Emily McCombs Frisby was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She graduated from The Hockaday School in 2010, where she began her rowing career as a freshman in 2006. Her lightweight double was the first Hockaday boat to qualify for Youth Nationals in 2009. After graduating from Hockaday, she attended and rowed for Southern Methodist University, where she received her Bachelors of Science in Applied Physiology and Sport Management. As a competitive athlete on her high school and college rowing teams, Emily developed an interest in physical medicine, which took her towards the path of achieving her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at UT Southwestern. Emily still competes in rowing competitions today, and when she is not on the water, she is either jogging or biking around White Rock Lake as she prepares for endurance cycling events.