Brady Nelsen signs LOI to run track, cross country at LCSC

Brady Nelsen put pen to paper and signed his letter of intent Thursday to run cross country and track at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston.

Nelsen is a three-sport athlete at Sandpoint High, lettering in wrestling and cross country three years and track twice with a chance to earn a third in the spring.

LCSC cross country and track and field head coach Mike Collins said he is looking forward to Nelsen joining the team next fall and was drawn to the senior in part because he is a multi-sport athlete.

“I really like the fact that he is a wrestler,” Collins said. “It tells me a lot about his mental and physical toughness and the part that separates kids, especially at the collegiate level when they get into racing in competitions here, is it isn’t about the physical, it’s about that mental toughness and their ability to push past and through things that a lot of other individuals are not willing too.”

During his cross country career at Sandpoint, Nelsen was apart of three district champion teams that made it to state. He also ran a 16:42 5K, the 18th fastest in SHS history.

In wrestling, Nelsen qualified for state as a sophomore and junior and in his senior season he currently has his eyes set on claiming a district title and making another apperance at state.

With one season of track and field left, he currently holds personal records of 4:43 in the 1600 meter and 10:08 in the 3200 meter.

“Anyone who knows Brady would tell you he is the hardest worker in the room,” Sandpoint boys and girls cross country coaches Matt and Angie Brass wrote in an email. “He sets a high bar for himself and contains an incredible amount of grit and determination to see himself to his goals. He doesn’t believe in excuses, he just expects results from himself and those around him. He has dedicated himself himself to SHS athletics for four years and we are incredibly proud of this opportunity he has earned for himself.”

Collins said the way Matt and Angie run their cross country program compared to other high schools played a role in his decision to offer Nelsen a scholarship.

“Sometimes by the time [kids] get to us they’re a little bit burned up and burnt out,” Collins said. “I don’t see Matt and Angie doing that. I see them doing a real nice job at developing these young kids in a way that helps them to be succesful in high school but also helps those kids that are looking to take the next step and continue their running careers.”

Nelsen joins a Warriors squad that saw the men’s team earn their best finish in program history at the NAIA Cross Country National Championships this season placing third.