Karla Nelson

Biography

The 2026-27 season will be Karla Nelson's 27th as head coach of the Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team. She's been a member of the Dragon athletic department for 33 years, dating back to her time as an assistant for the Dragon women and as head softball coach. A four-time NSIC Coach of the Year, Nelson's teams have posted 21 straight winning seasons as MSUM's mentor. The Dragons have qualified for the conference tournament for 24 consecutive years. Nelson has accumulated a career record of 440-287 entering the 2026-27 season. Her accomplishments include six trips to the NCAA Division II post-season play, four NSIC regular-season titles, and four NSIC North titles. In 2018-19, the Dragons set a school record with 27 wins and won their third straight NSIC title. Nelson earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota and a Master's Degree from North Dakota State University in Education Administration. A four-year basketball letterwinner at North Dakota, she was a three-year captain and honored twice as UND's Best Defensive Player.