Began at Findlay: August 1, 1997
Coaching Accomplishments
| Category |
Years |
| NCAA DII National Coach of the Year |
2012 |
| NCAA DII Regional Coach of the Year |
2012, 2023 |
| GLIAC Coach of the Year |
2012, 2016 |
NCAA Division II Totals (1997–Present)
| Category |
Total |
| Individual National Champions |
9 |
| Most Outstanding Wrestlers |
1 |
| National Coach of the Year |
1 |
| Regional Coach of the Year |
2 |
| Regional Wrestler of the Year |
3 |
All-Americans & Academic Honors
| Category |
Total Honorees |
| NCAA DII All-Americans (Placers) |
48 |
| NCAA DII Academic All-Americans |
74 |
Team Accomplishments
| Category |
Years |
| G-MAC Team Champions |
2023 |
| GLIAC Team Champions |
2012 |
Conference Totals
| Category |
Total |
| G-MAC Totals |
| Team Championships |
1 |
| Wrestler of the Year |
2 |
| Freshman of the Year |
1 |
| Wrestler of the Meet |
2 |
| All-G-MAC Selections (All Teams & HM Combined) |
31 |
| GLIAC Totals |
| Team Championships |
1 |
| Wrestler of the Year |
2 |
| Coach of the Year |
2 |
| Freshman of the Year |
1 |
| All-GLIAC Selections |
20 |
NAIA Totals (1997–2000)
| Category |
Total |
| Individual National Champions |
4 |
| NAIA All-Americans |
11 |
| NAIA Academic All-Americans |
5 |
Shawn Nelson is entering his 29th season as head coach of the University of Findlay wrestling program during the 2025-26 campaign and has continued to keep the Roughnecks as one of the top small college wrestling programs in the nation.
Nelson is a 2019 inductee into the Jim Koch NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame and in 2020 was awareded the Bob Bubb Coaching Excellence Award by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).
With Nelson as the head coach, the Roughnecks have had nine NCAA Division II national champions and three national champs at the NAIA level. James Wimer (2021), Ben Sergent (2014), Michael Lybarger (2011), Antonio Guerra (2006, 2007), Andy Uhl (2005) and Waylon Lowe (2002, 2003, 2004) all won NCAA Division II titles under Nelson’s leadership while Jimmie Sanfilippo (1999) and Quantres Bates (1998, 1999) won titles in the NAIA.
In 2006, Nelson helped bring the NCAA Division II National Championship to Findlay. The event was the first national championship ever hosted by UF.
Nelson graduated from Penn State in 1994 and is a former NCAA Division I All-American in wrestling. At Penn State, Nelson earned his degree with a Bachelor’s of Science in Administration of Justice. Among his many accomplishments on the mat, Nelson won a championship at the 1993 Michigan Open, finished second at the 1993 Midlands, and placed third at the 1990 Sunkist International Tournament. Other notable accomplishments include finishing fourth in the 126 pound weight class at the NCAA Championships and third at the annual Big Ten Meet. He also ranks among the top all-time at Penn State in career pins and is a former three-time Ohio High School champion for North Royalton High.
His coaching experience has included being a volunteer assistant at Michigan State University during the 1994-95 season, a year that saw the Spartans finish third at the NCAA Division I Nationals. Nelson also travels frequently throughout the Midwest in the off-season to speak at various wrestling camps and clinics.
Nelson resides in Pemberville with his wife Tammy, daughters MacKenna and Karissa, and his stepson, Casey.
