Karley Nelson elevated to head coaching role for New Mexico women’s soccer team

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Karley Nelson, who has served as assistant and associate head coach for the Lobo women’s soccer program for the last 11 years, has been elevated to become the fifth head coach in the history of the program. She takes over from Heather Dyche, who left UNM after being named Head Coach of the U.S. Women’s U-23 National Team.

“I am honored to lead a program that means so much to me and to our many incredible players, staff, and alumna,” Nelson said. “I’m excited to build on the strong foundation of excellence, culture, and community that defines Lobo Soccer. Thank you to Fernando, our athletics administration, and our community for entrusting me as the next leader. Thank you, also, to our student-athletes for being outstanding representatives of our program. Together, we can achieve great success! Lastly, a final thank-you to Heather, who brought me here 11 years ago and allowed me to learn all aspects of our program. I’m excited to get to work!”

Nelson joined the Lobos in 2015 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator before being promoted to the role of associate head coach in 2019. After a brief hiatus in 2020, she returned to the program in 2021, again serving as associate head coach, and continued to play a key role in the team’s success both on and off the field.

(+READ: New Mexico’s Heather Dyche hired as head coach for U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team)

During her tenure, Nelson helped guide New Mexico to a 94-52-28 overall record and a 59-32-19 mark in Mountain West play, highlighted by four regular-season titles and the 2021 Mountain West Tournament Championship, which was the program’s first in a decade. Under her leadership in the defensive unit, the Lobos set a program record for consecutive shutout minutes (602:51) in 2022 and posted their lowest goals-against average (0.82) since 2011.

In addition to her collegiate experience, Nelson has made a significant impact on the national stage as an assistant coach for the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and the Women’s Youth National Teams (WYNT). Nelson has worked with the U15, U17, U19, and U20 WYNT teams, and most recently served as head coach of the U20 WYNT Training Camp in Carson, California, in June 2025. In addition to her involvement with U.S. Soccer, Nelson serves as a Coaching Educator for United Soccer Coaches. Nelson also holds a USSF B License.

Before UNM, Nelson held assistant coaching roles at Utah Valley University and Iowa Western Community College, where her teams earned national rankings as high as No. 3 in the NJCAA in 2012. Nelson also served as the head coach of the San Diego Surf ENCL Soccer Club from 2020 to 2021.

Vice President/Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo expressed his appreciation for the committee that led the national search process and shared his belief in Nelson’s leadership.

“I am very appreciative of our search committee for their work throughout this exhaustive process,” Lovo said. “After numerous interviews and thoughtful discussions, it was clear that Karley was the best fit to lead our program moving forward. She’s a proven leader who embodies what it means to be a Lobo: committed, competitive, and student-centered. Her deep connection to the program and her vision for its future make her the ideal person to lead UNM women’s soccer into its next chapter.”

A native of Orem, Utah, Nelson graduated from Grand Canyon University with a degree in biology, where she was a student-athlete and captain on the women’s soccer team. Nelson has an associate’s degree from Iowa Western Community College, where she earned All-America honors as a student-athlete in 2007, leading a team that finished as national runner-up in 2006 and 2007.

In addition to her collegiate career, Nelson played professionally for two years in Keflavik, Iceland, for Keflavik FC.