Combining Big Ten wrestling experience, high school and college coaching background and a Ph.D in the classroom and Baylor School has the right man at the right time to continue to lead the school's successful wrestling program.

Ben Nelson, who has been on the school's staff for the past two years, has been named today as the new head wrestling coaching, replacing Jim Morgan who retired in February after 25 years as the school's head coach.

"It's not every day that a high school has the opportunity to have a former Big Ten wrestler with a Ph.D in bio-chemistry as the leader of its wrestling program," said Baylor athletics director Thad Lepcio.

"From Major Luke Worsham to Jim Morgan, Baylor has always been blessed to have great leadership in the wrestling program. With Ben Nelson's leadership, unparalleled facilities and first-class student-athletes, I expect the Baylor wrestling program to rise to an even higher level," Lepcio stated.

Lepcio also announced that Schaack Van Deusen would stay on as an assistant coach.

Nelson has served as an assistant coach for Baylor's varsity team for the past two years.

"It is a true honor to be asked to fill the head wrestling coach position for Baylor School," said Nelson. "I have been fortunate to coach under Jim Morgan for the past two years, and I know what kind of void will be left by his decision to retire."

Nelson is the fifth head wrestling coach at Baylor, following V.O. Jones, Whitey Urban, Worsham and Morgan.

Jones, a Southern champion at Duke, led the Red Raiders to a handful of local YMCA and Frye Institute team titles starting in the mid-1930s.

Urban coached for much of the 1940s, followed by Worsham (1950-1985) and Morgan (1986-2010).

Prior to working at Baylor, the Frazee, Minn. native held coaching positions at high schools in Apple Valley, Minn. and Kennesaw, Ga. Nelson wrestled for Indiana University as a three-year starter and letterman, earning All-Big Ten academic honors twice.

As a high school student in Minnesota, he was a six-time "Fargo" National All-American, and two-time finalist.

Wrestling for Wazata (Minn.) High School, he was a two-time state medalist, taking third as a junior and second as a senior.

"I gave up one takedown my senior year and it happened in the final 30 seconds of the state finals as I took second,'' said Nelson.

The 36-year-old Nelson first donned a wrestling singlet as a youngster thanks to his dad.

''Wrestling was a big deal in our family growing up as I my hometown of Frazee is known as a huge wrestling town,'' Nelson stated.

"I was wrestling in tournaments before I was in elementary school as my dad fudged on my age and entered me in a youth tournament when I was four or five.''

Nelson also wanted to play hockey as a kid, but his dad knew that the cost of a singlet, wrestling shoes and head gear was much less than hockey equipment, thus Nelson's athletic career path was chosen early on.

In addition to coaching, Ben teaches environmental science and biology at Baylor, and holds a B.S. degree from Indiana University, a M.Ed. from Georgia State University, and a Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University.

"The Baylor wrestling program and its two past head coaches, Coach Morgan and Coach Worsham, have been an integral and successful part of the Baylor tradition," Nelson stated.

"It is quite humbling to be asked to step into this line of succession. I have the opportunity to work with some of the finest young men in the country doing what I love to do, and consider it a great privilege."

Baylor wrestling teams have won six TSSAA State Dual Championships and 13 Traditional State Championships while having 75 individual champions.

Contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net