Columbia Masters Swim Team

Karen Fitch

Karen Fitch (formerly Willdermood) began her swim coaching career with Brookland-Cayce High School in 2008. From 2013–2021, Karen served as the head coach for the boys and girls swim team at Ridge View High School. Karen spent two years coaching the Greenview Dolphins year-round team and one year with the Harbison Stingrays. She also coached the Greenview Summer League team for three seasons and Edenwood for one. Karen began swimming for Columbia Masters in 2008. She is currently the Secretary of the South Carolina’s Local Masters Swimming Committee.

Originally from Indiana, Karen attended the University of Kansas for one year before transferring and graduating from Purdue University. She swam Intramurals at Purdue for her sorority Sigma Delta Tau. Karen went on to earn her master’s degree in Sport Management at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

Coach Karen taught middle and high school English and journalism for twelve years. She also spent five years working in youth, collegiate, and Major League Baseball. She is currently Member Services Coordinator at the Charles R. Drew Wellness Center. She is also a content writer for the magazine Southern Paws and Tails. Karen lives in Cayce, where she serves as the Secretary of the Public Safety Foundation. She enjoys swimming, rooting on the Colts and spending time with her husband David and their fur babies.

Josh McDuffie

Dr. Joshua (Josh) McDuffie began his swim coaching career in Knoxville, Tennessee where he spent six years as the head coach for Central High School and three years coaching year-round swimming with University Club. He also spent a year coaching the Prime Time Masters.

Josh began swimming with the Columbia Masters in 2007. That same year he won the Short Course Meters Championship High Point award. In 2023, Josh qualified for the Short Course Yard National Championship in the 50 yard freestyle.

Originally from Tennessee, Josh swam for the University of Rochester for one year before transferring and graduating from University of Tennessee. Josh went on to earn his MBA at Tennessee and his PhD in Geography at the University of South Carolina.

Josh is currently the Director of Technology at Milliken Advisors. Prior, he worked for the State and the Department of Defense as a contractor, earning the South Carolina State Commendation Ribbon and the Commanding General’s Award of Excellence at the US Army Training Center and Fort Jackson.

In his free time, Josh enjoys traveling, boating, volunteering and taking his wife of 18 years and his two daughters to amusement parks.

Nicole Smith

Nicole Smith (formerly Molitor) began her swim coaching career in South Carolina at Lexington High School in 2010. From there she went on to serve as the head coach for Blythewood High School from 2013–2016 and again from 2016–2020. Coach Nicole also spent a year coaching the Columbia YMCA Mudcats and six seasons coaching Summer League with various teams in the city.

Nicole has spent the past four years coaching and swimming for the now former Soda City Swarm at the Jeep Rogers YMCA. She is currently the Chair of the South Carolina’s Local Masters Swimming Committee.

Nicole began swimming Masters in 2008 and in 2022, she broke the South Carolina Masters 50 meter breaststroke record for females 40–44.

Originally from Indiana, Nicole swam for and graduated from the University of Akron, breaking the 200 yard breaststroke record while she was there. She went on to earn her master’s degree from Columbia College.

Nicole currently teaches 8th Grade Language Arts in Kershaw County. In her free time, she enjoys running 5ks, competing in triathlons, reading, and playing cards. She also volunteers at her church. Nicole is a proud Army wife. She and her husband have two boys.