Georgetown, Texas - First-year Head Women's Basketball Coach, Caitlin Kriesel-Bigler has successfully hired the next assistant coach for the Pirate's women's basketball program. 

Michael Nielson comes to Southwestern after serving as an assistant coach to the Concordia University Tornados women's basketball team. Nielson is a Central Texas native by way of Hays High School in Buda and a 2019 Concordia graduate, also earning his master's in Coaching and Sport's Administration from Concordia. In addition to his work as a collegiate coach, Nielson brings experience working with all levels of basketball, from middle school and high school all the way up to the WNBA and NBA players. While a student at Concordia, Nielson was a dual sport athlete participating in both basketball and the Track & Field teams. 

"I am extremely honored and thrilled to work next to Coach Kriesel-Bigler and the rest of the administration here at Southwestern University. Nothing makes me happier then being able to coach basketball so close to home! I am looking forward to the future of this program and building relationships within the community of Georgetown! I would like to thank Coach KB for trusting me in this position and I'm very excited to get to work!" says Coach Nielson 

Nielson's official start date is scheduled for September 1st