Western Carolina University

PRONUNCIATION: MY-kuh Nelson

2025 (Graduate Student): Named second-team Preseason All-Southern Conference along the defensive line ... For a second-straight season, was nominated for the 2024 NFF William V. Campbell Trophy, which is awarded to the American college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance.

2024 (Redshirt Senior): Played in 11 of the team’s 12 games on the season, each coming as a defensive reserve as he returned from injury … Credited with 26 total tackles, including 10 solo stops and 6.5 for loss with a pair of sacks … Posted tackles in nine of the 11 games in which he played, with multiple stops six times … Returned from the injury that sidelined him in 2023 in the home opener against Campbell (Sept. 7) … Had four tackles including three solo stops and a TFL at Elon (Sept. 14) … Credited with a season-high six tackles against The Citadel (Oct. 12) with a sack … Posted a tackle and a half for loss among his four stops in the road win at Furman (Oct. 19) … Also had four tackles at ETSU (Nov. 9) … Recorded a pair of quarterback hurries and one pass breakup from his defensive end position … Nominated for the 2024 NFF William V. Campbell Trophy which is awarded to the American college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance ... Named to the Fall 2024 Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Selected to the 2024 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team ... Qualified for the 2025 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... Named to the 2024-25 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2023 (Redshirt Junior): Selected first-team preseason All-Southern Conference by the league's head coaches ... Missed the season due to injury ... Named to the 2023-24 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2022 (Redshirt Sophomore): One of seven players including four defenders to start all 11 games on the season, doing so from his defensive end position … Recorded 35 tackles on the year with 14 solo stops and three tackles for loss coming on sacks … Credited with four quarterback hurries and a pass breakup … Posted three-or-more tackles in seven games on the year including a season-best seven tackles at Samford (Sept. 24) … Had four tackles including a sack and a half against VMI (Oct. 1) … Posted three tackles with a sack against Wofford (Nov. 5) … Named to the 2022 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Selected to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team ... Named to the 2022-23 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and Received a SoCon Commissioner's Medal.

2021 (Redshirt Freshman*): Started all 11 games along the defensive line as a stand-up defensive end ... Finished with 33 total tackles on the year including 15 solo stops and three tackles for loss ... Had at least one tackle in all 11 games with four-or-more stops in five games including a season-high six against Samford (Sept. 18) ... Recovered a fumble against Furman (Nov. 6) ... Credited with three quarterback hurries and two pass break-ups ... Was a fourth-team All-Southern Conference selection by Phil Steele ... Named to the 2021 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Named to the 2021-22 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2020-21 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in all nine of the team’s games with four starts … Recorded 27 total tackles including 13 solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss … Credited with two quarterback hurries and one pass break-up … Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener at Liberty (Nov. 14) … Recorded his first collegiate tackles including half a tackle for loss at North Carolina (Dec. 5) … Tallied seven tackles at Furman (Feb. 20) … Recorded a career-high nine tackles including seven solo stops with a TFL against The Citadel (March 13) ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and was named Academic All-Southern Conference.

2019 (Freshman): Did not see game action and is eligible for a redshirt ... Named to the 2019-20 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Joins the Catamount football team as a preferred walk-on after a stellar prep career at Murphy High … Was a two-time state champion (2016 & 2018) and three-time Smoky Mountain Conference champion as a prep … Twice named all-conference and All-Western North Carolina … Played wide receiver, defensive back, and quarterback as a senior during his prep career … Credited with 128 career tackles including seven tackles for loss while totaling 17 pass break-ups and 10 career interceptions …  Finished with 57 career receptions for 907 yards, while also passing for 1,130 yards and rushing for 261 – recording 28 career total touchdowns ... High school coach was David Gentry.

Personal: Full name is Micah Thomas Nelson … Is the son of Becky and Thomas Nelson … Was born in Bristol, Va. … Has two younger siblings, Grace and Tyra … Father, Thomas, was an All-American football player at Emory & Henry College (1998) and a 2011 inductee into the Emory & Henry College Sports Hall of Fame.