The press conference will be held in the Muenster University Center (MUC) on the USD campus. Herbster and Nielson will not be available for comment until that time.

Nielson, 56, has compiled a 186-80-1 record for a win percentage of .698 in 23 seasons as a head coach. He has been the head football coach at Western Illinois University in Macomb for the last three seasons. He has also served as head coach at Ripon College (1989-90), Wartburg College (1991-95), Wisconsin-Eau Claire (1996-98) and Minnesota Duluth (1999-2003, 2008-12).

Nielson was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Coach of the Year in late November after leading Western Illinois to a 7-6 record and to the second round of the FCS playoffs. It was the first playoff appearance for the Leathernecks since 2010. Western Illinois played the toughest regular season schedule in the nation according to NCAA rankings.

Nielson led Minnesota Duluth to NCAA Division II national championships in 2008 and 2010. Both teams finished with 15-0 records. Nielson was voted Division II National Coach of the Year following both championship seasons.

Nielson grew up in Marion, Iowa, and is a 1982 graduate of Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. He received his master’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1988. He and his wife, Terri, have two daughters, Amanda Taylor and Kasey King, and a son, Kyle.

Nielson will be USD's 30th head football coach.

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Hanna DeLange
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