Dr. Jessica Schulman, Ph.D., RDN of Valencia competed in the 2026 U.S. Masters Swimming Summer National Swim Meet in Sacramento Aug. 7-8, earning two top-10 national championship finishes in long-course-meter competition in the 55-59 age group. This earned her national championship medals in both events, placing sixth in the 100-meter and seventh in the 50-meter breaststroke. With more than 1,400 swimmers participating in the national championships, these results represent a significant achievement on the national U.S. Masters Swimming stage.
Although she was a member of her high school swim team, finding her way back to competitive swimming was a long road for Dr. Schulman. As they say, “life happened,” and she did not swim competitively for more than three decades. This was due in large part to her desire to focus on her two children, and also achieving the many lofty goals she set for herself, in an effort to achieve professional success.
Schulman is a full-time college professor, holding a Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance, which aligns perfectly with her strong desire to set a personal and professional example of healthy lifestyle. She operates a private practice as a Registered Dietitian and Career Counselor and is nearing completion of her MBA in support of her other business interests. She is a certified fitness instructor, she trains a minimum of five days a week and is still a full-time mom. As a result, it took many years before she was able to re-enter the pool competitively 10 years ago, en route to becoming the elite competitive swimmer and Ironman 70.3 triathlete that she is today.
When questioned about her performance at the 2026 Summer Nationals and her athletic lifestyle, Schulman said, “I’ve seen firsthand at these competitions women and men can keep growing stronger as they get older. I’ve watched swimmers get faster throughout their 50s and 60s and continue competing well into their 80s. What’s especially inspiring are the women who continue to challenge themselves, grow stronger together and keep showing up for their team. I believe that combination of training, connection and purpose is one of the best things we can do for lifelong health and longevity.”
Schulman plans to compete at the 2027 USMS Nationals and improve on her impressive performance this year. Additionally, she routinely does interviews and conducts talks on matters related to good health, diet and fitness. She can be contacted [email protected] to coordinate available dates and times.
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