Hall of Fame
Nelson, Dirk

Dirk Nelson
- Induction:
- 2011
- Class:
- 1984
When Dirk Nelson joined the Montana State football team in the fall of 1982 as a transfer from Kansas State University, there was no way of knowing that he would become the first punter inducted into Montana State's Wendy's Bobcat Hall of Fame.
Nelson finished in the top 15 in punting average nationally for all three of his seasons at Montana State, and missed by just a shade finishing the 1984 season with the top average in the nation. His 43.4 yards-per-punt average that fall remains the sixth-best season in school history, and his average of 41.6 yards-per-punt in his career remains the third-best in school history.
Upon graduating from MSU, Nelson earned his master's degree in physical education from Kansas in 1986, and four years later earned his Ph.D. in education from that University. He has served as an educator and administrator for many years, and for the past year has served as Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Science at West Texas A&M.
Nelson also earned Academic All-America District VII honors, and was named to Montana State's All-Century Team.
Nelson finished in the top 15 in punting average nationally for all three of his seasons at Montana State, and missed by just a shade finishing the 1984 season with the top average in the nation. His 43.4 yards-per-punt average that fall remains the sixth-best season in school history, and his average of 41.6 yards-per-punt in his career remains the third-best in school history.
Upon graduating from MSU, Nelson earned his master's degree in physical education from Kansas in 1986, and four years later earned his Ph.D. in education from that University. He has served as an educator and administrator for many years, and for the past year has served as Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Science at West Texas A&M.
Nelson also earned Academic All-America District VII honors, and was named to Montana State's All-Century Team.
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