Ania Axas

Ania Axas joins the Westfield State University Swimming & Diving program in her first season as assistant coach, bringing over 16 years of competitive swimming experience to the program.

A former collegiate swimmer at Kenyon College, she specialized in the butterfly and IM events, earning CSCAA Scholar All-American honors and qualifying for the NCAA DIII Championships each year championships were held during her time with the program. Notably, she was part of Kenyon’s national title winning team her junior year (2022). In 2023, she was part of the team’s 400 Medley Relay team which earned first place at the 2023 NCAA championships and finished in 4th place in the 200 butterfly. She was voted team captain by her fellow teammates and awarded Kenyon’s Stephen E. Bennett Memorial Award, which is presented annually to the graduating senior who has consistently supported the Kenyon team in devotion to training and competition.

Before coming to WSU, Axas served as an assistant coach at Hampshire Regional YMCA, where she helped guide swimmers of various age groups to work towards personal and team goals. She is passionate about fostering a team culture built on hard work, accountability, and continuous growth. Outside of the pool, Axas holds degrees in neuroscience and psychology from Kenyon College, as well as an MBA in healthcare management from Fitchburg State University.

When not on deck, Ania enjoys staying active — swimming, running, traveling — & trying new coffee shops. She also currently works as a medical assistant and hopes to pursue a career as a physician assistant.