Sophomore swimmer Erin Gemmell returns to the collegiate stage with an Olympic medal in her pocket, swapping the red, white and blue for burnt orange.

Gemmell anchored the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay final for Team USA in July, delivering a strong 1:55.40 split to secure a silver podium alongside Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden and four-time Olympian Katie Ledecky.

“I think relays are a lot more fun,” Gemmell said. “(Relays) are more nerve-wracking and less nerve-wracking at the same time. You’re a little bit worried because other people’s hopes and dreams ride on what you’re doing, but at the same time, you have a lot of help. I’m only a quarter of the relay, so I know that it doesn’t all depend on me.”

Gemmell spent the summer in Austin training for the Olympic Trials, only visiting her home in Maryland for a week right before the games.

“I think what a lot of people who aren’t within the sport of swimming don’t understand is that (the) trials for us are a lot more stressful than the actual Olympics,” Gemmell said. “We’re so good at swimming in the U.S. that once you make the team, you’ve kind of already made it, and then whatever you go on to do at the Olympics is just an add on.”

That confidence has already paid dividends for last season’s Texas swim and dive team. In just one year with the Longhorns, Gemmell secured two individual Big 12 titles in the 100-meter and 500-meter freestyle, earned All-American honors in the 800m freestyle relay and was twice named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. This season, she’s ready to build on that.

“Not that the Olympics are something to get out of the way, but I think last year I was really focused on that, and it didn’t let me enjoy the college season as much,” Gemmell said. “I can focus a lot more on the college season and enjoy getting to spend time with my team.”

In NCAA swimming and diving, points are awarded based on individual finishes, higher placings earning more points for the total team score. 

With each meet hosting a typical eight events and programs traveling double-digit rosters, Gemmell transitions from the sole anchor of a medaling team, to one of many swimmers competing for a collegiate championship. 

“Once you show up to the NCAA, it doesn’t really matter what I do for me, it’s what I can do for the team,” Gemmell said. “It’s a lot more fun to race for something that’s bigger than yourself.”

Beyond the silver medal, the Olympic games instilled a newfound confidence in Gemmell.

“It taught me that — this is going to sound so pessimistic — sometimes things can go right,” Gemmell said. “I’m the kind of person who goes into every scenario expecting it to go the worst it possibly can, 

and I think this summer, having things go the way that I wanted them to, kind of showed that all of the work that I’ve put in isn’t for nothing.”