Men's Indoor Track & Field

Mark Nelson enters his eighth season as the Director of Track & Field/ Cross Country at Central Methodist University and ninth overall in 2018-19. Nelson oversees the development of the sprinters and jumpers during the track season.

Under Nelson, he has guided three national champions, 32 All-Americans, three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and broke over 60 school records. He has been named the Heart of America Athletic Conference Men's Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the year twice.

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.