Eastern Washington University Athletics

Dave Nielsen is entering his fourth season in 2020-21 as the jumps and multi-events coach at Eastern Washington University.

After 31 years as the head coach of track and field at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho, Nielsen came out of retirement to join the EWU track and field staff for the 2017-18 season. Nielsen had originally retired at ISU in March 2016, and was inducted into the school's athletics Hall of Fame on Feb. 22, 2020. A week later, he coached a pair of Eagles to Big Sky Conference titles and a third all-conference performance (top three placing).

That meet took place at Idaho State's Holt Arena, where Nielsen coached for most of his career. Senior Grant Shurtliff won the title in the heptathlon, and Keshun McGee won the triple jump and placed third in the long jump.

The 2018-19 season was an even bigger year for McGee, as Nielsen helped him advance to the NCAA Division I Championships in both the long jump and triple jump. The quest for McGee to become the school’s first men’s All-American in track and field in 18 years came up two places short on June 7, 2019, when he placed 18th in the triple jump at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas. McGee’s best jump was 51-9, just 3 3/4 inches from 16th and earning second team All-America honors.

McGee made his NCAA Championships debut two days earlier in the long jump and fouled on all three jumps. McGee advanced to the NCAA Championships in the triple jump by placing sixth overall with a personal-best mark of 52-4 3/4 at the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Sacramento, Calif., on May 25. Two days earlier in the same meet, he placed eighth in the long jump with a mark of 25-1 1/4 to punch his first ticket to the final 24.

The winner of six of the last eight Big Sky Conference triple jump and long jump titles, McGee has won an EWU record seven Big Sky titles. He won the long jump and triple jump at the 2019 Big Sky Conference Championships to give him a 4-of-4 sweep of jumping titles indoors and outdoors in 2019. His school-record 25-4 1/2 effort helped him win the long jump outdoors, and he also won the long jump and triple jump at the indoor championships. His winning long jump of 25-6 indoors set a new EWU school record.

Including the eight all-conference accolades won by McGee and Shurtliff's hepthatlon title, Nielsen has coached EWU athletes to a total of 12 top three finishes at league championship meets since his arrival for the 2017-18 school year. Dominique Butler was third in the triple jump outdoors (39-7) as well as indoors (39-8 3/4) for the women in 2019, and Bobby Say was third in the triple jump (48-3 1/2) at the men's outdoor championships in 2019.

During the 2017-18 season, Nielsen coached McGee to a first-place finish in the long jump at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships with a mark of 24-10 1/2. This marked the first time an EWU athlete earned a title in the outdoor event. McGee also took second in the triple jump at the championships with a mark of 51-6 1/4.

Prior to his arrival at EWU, Nielsen 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.

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.

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).