Clarion Athletics

Ken Nellis, who devoted 21 years to Clarion's outstanding wrestling tradition, had an amazing wrestling career, plus made strong contributions as a coach and an administrator. A 1981 Shaler High grad where he was a two-time PIAA State Champ
(124-3), Nellis came to Clarion and had an amazing career. As a true freshman at 142-pounds he posted a 23-9-1 record and was runner-up at PSAC's and EWL's while qualifying for the NCAA Division I Nationals. In 1983, also at 142, he forged a 29-9 record, won his first PSAC title, was second at EWL's and again qualified for the NCAA's. The 1983 team won the PSAC team title at Edinboro and had a record 7 champions. In 1984, a team co-captain, Nellis was 34-5-1 at 150-pounds, placed first at PSAC's, second at EWL's and again went to the NCAA's. The Golden Eagles were 11-3-1- in duals. Red-shirting in 1985, Nellis came back to co-captain the team as a senior to the top dual meet season in school history. The Golden Eagles finished third in the nation behind Iowa and Iowa State with a 17-0-1 dual meet record under Hall of Fame head coach Bob Bubb. Nellis was 27-5-3 at 150-pounds, first at PSAC's and second at EWL's. He finished ranked 6^th at Clarion in career wins with 113 (113-28-5), was a three-time PSAC Champ, 4-time EWL runner-up and a 4-time NCAA Qualifier. After graduating in 1986 he went into the private sector but returned in the 1990-91 season as an assistant coach under Bubb. He was the first assistant under Jack Davis from 1993-97 and head coach of the Golden Eagles from 1998-2006. In his nine seasons as head coach Nellis had 7 NCAA D-I All-Americans, 11 EWL and 16 PSAC champs. Clarion was 24^th at the NCAA's in 1998 and 26^th in 2000 and 2003. Ken worked at the Clarion Foundation from June 2007 to December of 2009, then became Athletic Director at Penn State – Dubois in January 2010 to the present. Ken and wife Cindy have a daughter Brianna and two sons Luke and Seth.