Nike Swim Clinic at Westfield State University

Nodell joins the Owls after years of experience in swimming and diving as he spent the last three years as the head varsity swim coach at Belchertown High School. During his time coaching at Belchertown, Nodell was also an assistant swim coach for Monson Parks and Recreation, training and teaching up to 24 children at a time.

“I am pleased our search for a new coach led us to Coach Matt Nodell” said Nancy Bals, Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Westfield State, who chaired the search committee. “Matt comes to us highly recommended. He is a solid candidate with a strong coaching background, strong values and great communication skills. He will be an asset to our staff and a great addition to our Owl family. I look forward to introducing him to the team and working with him going forward to sustain a successful women’s swimming & diving program.”

Nodell is also a former athlete himself as he was a four-time CSCAA Scholar All-America swimmer for Elms College where he graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management.

Matthew is currently the manager at M&R Transportation LLC in Holyoke, Mass. after being promoted from assistant manager in 2019. He is responsible for the overall growth of the company in terms of customer growth, addition, and relations as well as dispatching and human resources.

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.

Drawing from his athletic journey, John is passionate about pushing swimmers to reach their potential while helping them avoid common pitfalls. Outside the pool, he supports athletics as the Operations and Equipment Assistant at American International College. John is excited to bring his experience and dedication to the Westfield swim team, helping athletes develop both their skills and confidence in a supportive environment.