Augustana has announced the addition of Taylor Nelson to the men’s hockey coaching staff.
Nelson joins the first-year Vikings after spending the past two seasons at UMass Lowell.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Taylor, his wife Claire, and three young children back to the Midwest,” Augustana head coach Garrett Raboin said in a statement. “He has a tremendous reputation as a player, recruiter and developer of talent. His commitment to team, family, and excitement to build make him a tremendous addition to our men’s hockey program.”
Prior to UMass Lowell, Nelson spent four seasons at Canisius serving as the recruiting coordinator. He also saw responsibility for the penalty kill and goaltender development.
A graduate of Ferris State, Nelson was the goaltender for the Bulldogs while helping them to the Frozen Four in 2012 as a senior. He garnered AHCA/CCM All-America First Team honors for the season in which he held a 21-7-3 record, a 2.10 GAA, .924 save percentage and three shutouts.
Following his graduation, he played in 73 professional games, spending time with the ECHL’s San Francisco Bulls and the CHL’s Wichita Thunder.
He then began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Ferris State where he helped with video preparation, goaltending, and scouting reports.
