Kelly Nordel, who served as an assistant coach and associate head coach at Nebraska for 14 years, joined the Iowa State swimming team as an assistant coach in June of 2008. In June 2010, Nordell was promoted to assistant head coach.
A University of Arizona alum, Nordell served as the head coach of the Des Moines Swimming Federation from 2001-08, developing the top Senior Girl’s program in the state and rejuvenating girl’s swimming in Central Iowa. In 2007, Nordell coached two of the fastest 17-18 year old female sprinters in the country.
Prior to joining the Des Moines Swimming Federation, Nordell served as an assistant coach and associate head coach at Nebraska from 1988-2001. She coached 24 NCAA All-Americans and 34 conference champions while six of her swimmers posted times that ranked in the top-100 in the world. Her swimmers also earned CoSIDA Academic All-American recognition four times.
From 1994-98, Nordell was head coach of the USS/YMCA Swim Team in Lincoln, Neb., where she transformed a recreation team into a state championship squad. She was instrumental in increasing the team membership by 100 percent.
Nordell was a three-time NCAA qualifier at Arizona and team captain during the 1984-85 campaign. Nordell specialized in middle distance events while swimming for the Wildcats.
Nordell is the daughter of Dallas Long, who earned a gold medal in the shot put at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and a bronze medal in 1960 in Rome. Nordell resides in Urbandale with her husband, Robert, and three children, RJ (13), Emma (11) and Peter (9).
