West Virginia University Athletics

Sydney Pickrem enters her second season with the West Virginia University swimming and diving program after head coach Brent MacDonald announced she would join the staff as an assistant men’s and women’s swimming coach in July 2024. 

Pickrem implements practice programs for the swimming and diving program and assists in all recruiting efforts.

Prior to West Virginia

At the 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m), Pickrem represented Team Canada and earned a bronze medal with the 100-meter freestyle relay team. 

Pickrem represented Team Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and previously competed at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

She placed sixth in the women’s 200-meter individual medley and ninth in the 200 breaststroke at the 2024 Olympics. Pickrem won bronze as part of the 4x100 medley relay team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. She was also a finalist in the 200 individual medley, placing sixth.

Most recently at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships, Pickrem earned silver in the 200 IM, and she also took home bronze in the 200 breaststroke and the 4x100 medley relay.
 
In her 2016 Olympic debut, Pickrem placed sixth in the 200 IM and competed in the 400 IM. At the 2017 World Aquatics Championships, Pickrem earned bronze in the 400 IM. She also earned three medals at the world championships in 2019, placing third in the 200 IM, 200 breaststroke and the 4x100 medley relay.
 
Pickrem also chaired the Olympic Program Athlete Council for Swimming Canada. In this role, she advocated for the needs of athletes in the Olympic program.
 
Pickrem competed collegiately at Texas A&M from 2015-2019. As an Aggie, she was an 11-time All-American and was Texas A&M’s Athlete of the Year in 2017 and 2018.
 
As a team, Texas A&M won the SEC conference title from 2016-2019.
 
Pickrem was the SEC Freshman of the Year and an SEC champion in the 400-yard IM in 2016. She won three SEC titles in 2017 (200 breast, 400 IM, 800 freestyle relay) and four SEC titles in 2018 (200 breast, 200 IM, 400 IM, 800 free relay).
 
Pickrem was named SEC Swimmer of the Year for the 2017-18 season and was named First Team All-America after placing third in the 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships.
 
In her sophomore season, Pickrem placed second in the 400 IM, fourth in the 200 IM and fourth in the 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships.
 
In her final season, Pickrem placed third in the 200 IM, second in the 400 IM and second in the 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships.
 
At the time of her graduation, Pickrem held school records in the 200 IM, 400 IM and the 800 free relay.
 
Pickrem is a native of Dunedin, Florida, and graduated from Texas A&M in 2020 with a degree in kinesiology. 
 

Olympics	Event	Finish
2016	200 IM	Sixth
2016	400 IM	12th
2020	200 breaststroke	DNS
2020	200 IM	Sixth
2020	400 IM	DNS
2020	4x200 free relay	Fourth
2020	4x100 medley relay	Third
2024	200 breaststroke	Ninth
2024	200 IM	Sixth