Biola Athletics announced Rick Nordell as its first head men's water polo coach in May 2020. Nordell began his time at 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. Fall 2024 is Nordell's fourth season as the Eagles' head coach.
"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."
| Nordell's Record at Biola |
Year
2021
2022
2023
TOTAL |
Overall
3-22
15-17
21-13
39-52
(.428) |
Conference
0-8 (9th)
1-7 (8th)
4-0 (1st)
5-15
(.250) |
Playoffs
-
-
WWPA Champs, Trip to Nationals |
Throughout Nordell's career as the Biola men's water polo head coach, he has instructed two ACWPC Division II All-Americans, two WWPA All-Conference picks and seven WWPA All-Academic selections.
Fall 2021 was the Biola Men's Water Polo Program's inaugural season led by their inaugural head coach, Nordell. The team's first season in program history was a learning experience where the Eagles saw improvement throughout the Fall. Biola closed out the year with a 3-22 overall record and an eighth-place WWPA Championship finish, one slot better than their seeding. The Eagles' began the conference championships with a 10-9 first round revenge-win against Fresno Pacific who beat them 16-6 early in the season and then suffered two competitive losses to top-seeded teams.
Nordell had two athletes (Kenny Wulf and Mitchell Carpenter) earn national recognition on the 2021 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-America teams. Wulf led the Eagles in scoring with 42 goals and Carpenter led in saves with 251. Wulf and Carpenter were also selected as All-Conference. Wulf was a WWPA Honorable Mention and Carpenter secured his spot on the conference All-Freshman team.
In year two, the Biola men's water polo made a significant jump forward. The group tallied 15 wins in 2022, including a victory over NCAA DI LIU. 20 times during the season the Eagles piled on double-digit goals and ultimately ended the regular season with a four game winning streak. The final game of the year for Biola was a win over Concordia in the WWPA Tournament. A combination of five conference and national awards were handed to Eagles on top of 26 academic honors.
The 2023 campaign marked a turning point for Biola, as the young program reached new heights. BU went undefeated in conference play and entered the postseason WWPA tournament as the top seed in the west. The Eagles took care of business and earned the WWPA crown with an 18-12 win over Concordia. The conference title earned the Eagles their first trip to the National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championships. BU took on UCLA in the first round and put up seven goals.
Nordell added some hardware in 2023 being named WWPA Coach of the Year and ACWPC DII Coach of the Year. The BU squad pulled in plenty of accolades as well, with Nolan Rapp earning the ACPWC DII Player of the Year honor along with three ACWPC DII All-Americans and four All-WWPA selections.
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.
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.
Coach Nordell and his wife of 30 years, Karen, have made their home in Visalia. Together, they have three grown children, Seth, Sawyer and Kallyn.
