Rick West

West rejoins the Cardinals after serving as an assistant coach for the University of Pittsburgh in 2003-2004 and from Duquesne University, where he served as the head coach of the men’s swimming team in 2002-03. Over the past three seasons, West has been coaching United States Swimming Club teams in Southeast Ohio before relocating back to the Ohio Valley.

As assistant coach for the Panthers, West assisted in coaching of the Pittsburgh’s 8th consecutive Big East Title, the 19th in 22 years. West helped to coach the University of Pittsburgh Men’s Swimming Team in 2003 to the most dual meet wins in the University’s history while the Women’s team achieved the first winning dual meet record in four seasons. He was responsible for scouting talent and recruitment of student athletes and also assisted with the management of Team Pittsburgh. As a coach for Team Pittsburgh, West coordinated one of the largest age-group invitational meets in the nation, hosting more than 1200 athletes.

As head coach of the Dukes, he coached the first ever Atlantic 10 champion swimmer in the program’s 26-year history and directed the organization, training, compliance, budgeting and recruiting for the team. Prior to his work with Duquesne, West was an assistant men’s swimming coach for Ohio State during the summer of 2002. He was responsible for coordinating the Buckeyes’ recruiting effort, including contacting prospects, developing interest and scouting talent.

West served as an assistant coach at WJU for the 2000-01 season and was promoted to head coach and aquatics director the following year. As head coach, he was responsible for the organization and recruiting of the top 25 NCAA Division II swimming program at WJU and coached the men’s team to an 11-3 dual meet record and a first-place finish in the Bluegrass Mountain/West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships. Five of his athletes qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships and four earned All-America status. For his efforts, West was named the Bluegrass Mountain/WVIAC Coach of the Year. While at WJU, West also had the honor of serving as a visiting coach for the Jamaican National Swim Team in Kingston, Jamaica.

West was also a head men’s and women’s swimming coach at Steubenville High School in Steubenville, Ohio from 1996-2000. There, he continued the development of the teams then fledgling program and earned a record of 94-16 in dual meet competition. His teams won five Ohio Valley Conference titles and 49 of his athletes qualified for the district meet. He also instructed eight Academic All-Americans at Steubenville.

In addition to his coaching experience, West has volunteered at many youth swimming programs and has been both a head coach and assistant coach for various YMCA club teams in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The most notable of these teams being the JB Chambers YMCA/Cardinal Aquatics program in Wheeling, the Marietta Family YMCA and the YMCA of Steubenville, Ohio.

West is a native of Moundsville, W.Va. He graduated from John Marshall High School and West Liberty State College. He and his wife, Carrie, have two daughters, Carleigh (8) and Sydney (7) and is expecting the birth of their first son later this week.

Nikki Rose

Nicole Rose begins her first season as assistant coach of the Cardinals.

Rose knows Wheeling Jesuit inside and out being a 2004 graduate of the University with a degree in English and a 4 year member of the swimming team.

In 2004, she was team captain of the Cardinal women’s team. While at WJU she worked with the special Olympics swimming program in both Ohio and West Virginia. In addition, she taught learn-to-swim programs locally and served as a coach with Cardinal Aquatics and Steubenville Stingrays club programs.

In 2006, Rose served as a teacher of American Literature at Staunton River High School and also was head coach of their swim team. While at Staunton River, her team broke ten school records and the girls recorded a third place finish at the District Level Meet, their highest finish in the history of the team.

Her college coaching experience includes working as an assistant coach to collegiate swimming camps at Wheeling Jesuit University under coach Rick West, California University of Pennsylvania under coach Ed Denny and at the University of Texas with Longhorns coach Eddie Reese.