Mark Nelson
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- Year:
- 9
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- Title:
- Head Coach
Mark Nelson will enter his ninth season as the Director of Track & Field/Cross Country at Central Methodist University and 10th overall in 2019-20. Nelson oversees the development of the sprinters and jumpers during the track season.
In 2015, Nelson led his teams to a top 10 finish in the indoor season and coached two Indoor National Champions.
Nelson came to Central Methodist after a 13-year stint as a high school history teacher and coach in Dixon, Ill. During his time at Dixon, he was part of a staff that won six straight conference titles in track and field, and had an eight-year undefeated streak in dual meets.
In addition, Nelson helped coach the boy's cross country teams to the state championship and also led the girl's cross country team to a fourth place finish in 2008.
Prior to that, Nelson coached at Sauk Valley Community College (Ill.), where he had a national top 15 cross country team finish in the NJCAA National Men's Cross Country Championships.
Nelson graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., with a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and History. He earned his Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National-Louis University.
While at Augustana, Nelson competed for the Vikings in the triple jump. In 1996, Nelson earned NCAA D-III All-American honors in the event. He was a three-time national qualifier and five-time all-conference performer in the long jump and triple jump.
Nelson is a USATF Level II certified coach in the jumps.
Nelson lives in Fayette with his wife Colleen and two daughters, Jennifer and Stephanie.
