Macomb, IL (Sports Network) - Bob Nielson was a national championship-winning
coach at Minnesota Duluth.
Western Illinois believes Nielson can help take its football program to a
higher level as well.
The Missouri Valley Football Conference university named Nielson as its new
head football coach on Wednesday.
He replaces Mark Hendrickson, who was fired last month after a 3-8 season.
In 10 seasons at Minnesota Duluth, the 53-year-old Nielson's squads posted a
100-26 record, won two NCAA II championships, five Northern Sun Intercollegiate
Conference titles and made the playoffs six times. His teams had three perfect
11-0 regular seasons.
Nielson prebiously was the head coach at two Division III colleges, his alma
mater, Wartburg (Iowa), and Ripon (Wis.). He has a 170-59-1 career record.
Nielson is charged with lifting a Western Illinois program that most recently
made the FCS playoffs in 2010, but is 5-17 over the last two seasons, including
a 2-14 record in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Sports Network