Purdue opens its new season with the Black & Gold Intrasquad
Purdue Personal Preferences In Her MP3 Player: Jason Aldean
Last Concert She Attended: Lady Gaga
Favorite Actor & Actress: John Cusack & Natalie Portman
Favorite Month of the Year: April
Favorite Holiday: Easter
Favorite Food: Popcorn
Favorite Purdue Building: Boilermaker Aquatic Center
Favorite Big City: Chicago
Unique Travel Locale: St. Malo, France
Country She'd Most Like to Visit: Australia
Enjoyed this Professor's Class: Dr. David Bridges, Biology
Furry Friend: Pete, Vizsla
Other Hobbies/Interests: Photography
2010-11: CSCAA Honorable Mention Scholar All-American... Academic All-Big Ten... McIlrath competed primarily in the 100 breast and 100 fly... her season-best time in the 100 fly (55.06) was best on the team in 2010-11... her season-best times in the 100 (1:02.28, 3rd) and 200 breast (2:21.05, 5th),200 fly (2:10.52, 4th) and 100 free (51.87, 5th) also ranked among the team's top five... her top times in the 100 fly and 100 breast, recorded at the 2011 Big Ten Championships, both rank fourth all-time in program history... also swam the 200 breast at Big Tens but posted her season-best time in that event at the Big Ten Quad... finished second in the C final of the 100 breast at Big Tens... competed in four events at the Purdue Invitational (100 and 200 breast, 100 fly and 200 IM) and SMU Classic (100 and 200 breast, 100 and 200 fly)... qualified for the B final of the 100 breast and fly at the Purdue Invite, finishing second in the 100 breast... was among the eight swimmers selected to travel to Dallas for the SMU Classic in October... competed in the 100 back and 200 IM at the Indiana Intercollegiates... won the team's P2S program core values award.
2009-10: Broke Purdue freshman record and moved to third on program's all-time performance list in 100 breaststroke...clocked time of 1:02.62 during preliminary swim at Big Ten Championships (2/19)...time broke previous record of 1:02.69 recorded in 2000 and bettered NCAA provisional-qualifying standard...scored in 14th place in first conference final after touching wall in 1:02.94...opened collegiate career with five straight top-four placings in 100 breaststroke, including victory in first race at Indiana Intercollegiates (10/10)...also finished second at Miami (10/23), third vs. Notre Dame (11/6), third at Eastern Michigan (11/13) and fourth vs. Northwestern (11/7)...took third in event at Indiana (1/23) and fifth at Big Ten Quad (1/29)...placed sixth in 100 butterfly and swam third leg on third-place 200 medley relay at Indiana Intercollegiates...also finished sixth in 100 butterfly vs. Notre Dame and at Indiana...swam second leg on third-place 200 freestyle relay at Eastern Michigan (11/14)...took second leg on runner-up 400 medley relay vs. Notre Dame and on third-place quartet vs. Northwestern.
Before Purdue: Four-year letterwinner...four-time All-County and All-Conference selection...won four county titles in 100 breaststroke...added 200 IM county crown as freshman...won conference titles in both events in first season...named team's Rookie of the Year...qualified for state championships in 100 breaststroke as sophomore...vote team captain as junior...named team MVP after advancing to state...won county championship in 50 freestyle as senior...qualified for state championships in 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly...finished 10th in 100 breaststroke...voted team captain and named team MVP for second consecutive season...also earned three letters in track and field and two cross-country letters...named to All-County team twice in each sport...won county pole vault championship as freshman...won cross-country Rookie of the Year honors...was named to All-Academic team.
Personal: Full name is Emily Marie McIlrath...born in Crawfordsville, Ind....parents are Robert and Cheryl McIlrath...has one brother, Clinton, and one sister, Monica...is third-generation Purdue student, following grandfather, father and two uncles...majoring in movement and sports sciences.