Kurt Nielsen is in his 15th season at Nebraska Wesleyan as the horizontal jumps coach. During his first year with the Prairie Wolves, he coached triple jumper Lee Seberger to a NCAA Div. III indoor national championship, and under Nielsen’s guidance, Erin Powell earned All-America status in the long jump and triple jump in five of her seven national meet appearances. In the past 13 years Nielsen has coached nine athletes to a total of 20 All-America awards.
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Last year, Nielsen had two athletes earn All-American status with Garrett Sellhorst at the indoor championships in the triple jump and Malik Morris in the long jump at the outdoor championships.
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In 2011, he coached John Kersenbrock to two All-American awards in the long jump as well as the school record in the outdoor long jump.Â
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In 2009 he was named the Central Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year, marking the second straight season he received the honor. In 2008 he was named as the Central Region Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year.
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Nielsen received a physical education degree from NWU in 1975 and had a stellar track and field career. As an athlete at Nebraska Wesleyan, Nielsen was a 10-time Conference Champion, winning eight high jump titles and two long jump titles. He still holds the both the indoor and outdoor school records in the high jump. In fact, his high jump of 7-2 3/4 in 1973 was the third best in any collegiate division that year and remains the conference outdoor meet record. For his efforts, the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald named Nielsen State College Athlete of the Year. Then, in 1974, he won the NCAA Division III crown in the high jump.
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Nielsen served three years as an assistant track and field coach at Gering High School before returning to Lincoln. He then served 10 years as an assistant and 14 years as the head track and field coach at Northeast High School.
He is now retired from teaching. He and his wife, Becky, have two sons, Justin and Jared.
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