BYU Women’s Basketball Assistant Dan Nielson Named UVU Head Coach
May 13, 2019, 3:57 PM | Updated: 4:18 pm
OREM, Utah – Utah Valley University has named Dan Nielson as the next women’s basketball coach for the Wolverines.
Nielson was recently the associate head coach for the BYU women’s basketball program.
He will return to UVU, where he was an assistant coach under former BYU All-American Cathy Nixon, who has moved into an administration role. While he was with the Wolverines, they won one regular season Great Western Conference title and appeared in the league championship game three times, winning the title once.
“Utah Valley University has a contagiously electric atmosphere with world-class facilities and limitless potential,” Nielson said. “I’ve continued to watch with awe and amazement how this university has grown. This is a place that I’ve held close to my heart, and I’m ready to get to work to help this program contend for WAC championships every year.”
Before he went to Utah Valley, he was with BYU for four years as the director of operations, graduate assistant, a volunteer practice player and a basketball summer camps counselor or both men’s and women’s team.
Nielson earned his bachelor’s degree from BYU in American Studies in 2006.
“Dan Nielson has vast experience and knows what it takes to build and maintain a successful program,” said UVU athletic director Jared Sumsion. “He puts in the time necessary to motivate his players and staff that they can accomplish anything. Wolverine pride has poignant meaning for him.”
WBB | Dan Nielson returns to UVU as head coach of women's basketball. #GoUVU #UVU #WAChoops https://t.co/Rr7pHlgZmd
— UVU Athletics (@GoUVU) May 13, 2019
The Wolverines finished the 2018-19 season with a 14-16 record, including 8-8 in WAC play.