Honors & Awards
- Five Letters (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Academic All-Big Ten (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
- Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2018, 2020, 2021; Spring 2020, 2022)
- Big Ten Sportsmanship Award (2021)
- Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2022-23 (Senior)
Katelyn Kilpatrick brought leadership and depth to NU's distance corps for her fifth season. She kicked off the year at the SDSU dual, finishing sixth in the 200 freestyle (2:05.43) and the 500 freestyle (5:29.33). At Iowa, Kilpatrick cruised to two more sixth-place finishes with a 5:28.80 in the 500 freestyle and a 10:59.93 in the 1,000 freestyle. She notched a pair of third-place finishes in the intrastate dual with Omaha, clocking a 5:16.18 in the 500 freestyle and a 10:44.01 in the 1,000 freestyle. Kilpatrick's top finish at the mid-season Hawkeye Invite was in the 1,650 freestyle, where she finished ninth in 17:38.46. She wrapped up the dual season finishing fourth in the mile at Rutgers with a 17:28.06 and fifth in the 1,000 freestyle against Illinois with a 10:22.83.
At the Big Ten Championships, Kilpatrick scored in the 1,650 freestyle, touching the wall at 17:16.63 to take 24th.
2021-22 (Senior)
Kilpatrick started out her senior season with a 13th-place finish at the CSCAA Open Water Championships, helping Nebraska to a team victory. At the South Dakota State dual, Kilpatrick placed seventh in the 200 free and ninth in the 100 free. At the Iowa State dual, Kilpatrick provided a runner-up finish in the 1,000 freestyle. Kilpatrick put up another top-five finish in the 1,000 freestyle the following week against Kansas (Nov. 5).
The senior from Ocala, Fla. swam to a 15th-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle at the mid-season Mizzou Invitational (Nov. 17-19). Kilpatrick closed the dual season with a pair of sixth-place finishes in the mile at the Illinois and Rutgers duals. She capped off her senior season at the Big Ten Championships, where she swam a season-best time of 16:53.46 in the 1650 free, while also competing in the 200 and 500 freestyle events.
2020-21 (Junior)
Kilpatrick continued to be a key member of a deep and talented Husker distance freestyle corps in 2020-21. The junior from Ocala, Fla., was Nebraska’s No. 2 performer in the 1,650 free (16:43.49) on her way to a 22nd-place overall finish at the 2021 Big Ten Championships. She added Nebraska’s third-best effort of the season in the 1,000 free (10:08.55, Minnesota Triangular) and the fifth-best time on the team in the 400 IM (5:00.83, Illinois). Kilpatrick also competed in the 500 free (33rd) and 200 free (65th) at the Big Ten Championships. She finished the season with three top-five finishes, all in the 1,000 free. She took third at Iowa, fourth at the Minnesota Triangular and fifth at the home against Illinois. Kilpatrick also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season.
2019-20 (Sophomore)
Kilpatrick was Nebraska’s No. 3 performer in the 1,000 (career-best 10:05.11, Big Ten) and 1,650 free events (16:42.76, Mizzou Invitational) during her sophomore campaign. She added NU’s fourth-best effort for the season in the 500 free (4:53.28, Big Ten). Kilpatrick swam to a 21st-place finish in the 1,650 free at the 2020 Big Ten Championships. During the race, she unleashed a career-best 10:05.11 over the first 1,000 yards. She added a 43rd-place effort in the 500 free at the Big Ten meet, and took 79th in the 200 free in a season-best time of 1:53.07. During the season, Kilpatrick notched seven top-five finishes, including a trio of second-place showings and three more third-place efforts. In the classroom, Kilpatrick earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for the first time in her career.
2018-19 (Freshman)
Kilpatrick enjoyed a solid first season in Lincoln. She had nine top-five finishes, including a victory in the 500 free at the Last Chance Meet and two runner-up showings. Kilpatrick set career bests in the 200 free (1:52.08), 500 free (4:49.08) and 1,650 free (16:35.46 at the Big Ten Championships). A member of several relays, Kilpatrick’s best relay showing came in the 200 free relay (Izzie Murray, Kaylyn Flatt, Kilpatrick, Audrey Coffey) against Northern Iowa with a time of 1:41.57. Kilpatrick competed in the 1,650 free (21st), 500 free (58th) and 200 free (69th) at the Big Ten Championships. In the classroom, Kilpatrick was named to the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in the fall of 2018.
Before Nebraska
Kilpatrick came to Nebraska after producing one of the top distance freestyle careers in the state of Florida in her final two seasons at Vanguard High School. The Florida Class 3A high school state champion in the 500 free as a junior in 2016-17, she added a third-place finish at the state meet as a senior in 2017-18. She was also a three-time Marion County Swimmer of the Year. Kilpatrick competed for Bill Vargo and the Central Florida Marlins. At 2018 Speedo Junior Long Course Nationals, Kilpatrick finished 19th in the 800-meter freestyle (8:58.45) and 32nd in the 1,500-meter free (17:32.15) She was a member of the National Honor Society and was a three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American. In 2015, Kilpatrick finished 32nd in the USA Swimming 5K in a time of 1:10:37.99.
Personal
The daughter of Tracy and Jeff Kilpatrick, Katelyn was born Oct. 7, 2000, in Ocala, Fla. She has an older sister, Christina and an older brother, Brendon, who was a coach at Vanguard High School. A biological systems engineering major, Katelyn earned her bachelor's degree from Nebraska in May of 2023. She was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and was named to the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll five times. She was also a five-time member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team and was honored with the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in 2021. She chose Nebraska over Auburn and Florida State.
Career-Best Times
| Event | Time | Meet (Date) |
| 50 Free | 27.52 | at Omaha (2021) |
| 100 Free | 55.76 | Rutgers (2022) |
| 200 Free | 1:52.08 | Hawkeye Invitational (2018) |
| 500 Free | 4:49.08 | Last Chance Meet (2019) |
| 1,000 Free | 10:05.11 | Big Ten Championships (2020) |
| 1,650 Free | 16:35.46 | Big Ten Championships (2019) |