In 2014, Manuel became a student at Stanford and a member of the Stanford Cardinal women's swimming team. While breaking records in the pool, Manuel also majored in communications and took a variety of classes, studying everything from genealogy to nuclear energy to Swahili.
Though she turned pro soon after graduating from Stanford, Manuel told ESPN in March 2018 that she wanted to pursue communications in the future. "I'm really interested in marketing and advertising. Or maybe being a broadcast journalist or commentator," she said. "I don't know how I feel about commentating. Rowdy Gaines, who commentates, feels like I should try my hand at it." While her future in broadcasting remains unclear, Manuel is now a cofounder of Togxther, a media platform dedicated to women's sports.