Bill Nesselt enters his eighth season with the University at Albany football program in 2024. After previously serving as the team’s Special Teams Coordinator / Outside Linebackers Coach, it was announced in March of 2023 that Nesselt had been promoted to the team’s Defensive Coordinator.
The UAlbany defense had a historic season under Nesselt in 2023, finishing as one of the top units in the FCS en route to the program’s first-ever NCAA FCS Semifinal Appearance and first-ever CAA title. The UAlbany defense paced the entire country in rushing defense, allowing an FCS low of 87.6 yards per game and just 11 rushing touchdowns. In the CAA, the Great Danes allowed the fewest yards per play (4.9), the third-fewest yards per game (322.5), and the third-fewest touchdowns (33). Linebacker Dylan Kelly was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American, finishing as a top-three finalist for the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the entire FCS. On the edge, defensive end Anton Juncaj finished top-five in the Buck Buchanan voting after leading the nation in total sacks with 15. Juncaj’s counterpart on the line, defensive end AJ Simon, followed closely with 12.5 total sacks – good for third in the FCS. In all, under Nesselt’s direction, five different players were named to the CAA First Team Defense. Due to the historic production from the UAlbany defense, Nesselt finished as a finalist for the prestigious FootballScoop FCS Defensive Coordinator of the Year award.
In 2022, Nesselt served as the team’s Special Teams Coordinator and Outside Linebackers Coach. From 2018 to 2021, he covered the defensive line while also serving as the team’s Director of Football Operations (2017-18) and Chief of Staff (2021)
In 2017, Nesselt served as a defensive assistant after coming to UAlbany from Holy Cross, where he served one year as the team’s Outside Linebackers Coach. He joined the Crusaders after spending one year as a Defensive Quality Control Coach at Maryland in 2015. He was previously at Ferrum (Va.) College during the 2014 season, serving as the Linebackers Coach, Strength and Conditioning Coach and Interim Defensive Coordinator. Nesselt was also an Assistant Coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School during the 2013 season.
A 2013 graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, Nesselt played defensive line for the Minutemen in 2009 and 2010 before suffering a career-ending injury. He then served as a Volunteer Assistant Coach at UMass during his junior and senior years.
