Warrior Hall of Fame
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Graduated WSU 1984
Won 4 letters football
NAIA All-American Honorable Mention 1982, 1983
All-District 13 NAIA 1982, 1983
All-Conference 1982, 1983
Conference Most Valuable Player 1983
Captain 1983
Member of 1983 conference championship team
Leif R. Nelson was called the best of the best when he was a wide receiver at Winona State University during 1980-1983. Nelson had the most receptions in a season, most receptions in a career, most receiving yards in a game, most receiving yards in a season and most receiving yards in a career. Nelson set marks that would serve as a legacy for a many future great wide receivers for the Warriors.
Nelson was a standout high school athlete from Stewartville, Minn., who graduated Cum Laude from Winona State in 1984 and became one of the Warrior football program's finest wide receivers.
During his career at WSU, Nelson gained All-American honors from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for 1982 and 1983. He grabbed NAIA All-District 13 and All-Northern Intercollegiate Conference honors the same years. His receiving exploits also garnered him NIC Most Valuable Player of the Year honors in 1983, the year the Warriors captured the conference championship.
After completing his athletic and academic career at WSU, Nelson remained in the area and went to work at the Mayo Clinic. For 20 years Nelson worked in the Department of Ophthalmology in the research laboratory where he published many corneal articles in scientific journals. For a time he was the Technical Director of the Mayo Clinic Eye Bank.
Nelson currently works in the Office of Technology Commercialization at the Mayo Medical Ventures as its licensing manager.
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