LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola Athletics announces Rick Nordell as its first head men's water polo coach. Nordell begins his time at Biola later this summer, spending all of 2020-21 training and recruiting to build a team for Biola Men's Water Polo's inaugural season in Fall 2021. Nordell comes to Biola after a 26-year career at Golden West High School. He led the varsity program at GWHS from 1995-2015 and since 2015 has led the South Valley Water Polo Club.

"Coach Nordell is an inspirational leader that we are thrilled to welcome to our staff," said Dr. Bethany Miller, senior director of athletics. "He has a wealth of coaching experience and is passionate about the mission of Biola University. His organizational leadership, water polo expertise and desire to train student-athletes to live for Christ are going to impact many lives as we launch the men's water polo program at Biola University."

"It is exciting to think of building the Biola Water Polo program from the ground floor. I look forward to building a team that will compete with some of the best teams in California and in the nation," said Nordell. "My goal is that we can develop as a team that is well-respected and competitive. It is even more exciting to think of pouring into the spiritual lives of these young men who will play water polo at Biola."

While coaching at Golden West High School Nordell led the Trailblazers to seven league championships and a pair of California Central Section Championships. In 2015, his team was elevated from division 2 to division 1 after winning the 2014 division 2 championship. He proceeded to lead the 2015 team to the central section division 1 championship. They were the first non-Clovis school in 23 years to take the division 1 title.

His team went 22-8 overall that season and defeated Clovis 12-11 in the CIF Central Section Boy's Water Polo Championship match, which was hosted at Clovis High School. His son, Sawyer, was a senior on that championship-winning team. 

In 2015 Nordell was named the Fresno Bee's Water Polo Coach of the Year. In 2016 he earned the Bill Barnett Distinguished Coaching Award from USA Water Polo. He also has distinction as a Tulare County Water Polo Coach of the Year winner and a four-time league coach of the year.

Over his final three years as the coach at Golden West, he led the team to at least the sectional semifinals each year and recorded a 67-21 overall record. He continued to teach at GWHS while transitioning to club coaching. He teaches biology and AP biology.

"Coach Nordell is a proven winner with decades of experience coaching young men to excel in water polo and in life," said Neil Morgan, associate athletic director. "He is an incredible Godly man, whose impact extends well beyond the walls of a pool deck. We are elated to have him building the Biola Men's Water Polo program, as we know his team will reflect the mission, vision and values of the university well."

South Valley Water Polo Club is an organization with local multi-age group water polo teams. Since 2015 Nordell has provided leadership for the club as a board member and coach. He took his 18U team to a third-place finish and his 16U team to a 25th-place finish in the Gold bracket at the international Junior Olympic water polo tournament.


Outside the pool, Nordell launched and facilitated a Young Life club at Hanford High School and Fellowship of Christian Athletes club at GWHS.

He has a history of mentoring young talent with a "coaching tree" with a wide reach. Many of his former assistant coaches went on to be head coaches at other schools in and out of his area. 

"Coach Nordell is a great guy with a lot of energy. He's one of those guys you wish you had more of on your staff," said Tom Buckley, former athletic director at Golden West High School. "He is a guy who builds great relationships, and I know he'll be able to do that with college kids. He will be a great recruiter because of his personality."

Aside from his work at the high school and his club, he's taught classes as an adjunct faculty at Fresno Pacific. He also maintained the school website and athletic website for Golden West.

Nordell is a graduate of Stanislaus State, earning his BA in biological science in 1988. He followed that up with his teaching credential in 1989 and an MA in Education (from Fresno Pacific) in 1996. His time at Fresno Pacific and also Westmont College prepare him well to enter the Biola environment.

He played high school water polo and swam at Turlock High School and then continued his education and competed for two more years at Modesto Junior College.

"I look forward to making Biola University Men's Water Polo a place where young men can develop and hone their skills as athletes and as team players," said Nordell. "They will also be challenged academically and grow spiritually in the richness of community on the Biola campus, to equip them to live a life that impacts the world for Christ.

Nordell will have one full academic year to recruit the first class of student-athletes for Biola Men's Water Polo. The program will play its home matches at SPLASH! Aquatic Center, right across the street from Biola's campus. 

Coach Nordell and his wife of 30 years, Karen, currently reside in Visalia. Together, they have three grown children, Seth, Sawyer and Kallyn. 



He and his family attend Grace Community Church, where he's served multiple three-year terms on the elder board. He also volunteers as a boys small group leader hosting meetings each week on Wednesday nights. He and his wife have hosted GROW groups at their home for over 10 years and also serve on staff for church mission trips and camps.

Nordell officially begins his Biola tenure on July 1. Prospective student-athletes interested in Biola Men's Water Polo shoud fill out the Biola Men's Water Polo Recruiting Questionnaire. Contact information for coach Nordell will be posted on athletics.biola.edu following his start date.