Coaches
Head Coach: Matthew Wagner
Coach Matt began his coaching career in 2000 as a Lane Instructor for the Huntsville Lakers summer league team. After one season, he became Assistant Coach and then head coach of that same team. Transitioning to USA Swimming, in 2006, he began coaching for the Aggie Swim Club. In 2013, the Huntsville Nadadores Swim Club was formed, and he became head coach of a small but growing team in Huntsville, Texas.
Coach Matt swam competitively in high school and college, and his competitive background extended to competing in marathons, triathlons, and ultra-marathons.
Academically, he received his Master’s degree in Kinesiology from Sam Houston State University and his PhD. in Exercise Science from Texas A&M University. His research focus is primarily in the area of performance improvement in athletics. It was the combination of his coaching career and his research interests that led him to develop a model of performance improvement in swimmers.
Coach Matt and his wife Stacy’s twin children both swam competitively, and their daughter Sierra was a four year swimmer at Eastern Michigan University, where she currently holds the team record in the 50 yard freestyle.
Associate Head Coach: Crusita Nieto
Coach Crusita has been a Lakers coach since 2019. Before that, she was a Lane Instructor for the Lakers from the ages of 13-16. She spent 12 years as a Lakers swimmer and swam 4 years on the Huntsville High School swim team. She's been involved with Nadadores for 11 years as a swimmer and coach.
Crusita graduated with a Kinesiology degree from SHSU in 2023. She is completing her second year of a Master's program for Occupational Therapy at the University of St. Augustine.
When she's not at the pool, she is watching brother Noah play baseball or hanging out with friends.
Assistant Coach: Reece Esser
Coach Reece graduated from Huntsville High School in 2023 and is currently a Junior at Centenary College of Louisiana, majoring in Kinesiology to become a Physical Therapist.
Reece is a student athlete and will be in her 4th and final year on the Centenary Swim Team. She was a Huntsville Laker from 2011-2023. She swam with the Nadadores for 6 years too. This is Reece's 2nd year as Lakers Coach, and she's excited to be back!
Reece enjoys the sun, reading and relaxing with friends!
Assistant Coach: Devon Favela
Coach Devon is in his 1st year at SHSU, studying Criminal Justice. He swam for both the Lakers and Nadadores and was a member of the Huntsville High School Swim Team.
Devon is excited to begin his first year as a Coach with the Lakers!
Assistant Coach: Madison Ledezma
Coach Maddie swam competitively for 9 years and has coached for the lakers since 2022. She loves being on deck and getting to know her swimmers! She's also a hairstylist!
When Maddie is not coaching, she's in the salon, at the gym or spending time with her friends and family.
Assistant Coach: Noah Nieto
Coach Noah was a Laker for 5 years and then, became a full-time baseball player. A Senior at Huntsville High School, he plays for the HHS baseball team and will continue his career next year at Dallas Brookhaven. Noah began coaching with the Huntsville Nadadores in 2024 and is happy to be a part of the Lakers again this year.
Assistant Coach: Kaley Turner
Coach Kailey began her swimming career with the Lakers in 2012. She spent five years with the team and four years with the Nadadores.
Kailey graduated from the University of North Texas in 2025, where she spent three years as a member of the Swim and Dive team. During her Senior season, she earned a bronze medal in the 200 butterfly at the American Athletic Conference championship meet.
She is currently completing her first year of her master’s degree in Sports Management at SHSU. When she’s not at the pool, she enjoys doing CrossFit and spending time with friends.
