympic Team Trials Qualifier (3-Meter)
• Big Ten Bronze Medalist (3-Meter)
• Big Ten Medal of Honor
• CSCAA Scholar All-America
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Was at her best on the springboards but also was a championship finalist on the platform at Big Ten and NCAAs Championships
• Purdue's fourth female diver to be a two-time championship finalist and full-fledged All-American in the same year at NCAAs
• One of only 20 divers nationally to qualify for NCAAs in all three events
• Finished among the top 10 in all three diving events at Big Tens for the second year in a row
• Joined Maggie Merriman as Purdue's first female divers to medal at Big Tens in consecutive seasons since 2014 and 2015
• In the championship finals at NCAAs, finished sixth on 3-meter and seventh on platform, leading the way as Purdue had the top-scoring diving team at the women’s national championship meet
• Semifinalist on 3-meter at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials
• Season-best scores included 302.00 on 1-meter (at Wisconsin), 369.90 on 3-meter (at Big Tens) and 286.65 on platform (Senior Day meet)
Moved into eighth place in program history with her career best on 3-meter
• Opted to return for the 2021-22 season thanks to the NCAA's eligibility extensions related to the coronavirus pandemic
• Accounted for a team-high 72 points at Big Tens, winning bronze on 3-meter, finishing fifth on platform and winning the B final on 1-meter
• Has accounted for 255 team points during her career at Big Tens, easily the most of any Boilermaker since the scoring format changed beginning in 2016
• Swept the springboard events in the dual meet win vs. Illinois
• Victorious on 3-meter in the Senior Day meet vs. Indiana, Ohio State and Rutgers
• Runner-up on both springboards at the triple dual with Minnesota and Wisconsin in Madison
2019-20 / AS A JUNIOR
• All-American (Springboard -- Honorary Due to Cancellation of NCAAs)
• Big Ten Diver of the Year
• Big Ten Diver of the Championships & First Team All-Big Ten
• Big Ten Champion & Gold Medalist (3-Meter)
• Big Ten Bronze Medalist (1-Meter)
• CSCAA Scholar All-America
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree
• Big Ten Diver of the Week (Oct. 30, Nov. 27, Jan. 15, Feb. 5)
• Was at her best in the springboard diving events, but also qualified for the platform championship final at the Big Ten Championships
• Season-Best Scores: 310.65 on 1-Meter, 356.75 on 3-Meter, 266.45 on Platform
• Selected as Team MVP
• Durham Brothers Leadership Award recipient
• Finished among the top six in the championship finals of all three diving events at Big Tens, becoming the first Boilermaker to qualify for three championship finals since 2015
• Purdue’s first Big Ten champion and Diver of the Championships since 2014
• Joined Purdue Hall of Famer Carrie McCambridge as (female) Boilermakers to win Big Ten Diver of the Year
• Was in the 3-meter final and in position to qualify for the NCAA Championships when the Zone C Diving Championships were canceled along with NCAAs on March 12
• Accounted for a team-high 83 points at the Big Ten Championships, Purdue’s most since the scoring format changed in 2016; has scored 183 points at Big Tens for her career
• Led the team with nine individual event victories, sweeping the springboard events in dual meets vs. Notre Dame, Tennessee and Michigan State
• Victorious on 3-meter and runner-up on 1-meter at IUPUI’s House of Champions Invitational
• Finished among the top two in all three diving events at the Big Ten Triple Duals, winning on 1-meter
• Semifinalist on 3-meter at USA Diving Winter Nationals
• Selected to serve as a Boiler SAAC team representative during the 2020-21 school year
2018-19 / AS A SOPHOMORE
• Honorable Mention All-American (1-Meter & Platform)
• World University Games Qualifier (3-Meter)
• USA Diving Winter Trials Bronze Medalist (3-Meter)
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• CSCAA Scholar All-America
• NCAA Championships Qualifier (1-Meter, 3-Meter, & Platform)
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Big Ten Diver of the Week (Nov. 7, Jan. 16)
• Competed in all three diving events throughout the season
• Recognized with the team’s Whatever It Takes award for success and resiliency
• Accounted for the team’s top scores of the season on 1-meter (329.32, 6th) and 3-meter (362.85, 8th), moving up the program’s all-time lists
• Season best on platform (311.55) was at the Big Ten Championships; continues to rank seventh all-time in the event
• Qualified for the NCAA Championships in all three diving events, finishing among the top 10 on 1-meter and platform
• At the national championship meet, finished as the runner-up in the consolation finals of 1-meter and platform
• Only Boilermaker to score in two events at NCAAs in 2019
