Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- nelp_jt@mercer.edu
- Phone:
- (478) 301-2509
Jake Nelp joined the Mercer men’s basketball staff for the2010-11 season, bringing a diverse and successful resumé tothe fold.
Nelp’s cerebral approach to the game has helped usher inan era of prosperity for the team that has seen the Orange andBlack rack up 93 wins in comparison with only 50 losses. He’s been key in rapid development of the program that hasresulted in the school’s three-straight 20-win seasons, mostrecently capped by a 27-9 campaign that featured a 78-71 upset ofNo. 6 Duke in the NCAA Tournament second round.
The Duke victory was the latest in a string of postseasonsuccess for Nelp’s Mercer teams, as the Bears have alsoclaimed victories in the NIT and CIT Tournaments over the lastthree seasons.
Nelp has also helped cement Mercer’s reputation as a bonafide giant killer – directing and assisting scouting effortsthat have led to nine high major wins over the likes of Duke, OleMiss, Seton Hall, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida State, Georgia Techand Auburn.
Over the past three years, Nelp’s leadership has helpedthe Bears raise banners for the 2012 CollegeInsider.com TournamentChampionship, 2013 Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship, 2013National Invitational Tournament (NIT) Round of 16, 2014 AtlanticSun Regular Season Co-Championship, 2014 Atlantic Sun TournamentChampionship and 2014 NCAA Tournament Round of 32.
Prior to coming to Macon, Nelp spent the past two seasons(2008-10) as the Basketball Technology Assistant at MarquetteUniversity in Milwaukee, Wis. As a member of the GoldenEagles’ staff, he assisted with the day-to-day operations ofthe hoops office. With an expertise in the technological demands ofthe college basketball today, Nelp focused his energies on opponentscouting and film exchange.
Prior to taking his talents to Marquette, Nelp served as thevideo coordinator for the University of Arkansas women’sbasketball program, the first person to serve in that position on afull-time basis, in 2007-08. While at UA, he assisted with theday-to-day needs of the Razorback’s opponent scouting.
From 2005-07, the native of the “Hoosier State” wasa men’s basketball assistant coach at Indiana WesleyanUniversity. With Nelp on staff, IWU had one of its best-everseasons with a 30-5 mark, NAIA Elite Eight appearance and ascendingto a ranking as high as No. 3 in the nation during the season. TheWildcats set school records each season for most conference winsand, for his part, Nelp was named as the top NAIA assistant coachby INBNews.com.
Nelp is a 2001 graduate of Colorado State University, where heearned his bachelor’s degree in history. Nelp had theopportunity to work with CSU coach Buzz Williams, serving as theRams’ student assistant (1999-2002) and director ofbasketball operations (2003-04).
Nelp gained international experience, working as the assistantto the general manager of the 08 Stockholm Human Rights BasketballClub for the 2003-04 season.
Nelp’s wife, Angie, was an outstanding player for ColoradoState’s women’s basketball team. She currentlyserves as an Assistant Coach with the Mercer women’sbasketball team. The couple have two sons, J.J. andLouis.
