TCL Brazos Valley Bombers

Bombers Welcome Back Champion Manager

Published on January 29, 2024 under Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
Brazos Valley Bombers News Release


The Bombers are thrilled to announce that Brian Nelson, the former Manager of the Year and TCL Champion, is returning to the Brazos Valley

Bryan-College Station, TX - The Bombers are thrilled to announce that Brian Nelson, the former Manager of the Year and TCL Champion, is returning to the Brazos Valley and will lead the Bombers into the organization's 18th season. Along with returning to the manager position, Coach Nelson will be joining the Bombers ownership group as a partner in the team. Expectations will be high for the 2024 summer, which will begin Coach Nelson's 3rd tenure as a member of the Bomber's Coaching staff. Both of his previous stints with the Bombers have produced multiple championship seasons.

When asked about his return, Coach Nelson said, "the moment my family had the opportunity to return to the Brazos Valley, I knew that I wanted to get back to the Bombers in some capacity. The Bombers have meant so much to this community, to the fans, to the players and coaches that have come through this program and to the staff members and interns that have run the show. The Bombers have served as a launch pad for so many people's lives and careers. There is so much positivity, excitement and fun surrounding the Bombers- my family is thrilled to be a part of the organization as we head into the future and look to continue positively impacting people's lives... oh and of course, bringing the TCL Championship Trophy back home to the Brazos Valley where it belongs."

Before joining the Bombers for the upcoming 2024 summer, Nelson will look to capture the Horizon League Championship with Oakland University out of Rochester, Michigan. Since 2020, Nelson has been on the coaching staff that has seen the Golden Grizzlies break every significant record and statistic in the program's history. Nelson has served in various roles with the program, including the Recruiting Coordinator position along with coaching 3rd base on game days. Oakland has reached Championship Saturday of the Horizon League Tournament the last two years with him as assistant coach.

Prior to his time with Oakland University, Nelson spent three seasons leading the Bombers. During his time as Head Coach for the Bombers, the team won three straight regular season titles and two TCL championships. This period of time also saw Coach Nelson make other impacts in collegiate summer baseball. Nelson served as the tournament director for the Collegiate Summer Baseball Invitational along with becoming the TCL Commissioner, a role that he recently just completed so that he could return to coaching in the TCL.

Coach Nelson's career has seen him make impactful stops around the state of Texas before venturing up north to Michigan. From 2015 to 2017 Nelson served on Manny Mantrana's staff as the pitching coach for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Before his time at UTRGV, Nelson was a member of the coaching staff at Lamar University in Beaumont from 2012-2015. While at Lamar, Nelson learned under the tutelage of legendary coach Jim Gilligan who had amassed over 1350 wins during his career. Nelson's collegiate coaching career began at the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor in Belton. Nelson also spent one spring season at the High School level, where he helped lead the Brazos Christian Eagles to a State Championship appearance in his only season. It was the 2011 and 2012 summers where Nelson first joined the Bombers coaching staff. Serving as an assistant under Curt Dixon, the Bombers would go on to set multiple records, claim their first ever regular season title and eventually their first TCL Championship, that season also saw the Bombers anointed as the Summer Collegiate National Champions.

In his personal life, Nelson began his collegiate studies at the United States Air Force Academy where he was set to play both baseball and football but injuries prevented that career. Nelson would eventually transfer to Texas A&M University where he graduated in 2010. Nelson would later attend Sam Houston State where he earned his Master's Degree. Coach Nelson's wife, Samantha Nelson, serves as the Director of the Letterman's Association at Texas A&M University. Together they have a daughter, Sloan, who attends school here in the Brazos Valley.

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