Brett Nelson (born October 22, 1980)
Current position: Assistant men’s basketball coach
Current team: UMass Minutemen (Head coach: Frank Martin)
Current conference: Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10)
Teams coached: Holy Cross Crusaders
Holy Cross record: 27-84 (.243)
Overall record: 27-84 (.243)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 2023-present | UMass (asst) |
| 2019-2023 | Holy Cross |
| 2017-2019 | Marquette (assoc. HC) |
| 2014-2017 | Marquette (asst) |
| 2013-2014 | Ball State (assoc. HC) |
| 2011-2013 | Drake (asst) |
| 2010-2011 | Arkansas (asst) |
| 2007-2010 | Marshall (asst) |
| 2006-2007 | VCU (DBO) |
| 2005-2006 | Colorado State (DBO) |
Brett Nelson Facts
- James Brett Nelson
- Born October 22, 1980
- Hometown: St. Albans, West Virginia
- Alma Mater: University of Florida (BS, 2004)
- A McDonald’s All-American out of St. Albans HS (WV), Nelson played four years for Billy Donovan at Florida
- Went to four NCAA Tournaments and was part of the Gators’ 2000 NCAA Runner-up finish
- Was Honorable Mention AP All-American in 2000-01 and was twice named All-SEC
- Started his coaching career as DBO for one season each at Colorado State (under Dale Layer) and VCU (under Anthony Grant)
- Returned to his home state in 2007, spending three years on Donnie Jones‘ staff at Marshall
- Spent one year at Arkansas assisting John Pelphrey, then two at Drake working under Edward Phelps
- Hired by James Whitford in 2013 to be associate head coach at Ball State
- Longest tenure thus far was a five-season stint working for Steve Wojciechowski at Marquette
- Spent three seasons as an assistant and two as associate head coach
- Was a part of two NCAA Tournaments and one NIT with the Golden Eagles
- Hired in July 2019 to be the head coach at Holy Cross, his first head coaching opportunity
- In four seasons at the helm, he was 27-84 overall; Nelson was fired in March 2023
- Joined Frank Martin‘s staff at UMass as an assistant coach in May 2023
- Along with his wife, Jamie, has one son
Brett Nelson Coaching Tree
- Sam Ferry (Rhode Island College)
