BROWNWOOD – November 8, 2017 – Eddie Wayne Nelson, a 1972 Howard Payne University graduate, was recently inducted into the 2017 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
Nelson, who also received an associate degree from Lon Morris Junior College and a master’s degree from Prairie View A&M University, began his career as an assistant coach at HPU. The remaining years of his coaching career were spent as head basketball coach for Bay City High School. He retired from the Bay City Independent School District in 2012. In his 36 years with the district, he led the Bay City Blackcats to 16 district championships, 13 bi-district championships, 12 area championships, five regional championships, six regional finalist appearances, five state appearances, four state semi-finals appearances, one state semi-final championship and, in 1985, one state championship for an overall record of 745-357.
Nelson was 16 times named Coach of the Year and was designated most victorious in a decade for 80 district games in a row. Among numerous other honors, he received a certificate of Special Congressional Recognition and Excellence by the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate.
“Eddie Nelson is a Texas legend,” said Hunter Sims, HPU’s athletic director. “He has been extremely successful throughout his entire career. We are blessed that Coach Nelson is an HPU alumnus. Coach Nelson has represented HPU extremely well as a professional throughout his life.”
Nelson and his wife, Mary Helen, have one daughter, Marcy Wilson (wife of Patrick Wilson), and one granddaughter, Paige Wilson, all of Houston. He is the son of the late Lallie Ray Nelson of Mineral Wells. He is the son-in-law of Ella B. Jones and the late Albert Jones Jr. of Brownwood.
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Cutline: HPU alumnus Eddie Nelson, center, was recently inducted into the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. He is pictured with Troy Drummond, head men’s basketball coach and head golf coach at HPU, and Hunter Sims, HPU’s athletic director.