Senior Anders Nelson has been a staple of St. Thomas basketball for four years. From winning the Division III National Rookie of the Year award to leading a three-loss 2019-20 Tommies team in points per game, Nelson certainly left his mark on St. Thomas.
After helping the Tommies become the first school to ever transition from DIII to Division I, the guard will graduate this spring, along with seven senior teammates. With an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nelson decided his college basketball journey is not over; however, it won’t continue at St. Thomas.
“I couldn’t have made a better decision to come to St. Thomas for my undergrad and to play for coach (Johnny) Tauer,” Nelson said, “but when it came down to it, after this year and the production I’ve had at the Division III level, but also the Division I level now, the opportunity kind of came forward and I recognized that I was going to have a chance to go and play somewhere else for my fifth year, and that was really interesting to me.”
The Edina, Minnesota, native will now take his talents 1,200 miles away to historic Williamsburg, Virginia, playing for DI William & Mary. During its 2021-22 campaign, William & Mary finished 5-27 while competing in the Colonial Athletic Association.
“They didn’t have their most successful year last year,” Nelson said. “I’ve been a part of a really rich, historic winning program here at St. Thomas. So, just by being myself, I feel like I can bring some of that over toward that program and the new team.”
Nelson will join Vanderbilt transfer and former four-star forward Gabe Dorsey as well as Rice transfer guard Chris Mullins in an attempt to bolster the William & Mary roster, which has lost nine players to the transfer portal in the offseason.
“We have to get things on track and put some more W’s in that column,” Nelson said. “(William & Mary) laid it out very clearly for me; they let me know ‘hey, we’re looking to land these pieces. We see you being a really big part of it.’”
While Nelson will leave St. Paul, the Tommies will bring back guard Riley Miller and forward Parker Bjorklund for their fifth-year seasons.
Nelson said he had always wanted to move away from home, “but it just so happened that St. Thomas was the best place for me for my first four years.” When the ability to leave Minnesota arose, he took it, entering the transfer portal in March but giving his teammates ample warning.
“I think all my teammates know that, over the years I’ve gotten to know them, I’m always going to keep things transparent with them,” Nelson said. “My teammates were by my side that whole time along with the rest of the staff and coach Tauer as well.”
During Nelson’s time at St. Thomas, the basketball team boasted a record of 67-28, with 20 of those losses coming this season, the team’s first in DI. With a record like that, it’s safe to say he’s curated some memories.
“It might sound cliché, but I think some of the best parts about college basketball, and just being on a team in general, are those little moments off the court,” Nelson said, “whether it just be grabbing dinner with the team, going through airport struggles, delayed flights, whatever it may be, just those small details that go along with the process, where you’re just spending time with these guys and creating bonds and relationships that will last a lifetime.”
As for memories on the court, Nelson said “there’s quite a long list.”
“Playing in the US Bank game as a freshman was really cool,” Nelson said. “Being able to be on that stage with my guys and get a win out there was awesome.
“This year, at the Division I level, I think the whole year was kind of a highlight, right? I mean, this is something that’s unprecedented, never been seen before.”
In what will now be known as his final game in purple and white, Nelson highlighted how special it was to beat Nebraska-Omaha at home to wrap up the season.
“It was a time where I’m looking around and the energy was different, not only in the gym but also just in the faces of our guys,” Nelson said. “I think we all kind of knew that, ‘hey, this is it for us. We’ve got a really special group. Things are never going to be the same around here, so we have to go out, and we have to get a win together, not just for ourselves but for our parents, for the coaches, for everybody who’s been involved over this unbelievable four-year experience.’”
As for Tommie fans, Nelson won’t forget the energy the fans brought to Schoenecker Arena.
“What I’d say to Tommie fans is ‘thank you for letting me be a part of such a historic legacy,’” Nelson said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the decision I made to come here and to be a Tommie.
“You guys have supplied me with memories that will last a lifetime, and I just couldn’t be more appreciative of the fans, everybody involved in the St. Thomas community, and it’s pretty crazy to see it all come to an end.”
Scout Mason can be reached at maso7275@stthomas.edu.