Olympian Barbara Nwaba has joined the Westmont Track & Field coaching staff ahead of the 2021 season. Nwaba represented the United States at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, placing 12th in the heptathlon. She is a three-time U.S. champion, twice in the heptathlon and once in the indoor pentathlon.
"The addition of Barbara Nwaba to the Warrior Track & Field coaching staff is a boon to the team dynamics," Westmont head coach Russell Smelley said. "Barbara is an accomplished Olympic athlete with a wealth of experiences to share with the team. She is calm in demeanor and delivers training instruction and tips in a professionally assertive manner. I am delighted to have a friend join the staff whose credentials expand the capability of our accomplished coaching staff."
Nwaba is very familiar with the college, having trained with the Santa Barbara Track Club and serving as Youth SBTC Coordinator on Westmont's campus. She was recently married to Tom FitzSimons, who has been a Westmont Track & Field assistant coach since 2016.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Westmont Track & Field coaching staff," Nwaba said. "Westmont has provided a positive environment for me to train as a professional athlete and reach my Olympic dreams. I’m so thankful for the hospitality and support that I have been shown, and I look forward to contributing my strengths and experiences to the team."
A Los Angeles native, Nwaba attended UC Santa Barbara, where she graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in Speech and Hearing Sciences. At UCSB, Nwaba was a four-time NCAA Division I All-American, six-time Big West champion and eight-time All-Big West honoree.
