College Sports Information Directors of America

Baylor University has promoted Heath Nielsen to interim assistant athletic director of media relations, David Brooks, the University's vice president for finance & administration currently overseeing the Baylor athletic department announced Monday. Nielsen fills the vacancy created when Scott Stricklin resigned to accept a similar position at Kentucky. Nielsen will oversee the media relations operation for Baylor's 17-sport athletic department. For the last three years Nielsen has served as Baylor's director of athletic media relations, supervising the day-to-day operation of the media relations office while working primarily with the men's basketball program. Nielsen came to Baylor in 2000 from New Mexico State, where he spent two years as assistant athletic director for media relations. Prior to NMSU, Nielsen spent four-and-a-half years as assistant director of athletic media relations at Mississippi State. A 1994 graduate of Utah State, Nielsen has received numerous awards for his publications, including his 1996 MSU baseball media guide that was judged "Best in the Nation." He has worked 13 NCAA championship events and in 2002 was publicist for the Big 12 Men's Basketball All-Star's tour of Scandinavia. Nielsen and his wife Deena are the parents of three sons: H, Kye and Sayer.