Eric Nelson, a three-sport athlete from Madison East High School, came to MATC in 1985. In his first year at MATC, Eric was busy, competing in three sports: basketball, tennis, and golf.
On the basketball floor, the scrappy 6’1” guard was a standout player for the 1985-86 and 1986-87 men’s basketball teams. Eric, led this team in assists that first season with 177, averaging more than 5 per game. That season mark currently ranks him third all-time in school history. In addition to his assists, his willingness to give everything he had on every play made him an easy choice for the 1985-86 Assist/Hustle Award. His hustle and unselfishness helped to guide the team to their school’s first and only national tournament berth. “Eric was one of the toughest competitors I ever coached. He would literally leave it all on the court day in and day out. He was an unselfish player and a great leader for us on and off the court,” said Jack Brenegan, former men’s basketball coach and athletic director at MATC.
In tennis, he picked up where he left off in basketball, guiding the Tennis team to their finest season record in the school’s history. In the process, the team won the Region XIII championship and advanced to the National Tournament for the first time. Eric received team MVP honors while claiming conference and state titles in singles and doubles competition. He also qualified for the national tournament in doubles competition with a Region XIII championship victory.
After a phenomenal first year, Eric continued to do the things that made him successful in his first season. He again led the basketball team in assists and received the assist & hustle award for the second straight year. His two-year total of 335 assists made him MATC’s all-time career assists leader, a record he still holds today, by over 100 assists. In tennis, Eric was named team co-captain and claimed singles and doubles conference titles and won a second straight state singles title. “Eric practiced and played hard all the time. His tenacity and his will to win pushed him and the individuals around him to be better,” said Chris Page, MATC head tennis coach.
Eric excelled off the floor, as well, earning WTCC All-Academic and All-State honors in each of the three sports he competed in.
Eric transferred to Edgewood College in 1986 where he continued to excel athletically while receiving his degree in Math Education in 1990. In 1998, he earned his masters degree in Educational Administration. Since 1990, he has coached and taught in the Madison schools. In 1993, he took over as head coach at La Follette High School. The two-time Big Eight Coach of the year and the 2002 WBCA Coach of the year, led his team to the Division 1 WIAA State Tournament this season. With his teams playing with the same gritty, tough attitude he played with, the La Follette Lancers claimed their first WIAA Division 1 state title since 1982.
Eric currently lives with his wife Cathy and three children, Taylor, Lexus, and Caden in Cottage Grove.
