Syracuse honoring 1996 Final Four squad + CoachUp Coach Elimu Nelson
Syracuse University will honor the 1996 team prior to their game against Pittsburgh on February 20th. Their magical run to the Finals is one of the most historic months in March Madness history and one of our own was along for the ride. Elimu Nelson, one of CoachUp’s highest ranking basketball coaches in the nation, played a big role on the Orange team that nearly shocked the world.
Given that Nelson has done well by us, we figured it was about time that we celebrated his history and story as well. That year, the Orange went 22-4 and defeated Montana State, Drexel, and Georgia before stunning Kansas and Mississippi State to reach the NCAA Finals. Although they would lose to Kentucky, the result was palpable: the Orange were a program worth rooting for.
Since then, Nelson has brought his playing and coaching experience to CoachUp in order to teach the next generation of athletes. CoachUp is excited that Nelson is receiving some well-deserved praise and we’re proud that he’s made a new home with us. Just as cool, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, a Syracuse sports-related blog on SBNation, recently posed the question: who is the best walk-on in the school’s history? And, to no surprise, Coach Nelson was nominated — they said:
“After trying out and not making it as a sophomore, Nelson made the team as a walk-on in 1993. Believe it or not, Jim Boeheim put him in during the first half of the 1995 season-opener vs. Tennessee, the first time a walk-on had ever done so under JB. Nelson stayed with SU as a grad assistant during the run to the Finals in 1996 and went on to become an actor with quite a few credits to his name.”
So, once again, congratulations to Coach Nelson on being honored this weekend and we can’t wait to see what’s next in your CoachUp journey!
Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician — Who is the Best Walk-On in Modern Syracuse Basketball History?
Syracuse.com — Syracuse basketball to honor 1975, 1996 Final Four teams this season
