Erin Nelson: St. Joe Basketball, Patch Female MVP of the Winter

Now that the four-year career is over, St. Joseph’s Academy senior Erin Nelson can reflect back on those “Golden, Olden days.”

She played in more than 117 games; scored 1,179 career points (7th all time at St. Joe), hauled down 808 rebounds (4th best all time) and was a main figure in the Angels going to the state tournament two of her four years The record during her four-year career is 93-24.

She and her best friend center Sydney Stipanovich led the Angels to the Promised Land. For that unparalleled effort, she is the Ladue-Frontenac and Olivette Patch Female Athlete of the Winter.

No one deserves the award more

Nelson is taking her game locally to Saint Louis University in the fall. “I wasn’t going there at all. I had my heart set on playing for Colgate University (in up state New York) or Brown University of the Ivy League.

But SLU got new coaches, and they kept on recruiting me. I gave them a second look. They made an offer over the phone and I thought about it for two weeks. This way, my parents can see all my games. I’m going to be a Billiken.”

Part of the reflection means comparing the senior year to say, the sophomore year. ”I would say as a senior, a lot more is expected of you." She got onto the court even some her freshman year. She started every game the last three seasons.

Nelson arrived at St. Joe at 5-foot-11. “I stopped growing when I was in the 8th grade,” she recalled.

“You cannot have any games where you mentally don’t show up as a senior. You have to know that every person, including those on the JV team are watching every single move you make. You have to make sure you are fully there, working hard and really pushing your teammates to do the same thing when it comes to game time.”

A guard next year

She is excited to going back to playing guard next year. “I’m so excited for that. That’s what my body is made for and that’s my true position. I was never comfortable with playing with my back to the basket.”

Nelson  always dreamed of being an Angel.  “I didn’t even look any other (private) school. I always looked up to girls like Kelsey Luna and McKenzie Stirmlinger and wanted to be like them.

I shadowed here, and I wasn’t really nervous about my (Holy Innocents) grades, I was just nervous to get in.”

Nelson’s career started in a first-grade league in Fenton. She played AAU and select basketball ever since.

Nelson played both grade school soccer and softball. “I was doing homework in the car with the light on, all the way to the 6th grade. That was too much,” she remembered.

Last year with Maddie and Morgan Stock leading the team, everything was different. “They scored so many points and added so much, I knew when they were gone, that Sydney and I would have to really step it up.”

St. Joe coach Julie Matheny appreciated her hard work and dedication. "Erin is exactly what St. Joe Basketball is about - a champion, a class act. She plays the game because of the love of the sport and having the opportunity to represent St. Joseph's Academy."

The Nelson Family

Her sister is Sarah, a sophomore who went to St. Joe and is at University of Dayton. Steve Nelson, her dad played basketball and baseball in high school in Chicago and threw his arm out pitching at SIU-Carbondale. Her mom Barb works for Swank Audio Visual. The Nelson family will be in the stands at Chaifetz Arena for all of those games.

Erin Nelson is the Patch Female Athlete of the Winter.