Dominique Nelson joined the Fighting Saints in July of 2024 as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team. The 2025-26 season will mark Nelson’s second year as assistant coach.
At St. Francis, Nelson assists the program in coordination of practice plans, individual player development, assisting in training sessions, and implementation of game strategies.
Prior to joining the Fighting Saints staff, Nelson spent the 2023-24 season as the head women’s basketball coach at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill. From 2022-24, Nelson also served as an assistant coach to the TCC men’s basketball program where he supported recruitment efforts and oversaw the preparation of scouting reports and implementation of game plans.
Nelson began his coaching career in 2008 as the head junior varsity girls’ basketball coach at Thornridge School in Dolton, Ill. During this same year, Nelson concurrently served as the basketball operations intern with the Chicago Sky organization of the WNBA. In 2009, he accepted a two-year position to become the graduate assistant coach for the women’s basketball program at NCAA Division I Tennessee State University. While at TSU, Nelson helped guide the Lady Tigers to two Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Qualifiers.
Nelson entered the NAIA ranks in the season 2013-14 when he was hired to take on assistant coaching responsibilities for the women’s basketball program at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Ill. During that season, he helped lead the Lakers to an NAIA national tournament appearance. In 2015, he accepted the position of head boys’ varsity basketball coach at Calumet Tech High School in Gary, Ind., a position he held for six seasons. During this time-frame, Nelson was named Coach of the Year on four separate occasions, and led the Warriors in becoming the 2017-18 3A Sectional Champions, the 2018-19 GSSC Conference Champions and 3A Sectional Runner-Up, as well as the 3A Sectional Runner-Up in each of the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. In August of 2021, Nelson moved to Merrillville, Ind. for a one-year stint to become the assistant boys’ varsity basketball coach of the Pirates.
Nelson graduated from Tennessee State University in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. In 2011, he earned his master’s degree from TSU in Sport Administration. While at TSU, Nelson was a Student Assistant Coach for the women’s basketball program from 2006-2007 where he supervised academic duties and served as a liaison between coaches and players. In 2025, Nelson procured his doctoral degree in Global Sports Leadership from East Tennessee State University.
