After five years as Head Coach and Director of Track & Field and Cross Country, Mike Nelson has parted ways with Monmouth to accept the same position at Dartmouth College. Over the course of his five year coaching tenure, Nelson led the Hawks to many accolades on and off the track, while also guiding the Hawks through their transition from The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) to the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA).
In the 2023-24 year alone, both the men and women’s team held cumulative grade point averages over 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, which earned them USTFCCCA All-Academic status.
Since August of 2019, Nelson has seen a total of three conference titles. He led the men to a 2020 Indoor MAAC Championship as well as an outdoor MAAC Championship in 2021, while leading the women to an outdoor 2021 MAAC Championship.
Nelson saw quick success as head coach for the Hawks and in just his first year was named MAAC Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year for the men’s team. His recognition as coach did not end there and he was further named the 2021 men and women’s MAAC Outdoor Track and Field coach of the year, as well as the 2022 MAAC Outdoor and Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year for both men and women’s. In the same year, men and women’s took home the first place spot at the MAAC Championship to close out their final year in the conference.
While Nelson has led numerous athletes to great success, it was the year 2021-22 that Nelson oversaw Sammi Ragenklint who became the first-ever Hawk to qualify for the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. Under Nelson’s coaching, Monmouth has seen 26 new school and freshman records.
In a statement on the Monmouth Athletics Website, Nelson shared, “I want to thank all the student-athletes, fellow coaches, administrators and alums for making my time at Monmouth so special.” Nelson added, “Monmouth gave me a chance to lead the program five years ago, and I will be forever grateful. The Jersey Shore will always hold a special place in mine and my family’s hearts. I look forward to seeing the success of the Hawk programs as they continue to soar in the CAA.”
Damon Godfrey is now the acting head cross country and distance coach and looks to continue the success of this program.
