Taylor Nelson joined the Augustana coaching staff in May of 2023 after spending two seasons at UMass Lowell.
In his second year on the bench, Taylor Nelson helped the Vikings to an 18-13-4 overall record and a 9-5-2 conference record. Augustana secured four nationally ranked wins against Ohama and Colorado College. The squad finished second in the CCHA in penalty kill percentage (.837), second in goals against average (2.14), second in scoring margin (.63) and second in winning percentage (.571). During the season, Augustana had 10 players who garnered CCHA weekly honors, three CCHA monthly awards, and two national monthly awards. Netminder Josh Kotai was named a Mike Richter Award Finalist with a goals against average of 1.92 and a save percentage of .936.
In the inaugural season with Augustana hockey, Nelson helped coach the Vikings to a 12-18-4 record that saw four Vikings sign professional contracts with ECHL teams. During the 2023-24 season, Augustana landed 15 Vikings on the CCHA All-Academic team and four on the CSC At-Large Academic All-District Team.
While at UMass Lowell, he helped the River Hawks advance to the 2022 NCAA Tournament before falling to the eventual national champion Denver.
Prior to UMass Lowell, Nelson spent four seasons on staff at Canisius serving as the recruiting coordinator. He also saw responsibility for the penalty kill and goaltender development.
From 2015-2017, Nelson was an assistant coach for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL where he was once again responsible for the penalty kill and goaltender development. His first season with the Storm, he helped coach the team to the Clark Cup, the trophy awarded to the winner of the league.
Among his protégé's, goalie Jake Kielly signed an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks in 2019. Nelson coached Kielly while he was with the Storm.
A graduate of Ferris State, Nelson was the goalkeeper 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 and a 2.10 GAA.
Following his graduation, he played in 73 professional games, spending time with the San Francisco Bulls of the ECHL and the Wichita Thunder of the CHL.
He then began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Ferris State where he helped with video preparation, goaltending and scouting reports.
Hailing from Regina, Saskatchewan, Nelson and his wife, Claire, have two sons, Suter and Nash, and a daughter, Nori.
