University of Connecticut Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Defensive Line
- Email:
Nate Atkins joins the UConn coaching staff in 2025 in the role of assistant defensive line coach. Atkins comes to Storrs after spending the last two seasons on the Ball State coaching staff.
Atkins was the safeties coach with the Cardinals, assisting in implementing all aspects of game day preparations. He also served as the academic liaison for the team. In 2023, helped coach a Ball State defense that was 21st in the nation in total defense, 20th in rushing defense, 32nd in passing defense and 30th in third down defense.
He was previously at Ball State as a defensive graduate assistant in 2020 before begin promoted to defensive assistant with the defensive backs in 2021 and 2022. He would move on to coach at the University of Dayton for a short stint as linebackers and special teams coordinator before returning to Ball State in the spring of 2023. Atkins began his coaching career as a volunteer defensive assistant at his alma mater William & Mary in the spring of 2020.
Atkins graduated from William & Mary in 2019 with a degree in business administration and with a master’s degree in business analytics in 2020. He played for the Tribe and was a two-time captain and four-year starter, logging 44-consecutive starts. He was a five-time academic all-conference player and a 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy national semi-finalist. He also earned a master’s degree in athletic coaching education from Ball State in 2023.
