Arkansas Press Release
Former Cerritos College women's basketball player Erica Nelson has just been announced as the new Director of Student-Athlete Development at the University of Arkansas. Nelson, who was a 1st Team All-South Coast Conference selection during her sophomore season in 1992-93, joins the Razorbacks after spending the last seven years as the Director of Life Skills and Community Outreach for the University of South Carolina.
Nelson joined the Falcons basketball team in 1991 and spent two years playing for former head coach Karen Welliver. She helped lead Cerritos to a second place finish in the tough South Coast Conference her sophomore season, as the team advanced to the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs and finished with a 21-10 record.
She received a scholarship to play at Cal State Dominguez Hills and helped them win the CCAA Tournament Championship during her senior season in 1996, while they posted a 22-6 record. Nelson went on to earn a Master's degree in sport management from Slippery Rock (PA) University, where she worked as a graduate assistant for the women's basketball team.
During her professional career, Nelson served as the sports manager for NYC2012 Olympic Bidding Committee, where she recruited and managed more than 2,000 Olympians and Paralympians worldwide who supported New York City's bid to host the 2012 Games. Nelson began her career in sports as an intern at the Women's Sports Foundation, founded by tennis legend, Billie Jean King.
Outside of her professional responsibilities, Nelson also served for seven years on the National Board of Directors for WISE (Women in Sports and Events), a national networking organization for women working in the sports and events industries. In 2005 she was recognized by EBONY Magazine as one of 30 "Leaders of the Future" age 30 and below.