Michael Nelson
Personal information
Date of birth (1995-02-10) February 10, 1995
Place of birth Katy, Texas, United States
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 FC Tulsa
Number 24
Youth career
Albion Hurricanes
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2017 SMU Mustangs 76 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 Oklahoma City Energy U23 6 (0)
2018–2022 Houston Dynamo 13 (0)
2018–2019 → Rio Grande Valley FC (loan) 15 (0)
2022 Houston Dynamo 2 4 (0)
2023– FC Tulsa 32 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 20, 2023

Michael Nelson (born February 10, 1995) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for FC Tulsa in the USL Championship.

Career

College & Youth

Nelson attended and played soccer at Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas. He helped them win a district championship and was named first team all-state. He also helped his youth club, Albion Hurricanes FC, win 2 state championships.[1] Nelson played college soccer at Southern Methodist University between 2014 and 2017, including spending a year as a redshirt in 2013. While with the Mustangs, Nelson made 76 appearances and contributed 27 shutouts. He was named American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year in 2014, 2015, and 2017 and was first team all-conference in 2014, 2015, and 2017[2]

During his time in college, Nelson also spent time with Premier Development League side OKC Energy U23 during their 2016 season.[3]

Professional

Nelson was drafted in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft by the Houston Dynamo on January 19, 2018.[4] Nelson signed with Houston on February 20, 2018.[5] He spent the 2018 season on loan with the Dynamo USL affiliate Rio Grande Valley FC. On June 23, 2018 he made his Toros debut and kept a clean sheet against Phoenix Rising.[6] On the season, Nelson made 7 appearances and kept 3 clean sheets.[7]

Nelson spent most of 2019 with the Toros again, making 8 appearances and keeping 1 clean sheet.[8] However, he did make his Dynamo debut on June 18 in a 3–2 defeat to Minnesota United in the US Open Cup.[9]

In 2020, Nelson stayed with the first team for the whole season, but he failed to appear in any games. He did make the match day squad on 3 occasions.[10]

On August 28, 2021, with starting goalkeeper Marko Marić out with a leg injury, Nelson made his MLS debut in a 2–1 loss to Minnesota United. The game was the first of 10 consecutive starts for Nelson.[11] He was named to the MLS Team of the Week for his performance on September 15 in a 1–1 draw with the LA Galaxy.[12] After Marić returned from injury, Nelson started one of the final 3 games of the season. Nelson ended the season with 11 appearances and 2 clean sheets.[11] It was a disappointing season for the Dynamo, as Houston missed out on the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season after they finished bottom of the Western Conference for the second straight year.[13]

Nelson made 5 first team appearances during the 2022 season, 2 in the league and 3 in the Open Cup. He also made 5 appearances for Houston Dynamo 2.[14]

On February 16, 2023, Nelson was waived by the Dynamo.[15] He subsequently signed with USL Championship side FC Tulsa on March 3, 2023.[16]

Honors

Houston Dynamo

Career Statistics

As of February 16, 2023[17][18][19]
Club Season League US Open Cup Playoffs Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Oklahoma City Energy U232016PDL 60—00—60
Houston Dynamo2018Major League Soccer 0000——00
2019 0010—0010
2020 00———00
2021 110———110
2022 2030——50
Dynamo Total 130400000170
Rio Grande Valley FC (loan) 2018United Soccer League 70———70
2019USL Championship 80———80
RGVFC Total 150000000150
Houston Dynamo 22022MLS Next Pro 40—10—50
Career Total 380401000430

References

  1. ↑ "Michael Nelson". houstondynamo.com. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Michael Nelson - Men's Soccer". SMU Athletics.
  3. ↑ "OKC Energy U23 - 2016 Regular Season - Roster - Michael Nelson". uslpdl.com. USL PDL. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Dynamo select Michael Nelson with 20th pick at 2018 MLS SuperDraft". houstondynamo.com. Houston Dynamo. January 19, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Houston Dynamo sign goalkeeper Michael Nelson and forward Mac Steeves". houstondynamo.com. Houston Dynamo. February 28, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  6. ↑ "RGV FC goalkeeper Michael Nelson earns a clean-sheet draw in pro debut against Phoenix Rising". The Monitor. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  7. ↑ "2018 Player Stats". www.rgvfc.com. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  8. ↑ "Michael Nelson 2019 Match Logs (Goalkeeping)". FBref.com. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  9. ↑ "Michael Nelson debut a bright spot in Dynamo's U.S. Open Cup loss". The Bayoucitian. 2019-06-21. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  10. ↑ "Michael Nelson 2020 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  11. 1 2 "Michael Nelson 2021 Match Logs (Goalkeeping)". FBref.com. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  12. ↑ Sigal, Jonathan (September 16, 2021). "Team of the Week presented by Audi: Hat tricks, playoff shakeups galore in Week 25". Major League Soccer. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Major League Soccer Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  14. ↑ "USA - M. Nelson - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  15. ↑ "Houston Dynamo FC waive GK Michael Nelson". Houston Dynamo FC. February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  16. ↑ "FC Tulsa Acquires Former Houston Dynamo Goalkeeper Michael Nelson Via MLS Loan".
  17. ↑ "M. Nelson". soccerway.com. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Michael Nelson Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  19. ↑ "Michael Nelson". Major League Soccer. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
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