Nelson Selected NABC Division III Player of The Year

Reggie Minton '63, former head coach of the Air Force Academy and current associate executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, poses with 2002-03 NCAA Div. III Player of the Year Bryan Nelson at the NABC Awards Show, held in New Orleans in early April. (photo by Greg Nelson)

Nelson will be honored, along with the Div. I and Div. II Players of the Year, this Sunday, April 6, at the annual NABC Awards Show, which will be held at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans, La., in conjunction with the Div. I "Final Four" weekend. Included in Nelson's trip are tickets to Saturday's Div. I national semifinal games between Marquette and Kansas, and Syracuse and Texas.

Joining Nelson in New Orleans will be Wooster head coach Steve Moore and his parents Greg and Denise Nelson, and Mary Nelson.

"To be chosen Player of the Year in the nation is just a tremendous honor," Moore stated. "Once again (along with all of his other honors), we believe that Bryan is very deserving of this prestigious award.

The 6-4, 230-pound forward also was selected the NABC Great Lakes District Player of the Year, which automatically includes his listing on the coaches organization's All-America First Team, and the North Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year for his efforts this season.

Nelson's scoring average in 2002-03 was the most by a Wooster player since 1970-71, and maybe the most impressive part of his game was the fact that he stayed within the team concept of a balanced scoring offense. Witness his .644 field-goal percentage (221-of-343) and .885 free throw percentage (193-of-218), which made Nelson the league leader in both categories - first to do so in NCAC history - and put him as the only player in the top-20 in the nation in each category.

Nelson's season also will go down in the Scot record books, as the second-most for total points (645), fifth-highest scoring average, third-most field goals made (221), and third-highest field-goal percentage, as well as rank him No. 1 in free throws made (193), and fourth in free throw percentage.

Other statistical notes of interest include Nelson leading the team in scoring 22 times and in rebounding in 24 of his 29 games played. He also totaled 59 assists, 37 steals, and 10 blocked shots.

Nelson managed to accomplish all of that, despite being hampered by two separate leg injuries during the season, and saved his best for last. During Wooster's five-game NCAA Tournament run, Nelson averaged 23.4 points on 37-of-55 field goals (.673) and 43-of-46 free throws (.935) and 10.6 boards. He was tagged with sectional MVP honors after combining for 45 points and 29 rebounds during the "Sweet 16" and "Elite Eight" victories, and followed that up by going for 29 points in both the national semifinal and consolation games while playing with a severe injury to earn All-"Final Four" Team mention.

"To accomplish what he did, (especially) in the 'Final Four' with his badly sprained ankle, is not only a credit to his outstanding playing ability, but his fierce competitiveness."

Also noteworthy, Nelson joins "W" Association Hall-of-Famer Ian Banda, a men's soccer player from 1987-90, as the only two athletes in Wooster history to earn a national Player-of-the-Year award. Banda was the Intercollegiate Soccer Association of America's choice for the NCAA Div. III Player of the Year in 1990.

Moore concurred, "This honor is confirmation of Bryan Nelson being one of the very best athletes ever at the College of Wooster."

For his career, Nelson finishes as a four-time all-conference player, including first-team recognition each of the last three seasons, and as a three-time all-district honoree (first-team in 2002-03 and 2001-02 and second-team in 2000-01). He totaled 1957 points - second in school history and third in NCAC annals - and 961 rebounds - third in conference history and fourth-most by a Scot.

The only player in the NCAC to reach 1800 points and 900 rebounds, Nelson ends up ranked fifth at Wooster in career scoring average (17.3 ppg), No. 2 in field goals made (709), No. 4 in field-goal percentage (.601), No. 2 in free throws made (498), No. 5 in free throw percentage (.825), No. 4 in rebounding (961), No. 4 in steals (149), and tied for fourth in games played (113).