Mike Nelson begins his second season as the head coach of the Billiken cross country and track and field programs. He was hired as the cross country coach during the summer of 2005. After his first season with the cross country team, Nelson founded the track and field program at the University in time to participate in the Spring 2006 track and field season. Nelson made an immediate impact with the Billikens, signing numerous high-quality student-athletes. The Billikens had nine runners named to the Atlantic 10 Fall 2005 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll. In addition, Mat Stuber was named to the A-10 All-Academic Cross Country team. Under Nelson's guidance, two Billikens recorded top-five individual performance times, including Steve Vargas, who had the fourth-best 8K time in school history. Before arriving at SLU, Nelson spent two years as a graduate assistant for the Emporia State University cross country and track and field teams. He also worked with ESU's distance runners on the track and field team and served as the recruiting coordinator for the squads. Nelson helped lead the Emporia State men to a second place finish in the 2004 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Cross Country Championships. His student-athletes won the men's 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter runs at the 2005 MIAA Outdoor Championships as ESU finished second in the team standings by one point. Nelson coached women's school-record holders in the distance medley relay, the indoor 1,000 meter and a national qualifier in the 1,500. A 2003 graduate of Truman State University, Nelson was a four-time All-MIAA performer for the Bulldogs. He competed in the NCAA Division II cross country national championships as a junior and senior and led his team to two top 10 finishes at the national meet. He helped lead Truman State to the 2001 MIAA Conference cross country team championship and was team captain his senior year. Nelson graduated cum laude from TSU with a degree in exercise science. He recently earned his master's degree in health and physical education from Emporia State. Nelson is a member of the United States Track and Field / Cross Country Coaches Association and the USA Track and Field Association. He is a USATF Level II certified coach in endurance events. Nelson is an experienced road runner and has completed five marathons. He is a St. Louis native and graduated from Northwest High School in House Springs, Mo. |
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