Jeff Nelson to retire from Penn State; served as primary football contact for 22 years

Jeff Nelson, who spent most of his nearly 26 years at Penn State as the primary communications contact for Nittany Lions football, has announced his retirement effective July 31, the university said Monday.

A 1983 graduate of Indiana University, Nelson was hired by Penn State in 1993, after eight years in the sports information office at Holy Cross, and he served as football contact until 2015. He was promoted to assistant athletic director in 2001, and in 2015 was named associate athletic director for strategic communications.

“It’s been an incredible 25 years with Penn State athletics, and I’m excited about what the next chapter will bring for myself and our family,” Nelson said. “From the very beginning, I’ve felt that everyone at Penn State tries to do things the right way, with integrity, passionate dedication, and attention to detail, to provide the greatest experience possible for our students.”

Nelson, a native of West Lafayette, Ind., was a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America and served for nearly 30 years on the organization’s Academic All-America Committee.