Nelson Catalina (born December, 1950)
Teams coached: Arkansas State Red Wolves
Arkansas State record: 188-139 (.575)
Overall record: 188-139 (.575)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 4 (1987, 1988, 1989, 1991)
- American South Regular Season Champion: 1 (1991)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
1984-1995 | Arkansas State |
1979-1984 | Arkansas State (asst) |
Nelson Catalina Facts
- Nelson Catalina
- Born December 9, 1950
- Alma Mater: Ouachita Baptist University (BA, 1972)
- Spent five seasons as an assistant at Arkansas State under head coach Marvin Adams
- Took over as head coach in 1984, leading the Indians (now Red Wolves) for the next eleven seasons
- Compiled a 188-139 overall record and won 20+ games four times, reaching the NIT in each of those seasons
- Won the now-defunct American South title in 1991 before the program moved to the Sun Belt the following year
- Fired in 1995 amidst unrest amongst his players; replaced by his assistant, Dickey Nutt
- Did not seek out further coaching jobs after that, working instead in the securities business
- Inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2010; later served on the Hall’s Board of Directors
Nelson Catalina Coaching Tree
- Leighton McCrary (Grand Canyon)
- Dickey Nutt (Southeast Missouri State, Arkansas State)