After 31 years as the head coach of track and field at Idaho State University, Dave Nielsen is coming out of retirement to join the Eastern Washington University track and field staff as the jumps and multi-events coach. Nielson retired as a head coach in Pocatello, Idaho in March 2016.

He led the ISU men's indoor team to Big Sky Conference championships in 1997, 1998, 2005 and 2006. After that, he also coached the women to their first title during the 2007 outdoor season.

During his time at Idaho State, Nielsen helped coached 21 athletes to All-America status along with 403 athletes earning All-Conference Big Sky honors. He also was a part of 172 athletes winning Big Sky and 45 athletes advancing to the NCAA Championships.

"We are thrilled to have Dave joining our staff," said men's head coach Stan Kerr. "Dave will bring a resourceful and diverse history of track and field to our EWU program. He is an innovator, coached a gold medalist in the 2000 Sydney Games and will be inheriting a talented group of athletes who will enjoy getting to know him and vice versa."

One of the ISU student-athletes he coached was Amber Welty, who was the first ISU athlete to ever win a NCAA National Championship. She had a winning mark at 6-3 1/2 in the high jump back in 1988. She later went on to qualify for the Olympics in 1992.

Another athlete that had major success from Nielsen was Stacy Dragila. Nielsen started her in the pole vault event because of a hunch he had. His instincts were right as Dragila eventually went on to win a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

"It is going to be a real honor to be able to work with Dave," said women's head coach Marcia Mecklenburg. "One of the things I really like about Coach Nielsen is that he was a pioneer in the development of the women's pole vault, hammer and weight throw. His women athletes were vaulting and throwing before the USATF and NCAA added those events to track and field."

Nielsen was named the Nike Coach of the Year for Track and Field back in 2000. He was also named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year in 1998, 1997, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Back in January 2014, he was also inducted to the National Pole Vault Hall of Fame.

"I feel Dave is one of those individuals who make our track and field program, athletic department and university better because of who he is," Kerr added. "We are fortunate to have him and I can't wait to start coaching with him."

Originally from Iowa, Nielsen graduated from the University of Iowa in 1978 and obtained his master's degree from Idaho State University in 1981. He had his first position at the University of Wisconsin as an assistant women's track and field coach in 1982 for one year before moving to Pocatello in 1983. He started out as the women's head coach until 1985 when he became the head coach of the whole track and field program. While being a coach, he also has been a physical education and sports science instructor.

Outside of his coaching, Nielsen has had 10 publications that all are related to track and field. Along with writing, he has made four conference presentations, including "Inversion Techniques and Training for the Pole Vault" at the 2008 Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. He also has professional memberships in the USTFCCA (United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association) and in USATF (USA Track and Field). 

"Over the years I have tried to get several of Coach Nielsen's former athletes to Eastern as coaches without success, but now we get Nielsen himself," Mecklenburg said. "I couldn't have asked for a better outcome."