The Waterloo Bucks have announced the hiring of Jason Nell as the team’s new Field Manager.  No stranger to the Northwoods League, Nell was named the NWL Manager of the Year as the skipper of the Mankato MoonDogs in 2008, guiding Mankato to the organization’s first playoff appearance in franchise history that season.
 
Nell began his Northwoods League career with the MoonDogs during the summer of 2005 as the team’s base coach.  The next season, Nell was named Field Manager of Mankato, a position he held through the ’08 season.  As the manager of the MoonDogs, Nell won the ’08 First Half North Division Championship, coached 32 players that have been selected in the Major League Baseball amateur draft, and was the Manager of the North Division All-Stars in ’08.  Nell has a total of 108 wins in the NWL, eighth most in league history.
 
“We are excited to welcome Jason into the Bucks organization,” said Waterloo General Manager Dan Corbin.  “His qualifications for the position are obvious, as Jason is an excellent coach with a winning track record and knows his way around the Northwoods League.  Jason is a well respected coach in the league and we are thrilled to have him in our dugout.”
 
Nell, currently in his eighth season as the head baseball coach at Iowa Lakes Community College, takes over for Pete Lauritson who had been the skipper for Waterloo over the past two seasons.  The University of Wisconsin-River Falls alum becomes the eighth Manager in Bucks’ team history.
 
“I am humbled to have the opportunity to work in Waterloo,” said Nell.  “I have always stated that if you surround yourself with good people, good things will happen.  The Marsos, Dan, and Aaron Rustad, and especially the fans in Waterloo and the surrounding area, are not good, but great people.  I am committed to working my tail off to bring talented and good character kids to play for the Bucks in hopes of competing and winning daily.”
 
Nell graduated from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in May of 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Park and Land Management degree with a Coaching minor.  While at UW-River Falls, Nell was a four-year letter winner in baseball as an infielder/outfielder/pitcher.  In May of 2001, Nell graduated from Loras College with a Master of Arts in Sports Administration.  He has been involved in coaching since 1996.  Nell currently resides in Wallingford, IA with his wife Lisa and his daughters Gracie and Chloe.