Calla Nelson joined the UC Irvine coaching staff in 2018, working primarily with the distance runners.
Last year, Nelson helped mentor Hannah Chau, who earned all-conference honors after finishing fifth at the Big West Cross Country Championships. The distance runners also established five indoor marks that rank among UCI's all-time top-10. During the 2019 outdoor track & field season, Chau scored in both the 5000m and 10000m at the Big West Championships. She ran the fifth-fastest 5K in school history. Anastasia Karnaze also cracked the 11-minute mark in the steeplechase to move up to No. 4 in program history.
Nelson came to UCI after eight years coaching cross country at Roseville Area High School in Minnesota. During her tenure, she coached six state teams, placing as high as fifth in 2011. Her team also placed second five times in the Suburban East Conference Championship meet, and secured a top three finish every year in the Section 4AA meet. She was selected as the Section 4AA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2016.
In 2017, Nelson worked with the University of Wisconsin-Superior track and field program, helping the men’s team earn a first-place finish at the 2017 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championship indoor and outdoor meet. She also coached the women’s team to a second and third-place finish at the 2017 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championship indoor and outdoor meets, respectively.
Nelson is a USATF Level I certified coach.Â
Nelson graduated from the University of Minnesota where she competed on the cross country and track and field teams. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Sociology, and a minor in Spanish.
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