NCAA awards prestigious scholarship to former Ball State player Nelson

A former Ball State All-American middle attacker received a prestigious NCAA scholarship to help continue his education.

The Ball State athletics department announced Wednesday that Anders Nelson was named a recipient of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship is a one-time $7,5000 scholarship awarded to a student-athlete based on their athletic and academic achievements, leadership skills, community service and campus involvement. The NCAA awards up to 48 scholarships to student-athlets in each of the fall, winter and spring college sports seasons.

Nelson, who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ball State in May with a double major in accounting and finance, played three seasons for the Cardinals after transferring from the University of Minnesota.

As a senior, Nelson was fourth in the nation with a 1.30 blocks per game average. The middle attacker was named a Second-Team All-American and a finalist for the Off the Block Blocker of the Year award.

Nelson will pursue his master’s degree at the University of Kentucky and will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for the Kentucky women’s volleyball team. The Wildcats last season reached the NCAA Tournament for the sixth consecutive year and lost to Purdue in the opening round of the tournament.

While playing at Ball State, Nelson was an assistant coach for the Munciana Samurai 18-Open and helped lead the team to the AAU National Championship in June. He also won two Indiana high school state championships as an assistant coach with Burris Laboratory School in Muncie, Ind.