ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland University Athletics has announced that baseball Interim Head Coach
Brian Nelson will assume the head coaching position, effective May 20.
"I am very happy to name Brian as the next permanent head coach of the Oakland University baseball program," said Oakland Director of Athletics Steve Waterfield. "As intercollegiate athletics and NCAA Division I baseball continue to evolve, Brian's approach to recruiting baseball players that possess the athletic talent, academic focus, and character to excel at Oakland and developing these players so they are better positioned to achieve athletic, academic, and personal success during and after their time at Oakland impressed me. I look forward to watching Brian lead the Golden Grizzlies baseball program in the coming years to sustained, competitive success."
During the 2025 season as Interim Head Coach, Nelson led a Golden Grizzlies squad that ranked third in the conference in ERA, second in fielding percentage, second in errors, and first in stolen bases, ranking top 15 in the nation in stolen bases as well. He helped four Golden Grizzlies earn All-League honors, bringing the total number of All-League and All-Freshman student-athletes under his guidance to 25.
The Golden Grizzlies have maintained a competitive edge throughout the 2025 season, playing in 17 games decided by one run, and scoring three walk-off wins.
Nelson joined the Golden Grizzlies in 2021 as an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. A key figure in constructing Oakland's current roster, he was instrumental in recruiting standout players such as Brandon Nigh and Hunter Pidek, along with six student-athletes ranked in the top 50 of their state by Prep Baseball Report (PBR), including four in the top 45.
He also played a vital role in guiding Oakland to a school-record 60 wins over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The Golden Grizzlies reached Championship Saturday of the Horizon League Tournament in both of those years and recorded a pair of 30-plus win seasons (2022 and 2024).
"I consider it a great honor to lead the Oakland University baseball program, and I am beyond thankful for the trust that our Athletic Director, Steve Waterfield, has placed in me," said Nelson. "The support from the entire athletic department throughout this process has been amazing. We have great people here at Oakland University. This place is special and has become home for me and my family. Winning is important at Oakland, and I believe this program is a sleeping giant that can accomplish great things. We have a lot of work to do to reach our goals, but I believe it can be done. I will continue to cherish this opportunity and be grateful every day that I get to serve the university, our student-athletes, alumni, and our community."
Before joining Oakland, Nelson served as commissioner and head coach in the Texas Collegiate League (TCL) for three years and acted as the tournament director for the Collegiate Summer Baseball Invitational (CSBI) in June 2020. The CSBI was the first live televised baseball event to take place in the United States following the initial COVID-19 lockdowns and served as a blueprint for the return of live sports in 2020.
Prior to his role as TCL commissioner, Nelson was the head coach of the league champion Brazos Valley Bombers, also a TCL team. He was named Coach of the Year in his final season with the Bombers, during which he led the team to back-to-back regular-season titles and captured the sixth league championship in team history.
Earlier in his career, Nelson served as an assistant coach at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (2015–17) and as assistant pitching coach at Lamar University (2013–14), where he helped lower the pitching staff's ERA from 4.07 in 2013 to 3.68—the program's lowest mark in a decade.
With a proven track record of competitive success, a strong commitment to student-athlete development, and a clear vision for the program's future, Nelson is poised to lead Oakland Baseball into an era of excellence.
