Katie Nelson, MSOE head coach

Katie Nelson, who spent the last six seasons as an assistant at Johns Hopkins, will be the next head coach for the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE).

• Around the NACC: Edgewood women | Alverno women | Aurora men
• More coaching moves

MSOE Director of Athletics Brian Miller announced Nelson's hiring on Wednesday. 

"We are excited to welcome Katie Nelson to the MSOE athletic department," Miller said in a release. "Katie's background in basketball and specifically at a high academic institution made her an ideal choice for the job."

Nelson was an assistant under Nancy Funk at Johns Hopkins from 2009-10 through last season. During her time in Baltimore, the Blue Jays went 123-62 with trips to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2011 and 2012. 

"I am thrilled and honored to be chosen as the next head women's basketball coach at MSOE," Nelson said in release. "MSOE is a special place with a great academic and athletic tradition and I look forward to being part of the community."

Nelson replaces Jessica Ott who moved to NACC rival Alverno to become the Inferno's head basketball coach and Athletic Director. That vacancy was created when Alverno head coach Brad Duckworth became the new Athletic Director at UW-Stevens Point.

As a player, Nelson was a four-year starting guard at Division I UMass from 2001-02 through 2004-05. She finished as the Minutewomen's career leader in three-pointers (191) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.36). 

After graduating with a degree in sports management and a minor in sociology, Nelson spent two years on the coaching staff of the WNBA's Washington Mystics and then worked at Division I programs Navy and New Hamphshire.

Nelson is the daughter of long-time Johns Hopkins men's basketball head coach Bill.

MSOE went 18-8, 16-4 in the NACC last season and has won a program-best 51 games over the past three seasons. The Raiders also return 2016 Jostens Trophy Winner and conference player of the year Holly Denfeld.