Chris Nelson enters his third season as the head coach of the Bethel Lady Wildcats. In the 2007-2008 Coach Nelson led the Lady Wildcats to a 14-16 finish and a 9-9 record in TranSouth Athletic Conference. Coach Nelson now posts a career record of 30-29 as head coach.
A native of West Tennessee Coach Nelson began his coaching career in Yorkville, TN. At Yorkville School, a school in the Gibson County Special School District, he coached the boy's junior high team for one season. Coach Nelson then moved on to serve as an assistant coach for the Pioneers of Gibson County High School under the direction of Head Coach Scott Bowlin from 2001-2002. From Gibson County High, Coach Nelson spent the next five seasons as an assistant for the Bethel College Lady Wildcats mentored by Larry Eddings. As an assistant coach for the Lady Wildcats, Coach Nelson helped them reach new heights as a basketball program. Coach Nelson was a key component in the two consecutive trips to the NAIA DII National tournament during the 2005 and 2006 season. Coach Nelson has seen the Bethel Lady Wildcats evolve.
In the 2006-2007 season, Bethel moved from Division II to Division I in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and went from the KIAC to arguably the toughest conference in the nation, the TranSouth Athletic Conference. In his first season with the Lady Wildcats they finished 17-13 (7-11) and ended the season in the second round of the TSAC tournament.
In 2007-2008 season, Bethel climbed up the ladder two spots finishing fifth place in conference play before eventually falling to national runner up Trevecca Nazarene and in the second round of TSAC play.
Coach Chris Nelson has earned a History degree from Bethel College. He is married to Jennifer Nelson, who is a teacher and coach at Mckenzie Middle. They reside in McKenzie.
Martina Mihailovic is entering her fourth year as an assistant coach with the Lady Wildcats.
In the season 2007-08, Coach Martina helped lead the Lady Wildcats to a 14-16 overall record (9-9 in the TranSouth Athletic Conference). She worked with the guards, as well as the post players, and was also responsible for coaching, recruiting and academic progress.
Under Coach Martina's guidance, BC forward Nina Djokovic earned All-TranSouth First Team and Honorable Mention All-American for the 2007-08 season averaging 13.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Djokovic recorded 11 double-doubles and was named TranSouth Player of the Week twice last season.
In the season 2006-07, Lady Wildcats moved up to NAIA Division I and became a member of a TranSouth Athletic Conference. Coach Martina helped guide the Lady Wildcats to a 17-13 record. Lady Wildcats finished their season with a loss to Trevecca Nazarene University in a second round of the TranSouth Athletic Conference Tournament.
In the season 2005-06, Coach Martina helped the Lady Wildcats to a record of 27-6 and the second consecutive appereance in NAIA division II National Tournament held in Sioux City, IA.The team finished the season with a 14-1 conference record.
In her first two years as an assistant coach for Lady Wildcats, the team had a combined 3.4 GPA as she was monitoring players' academic progress.Coach Martina was instrumental in the recruitment of three current international student-athletes; Jelena Budimir, Nina Djokovic, and Milica Ivanovic.She has been essential in the development of individual players' skills through individual workout seasons.
Prior to Bethel College, Coach Martina spent one season as an assistant coach at Park University in Kansas City, MO. While at PU, Mihailovic's duties included recruiting, tape exchange, and working with the guard positions on offense.
Coach Martina arrived at Park University after a two-season run at Rockhurst University from 2001-2003. She led the team in scoring (10.5 ppg) and assists (3.7) her junior and senior years as the Lady Hawks' starting point guard under Coach Rebecca Morrissey. Mihailovic was named to the All-Heartland Conference Second Team in her senior season.
Prior to her two seasons at Rockhurst, Coach Martina played one year at Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL. Mihailovic began her collegiate career at Cloud County Community College, where, in her freshman year, she was named "Freshman of the Year" in the Kansas Jayhawk West Conference. She averaged (10 ppg) and (3.1 apg) in that season. In her second season at CCCC, Coach Martina was sidelined due to an ACL injury and received a medical red-shirt for the season. Cloud County went on the win the NJCAA National Championship that year, 2000-2001.
A native of Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, Coach Martina was a member of the Yugoslavian National Youth Team in 1997. She averaged (19.2 ppg), (4.9 apg), and 3 steals per game. She was voted MVP of the state that year.
Coach Martina Mihailovic received a B.S. degree in marketing from Rockhurst University in 2004. She earned her Master of Arts in Education degree from Bethel College in May of 2007.
Coach Martina's responsibilities while on the Lady Wildcat coaching staff will be International and Junior College recruiting, tape exchange, individual workouts, and team academic progress.
