Kim Nelson - Inducted 2025
1974 Lake Benton (MN) High School/1979 Dakota State graduate. Nelson is the winningest high school football coach in South Dakota history. As the Sioux Falls Roosevelt football coach, Nelson collected his 300th career win Sept. 26, 2020. He was the first high school coach in state history to reach 300 wins. Former SF O'Gorman coach Steve Kueter (289 wins in 34 seasons) called Nelson one of the best innovators in the game. In 2023, SF Washington coach Chad Stadem said Nelson changed East River and Sioux Falls football when he brought his modern passing attack to Washington in 1993. At the end of the 2023 season when he decided to step down, SFR had won one state title (2011) in five state championship appearances under Nelson. In 45 seasons, his overall head prep coaching record at the end of 2023 was 314-154 (Milbank 1979-87; RC Central 1987-93; SF Washington 1993-05; Edina, MN — got 30 wins there from 2005-09, —and SFR 2009-2023). Nelson was state football coach of the year in 2011 and a 2024 and 2015 national finalist for coach of year. Was University of Sioux Falls assistant in 2023 and was the SFR freshman coach in 2024. Nelson was a multi-sport star in high school and DSU where he played football, basketball and baseball. In DSU hall of fame as a coach and as a member of the 1976 Trojans’ football team that finished ranked ninth in the NAIA nation. Also was DSU alumni coach of the year in 2001. Among the players Nelson coached were future NFL Hall of Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri; New York Islanders hockey great Anders Lee; and NFL offensive lineman Mason McCormick. Several of Nelson’s assistants became state championship winning high school coaches and Nelson gave Milbank native and now Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer one of his first coaching gigs. SF Jefferson coach Vince Benedetto in 2023 said: “From East River to West River, thousands of players and numerous coaches are better for having crossed Kim’s path.” At Lake Benton High School, Nelson played for his dad and legendary Hall of Fame coach Andy Nelson, and as a three-year starting QB, All-Stater Kim led his team to win 34 of 38 games, his last 21 in a row and the 1973 Minnesota State Nine-Man Championship.
