University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics

Newell J. Nelson
Athlete: 1951-1955
    
    Nellie Nelson's interest in sports began to peak at Onalaska High School. The eight-time high school letter winner brought those skills to neighboring La Crosse where he participated in baseball all four years and basketball for two seasons. Nelson excelled in baseball--he was named captain of the '55 squad and hit higher than .300 all four years.

    He received a contract form the Cleveland Indians, but didn't sign. Instead he began a teaching and coaching career that would eventually take him to three school districts--Taylor, Wis., Winnebago, Minn., and West Bend, Wis. Most of his career was spent in West Bend, where he began teaching and coaching in 1963.

    Over the next 27 years, he headed the physical education department from 1966-77 and directed athletics and intramurals from '66-'90. His baseball and basketball teams took numerous conference and regional titles. As skipper from 1966-70, he guided his teams to five regional titles and two state runners-up finishes. Nelson retired in 1990.