New York University sophomore Max Nechydyuk packed his entire life into suitcases at 15-years-old and left behind everything he had ever known.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Nechydyuk and his mother were forced to leave their home in search of safety. They originally relocated to Poland, but after a few weeks there, his family once again packed up their bags, this time with their sights set on Massachusetts. 

While Massachusetts is where Nechydyuk began his life in the United States, it was only the first pit stop of three in search of a new home. A lifelong competitive swimmer in Ukraine, Nechydyuk met an American friend through competition who offered him the chance to live in Florida for a couple of months. After a stint in Florida, Nechydyuk packed his bags yet again as his family permanently relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Once the dust settled in their new home, so did Nechydyuk. With a steady schedule and home, he was able to push himself in the pool. He joined SwimMAC Carolina, one of the top swimming clubs in the U.S.  

"I met with really good coaches there and they trained me well," Nechydyuk says. "My times and my results got even better." 

Already a multiple-time Junior National Champion in Ukraine, his time with SwimMAC only continued to develop his skills. Those skills carried him to the swim team at NYU, where he has since become one of the top NCAA Division III swimmers in the country. Named last year's University Athletic Association (UAA) Rookie of the Year, Nechydyuk was the 2025 National Runner-Up in the 400-yard IM at the NCAA Championships. He took third place in the 200-yard breaststroke, and was a top-eight finisher and First Team All-American in four other events.

He will attempt to earn more honors this weekend as the 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships get underway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

While NYU's successful swim program was a draw to the school for Nechydyuk, his decision to attend was largely driven by his desire to be close to his older sister, Kate. She was already working in New York City and Nechydyuk wanted to remain as close as he could to the only family he had left in the United States. His mother moved back to Ukraine at the beginning of Nechydyuk's freshman year, and his father had to remain in Ukraine after the invasion due to Ukraine's martial law. It's the same reason Nechydyuk hasn't returned home since leaving in 2022.
 
Under Ukrainian martial law, men between the ages of 18 and 60 can't leave the country in case they need to serve in the military. Nechydyuk was only 15 when he left, so he was able to flee to the United States, but if he were to return to Ukraine now, he wouldn't be able to leave. Staying close to his sister has allowed Nechydyuk to have the support of his family.

"I know that for now I can't come home and see my family, but me and my sister are supporting each other," he reflects. "For now we're working on ourselves and creating a future because only we can do it."

While Nechydyuk is creating his bright future here, it was initially very difficult for him to grapple with the war happening in his home. It's a time of uncertainty in Ukraine, and it's even more uncertain for Nechydyuk considering he isn't seeing what's happening himself. 

"Being outside of Ukraine, you can overthink a lot, which adds up. Every day you're stressed that your family can be in danger and that a missile can strike them anytime," Nechydyuk says. "There's a lot of thoughts, not just about my family, but all the people in Ukraine who are living this every day. I just hope that it's going to stop soon and that people are going to be safe."

As Nechydyuk has settled into his life in New York, he's turned to the Ukrainian community at NYU to feel connected to his hometown and to educate others about Ukrainian culture. He became Vice President of the NYU Ukrainian Club this year, connecting with his culture and finding his community. 

"We're trying to give people a small understanding of what Ukraine is through this club," Nechydyuk says. "We're just trying to engage with more people and unite the Ukrainians here. The city is big and it's hard to find each other, so we want the club to do that."

Nechydyuk has utilized the Ukrainian Club to teach others about his own culture, but he's also utilized his teammates and swimming to learn about the culture of the United States. The relationships with his teammates helped ease his transition to both the United States and NYU. 

"They pushed me to explore new things, new places, and even start telling local jokes," Nechydyuk says. "When you're always in the pool and you hear English and what people are saying overall, you just get to know the country and learn it quickly." 

While his teammates helped Nechydyuk learn about the United States, this didn't eliminate an adjustment period. He especially noticed cultural differences when it came to his training for swimming. Nechydyuk says his training in Ukraine focused solely on volume. He says he was swimming 12-16 kilometers a day, six days a week. 

"With all the volume I was doing in Ukraine, I was ready to quit," he says. "I was really bored. It was two hours per practice of just straight swimming."

However, when Nechydyuck began training in the United States, he says his coaches focused more on strength training and explosiveness, which he feels is a better system. 

"We do a lot of exercises outside of the pool like dryland and weightlifting which helps in the water afterwards,"  Nechydyuk says. "There's less volume, but it's more efficient. I'm getting better results quicker."

Those better results helped Nechydyuk serve as a crucial piece of the puzzle in the Violets' fourth-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships. He wants to build off the momentum from his freshman season in which the key to success was trusting his preparation. 

"If you know you trained well, you're already prepared," Nechydyuk explains. "Before the race I tell myself, I trained all season. Let's just show it to the world right now."

Nechydyuk also emphasizes consistency, focusing on maintaining a positive mindset and keeping his head clear. He feels that the more positive his thoughts, the better his performance. 

As Nechydyuk reflects on his journey from Ukraine to the United States, swimming was always the constant. He can't recall a time that he wasn't a swimmer because there really isn't one. Nechydyuk began swimming at age five and never looked back. It's taken him to new countries and has brought a sense of accomplishment and purpose into his life. 

He's built his skills in the pool and while his success is admirable, what's even more admirable is his ability to build a new life for himself. It's a life he can be proud of as he waits for his opportunity to return home and get to share it with his family.