Brett Nelson is in his fourth season as the head men’s basketball coach at the College of the Holy Cross in 2022-2023.
In each of the last two seasons, the Crusaders have increased both their overall and Patriot League win totals. Holy Cross has also had four All-Patriot League selections and three Patriot League All-Rookie team honorees during Nelson’s three seasons as the head coach. In addition, the Crusaders had a school-record eight Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selections during the 2019-2020 campaign.
The 18th head coach in the history of the program, Nelson joined the Crusaders after spending the previous five seasons on the coaching staff at Marquette University. During his five years at Marquette, including two seasons as associate head coach, Nelson helped the Golden Eagles develop into one of the top programs in the Big East. Marquette posted an overall record of 97-69 during that time, with two trips to the NCAA Tournament and one to the National Invitation Tournament.
In Nelson’s two years as associate head coach at Marquette, the Golden Eagles posted an overall record of 45-24. In 2018-2019, he helped Marquette to an overall record of 24-10, a second place finish in the Big East at 12-6 and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Previously in 2017-2018, the Golden Eagles went 21-14 overall and advanced to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament. Marquette also had success during Nelson’s three seasons as an assistant coach, advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 2016-2017 and winning 20 games in 2015-2016.
Prior to his time at Marquette, Nelson spent one season as the associate head coach at Ball State University in 2013-2014. He was previously an assistant coach at Drake University for two seasons, with the Bulldogs tying for third in the Missouri Valley Conference and advancing to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in 2011-2012.
Before his time at Drake, Nelson was an assistant coach at Arkansas in 2010-2011, helping the Razorbacks to a third-place finish in the SEC Western Division. Prior to that he was an assistant coach at Marshall from 2007-2010, with the Thundering Herd going 24-10 and earning a berth in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in 2009-2010.
Prior to landing his first coaching position, Nelson served as the director of basketball operations at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2006-2007 and Colorado State University in 2005-2006.
Nelson is a 2004 graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He was a three-year starter for the Gators and a member of four NCAA tournament teams, including the 2000 squad that reached the national championship game. At the time of his graduation, Nelson ranked first in school history in three-pointers made (274) and attempted (689), second in steals (198) and 14th in points scored (1,417). He was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection in addition to earning third team All-America honors in 2001. After his collegiate career, Nelson played professionally in Sweden.
A native of St. Albans, W.Va., Nelson now resides in Northbridge, Mass., with his wife, Jamie, and their son, Eli.
