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George Nelson has served in the USAF Academy Athletic Department since Jan 2000. He is a member of the Athletic Department Senior Staff and directly responsible for day to day leadership of 10 NCAA Division 1 athletic programs to include nearly 280 student athletes and 30 coaches.
He is the decision maker on coaching contracts, program priorities, facility utilization, competition contracts/schedules, budget and revenue generating activities. He works directly with 8 different Division 1 conferences and NCAA Regions to ensure our teams are given the best opportunities to compete at the Division 1 level. He secures funding from multiple sources and oversees implementation of budgets to meet athletic mission requirements for recruiting, team travel, equipment, personnel, facility upkeep and improvements. He also oversees facility utilization requirements for his teams, to include renovation and construction planning for 1 million square feet of indoor space and 150 acres of athletic fields to support NCAA competitions and practices along with intramural, PE and Club activities.
During his time in the department, programs under his leadership have flourished. 7 National Team Championships, 25 Individual National Champions, 180 All Americans, 26 National and conference Coach of the Year awards, 2 NCAA Sportsmanship awards, 251 academic All-Americans. He was a member of the 2010 NCAA Certification Team for the Department’s Diversity plan, receiving top ratings from the NCAA as a blueprint for other Universities to follow. He serves as an athletic department spokesperson and representative to other Academy Mission areas, local community groups, the NCAA, Alumni, donors and parent groups across the country, as well as international visitors and dignitaries. He serves on local school district accountability committees and has forged strong working relationships with the Colorado Springs community to include the Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs Sports Corp, the Chamber of Commerce, and various civic leaders.
He filled duties of the Deputy Athletic Director and the Department Head of Physical Education from January of 2011 to Jan 2014 with oversight of 23 athletic programs and is the only civilian to ever serve in this position.
A graduate of the USAF Academy, Nelson was a four year letter winner and Swimming Team Captain for the Falcons where he specialized in long distance and the Individual Medley. He was a top cadet in physical fitness as a member of the 1000 club. His Air Force leadership career spanned across several highly visible programs such as the B-2 Bomber, the F-22, and F-35 Fighter Aircrafts. He was awarded the Contract Management Division Program Manager of the Year 3 times, Officer of the Year twice, and the “DoD’s Best in Air Force Program Management” in 1998. In 1993 he was nominated for the Air Force’s Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award. He was awarded the Malham M. Wakin Character Leadership Award in 2003.
The past 17 years he has served or is currently serving in a variety of leadership capacities in the Athletic Department to include Director of Athletic Liaison (Dean of Students), Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Champs/Life Skills, Air Force Academy admissions panel, Academic Review Committee (ARC), Sexual Assault Response Committee (SARC), Crisis Action Team (CAT), The Faculty Council and USAF Academy Curriculum Committee.
Nelson recently finished serving on the NCAA Fencing Committee, is currently serving on the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Executive Committee, Mountain West Conference Representative to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) and Executive Committee member, and the Atlantic Hockey Association Executive Committee.
Nelson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Ops Research Management from the United States Air Force Academy and Master of Science degree in Business Management from Troy University. He holds an Academic Appointment of Assistant Professor of Athletics management (2002).