• Finished seventh in the 3-meter prelim at the World University Games but three of the top seven were Americans and only two competitors per country were permitted to advance to the final
• Also represented the U.S. on 3-meter at the FINA Diving Grand Prix in Southern California in April
• Was a 3-meter finalist at the USA Diving Senior Nationals Championships in May
• Finished among the top five in the championship finals of 1-meter (4th) and platform (5th) at Big Tens, accounting for 51 points to rank second on the team
• Victorious on 3-meter at Zones to qualify for NCAAs and also finished fifth on 1-meter and platform
• Led the team with seven individual event victories
• Swept the springboard events in the November triple dual with Tennessee and Wisconsin to win Big Ten Diver of the Week
• Also named Big Ten Diver of the Week after sweeping the springboard events at Michigan State
• Victorious on 3-meter at the Big Ten Triple Duals and Indiana Intercollegiates
• Placed third on 3-meter at the prestigious Texas Hall of Fame Diving Invitational in November
• Represented Purdue in platform diving at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge
2017-18 / AS A FRESHMAN
• NCAA Championships Qualifier (1-Meter & Platform)
• CSCAA Scholar All-America
• Competed in all three diving events throughout the season
• Purdue’s lone diver of 2018 to score in all three events at Big Tens, accounting for 49 team points to rank second on the squad
• Posted her season-best score on platform (320.40) at Big Tens, moving into seventh place in program history
• Posted her season-best score on 1-meter (316.88) at Indiana, moving into 11th place in program history
• Posted her season-best score on 3-meter (295.6) at the Big Ten Triple Duals
• At Big Tens, Placed fifth in the championship final of platform and second in the consolation final of 1-meter
• Qualified for the NCAA Championships via top-10 finishes on 1-meter and platform at Zones
• Placed 17th in the platform prelims at NCAAs, just one spot shy of qualifying for the consolation final
• Won bronze on 1-meter at the USA Diving Senior National Championships in May, advancing as a top-three finisher from the national qualifier round, and was also a finalist on 3-meter
• Co-recipient of the team’s most improved award
• Team’s only diver to score in all three events at the Purdue Invitational, accounting for 30 points via three top-13 finishes
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner for coaches Mike Wright and Debbie Bretscher at L&N STEM Academy in Knoxville
• Won three consecutive Tennessee state titles on 1-meter after finishing as the runner-up as a freshman
• 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials qualifier in 10-meter and 10-meter synchro
• USA Diving Junior Nationals 10-meter synchro national champ in 2017
• Also a Senior Nationals finalist in 2015 and 2016, winning silver in 10-meter synchro at the 2016 Winter Nationals
• Four-year Knox County area champion on 1-meter
• Established a new state record as a junior and city record as a senior
• Multi-year All-American
• Helped L&N STEM win the Knox Area team title and finish fourth at state in both of her upperclassman seasons
• L&N STEM senior of the year and Gryphon award of merit honoree
• Student government president
• National Honor Society
PERSONAL
• Major: General Management
• Full name is Emily Louise Bretscher
• Born in Hartford, Connecticut
• Parents are Nathan and Debbie Bretscher
• Family also includes siblings James, Paul, Laura and Matthew
• Mother was a diver and her father a swimmer at Ohio State
• Brother James is a swimmer at NC State and her brother Paul is a competitive trampolinist
• Uncle Jim McMillan is a Purdue alumnus
• Club Team: Tennessee Diving
• Club Coach: Michael Wright
Purdue Personal Preferences
Favorite Pro Team: Chicago Bears
Favorite Aquatic Center (Other Than Purdue): University of Tennessee
Most Exciting Events to Watch at a College Meet: Relays and Tower
Favorite Marquee Event: Olympics
In Her MP3 Player: United Pursuit
Last Concert She Attended: Need to Breathe
Last Book She Read: Crazy Love
Favorite Multimedia App: Spotify
Favorite Movie to Watch on Team Bus: Miracle
Favorite Super-Heroes: Marvel
Show She Can't Stop Watching: Friends
Favorite Month: December
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Favorite Cuisine: Mexican
Favorite Dessert: Ice Cream
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Water Skiing
Another Sport She Enjoys Playing: Volleyball
Favorite Purdue Building: Wilmeth Active Learning Center
Favorite Purdue Athletic Venue (Besides Aquatic Center): Mackey
Favorite Big City: Nashville
Unique Travel Locale: Leadville, Colorado
Country She'd Like to Visit: Australia
Favorite Thing About the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center: The Diving Well
Best Thing About Being a Boilermaker: The Family Atmosphere
Enjoyed this Professor's Class: Julia Kalish, Business