DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis has welcomed three new coaches to its football staff, adding running backs coach Jim Chapin, defensive line coach David Braun, and cornerbacks coach Wes Nurse, it was announced by head coach Ron Gould on Tuesday.

Chapin joins the Aggies from Indiana University (Pennsylvania) while Braun was most recently at Winona State University in Minnesota. Nurse rejoins the Aggies from Minnesota-Crookston after having first coached with UC Davis in 2011.

"All of the coaches not only impressed me but the staff as well," Gould said. "They're great communicators, they provide the attention to detail that I was looking for and they bring quality experience to each of the positions. We are fortunate to have these men a part of the Aggie family."

Chapin will oversee the Aggies' running backs after serving in that same capacity at IUP for three seasons. The Troy, Michigan, native helped shape a potent ground game for the Crimson Hawks, helping IUP rush for 3,630 yards and 36 TDs in 2012 and then average 216.7 ypg in 2013.

Chapin, who graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009, began his collegiate coaching in 2011 at Adrian College in Michigan where he coached wide receivers, special teams and was recruiting coordinator. He also coached tight ends and fullbacks during his tenure at Adrian.

"He has an impeccable record of producing great runners and his understanding of how the running back position is to be played is spectacular," said Gould. "He'll be able to bring some nuances that we need to add to the position."

Braun joins the Aggies' defensive staff after spending the last four seasons at his alma mater as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Winona State won 10 games in 2012, helped by a defense that forced 25 turnovers. The Warriors were 10th nationally with 15 fumble recoveries in 2013 while three of his linebackers earned all-conference honors.

Braun was an all-conference defensive lineman for WSU which went to the NCAA Div. II Playoffs and won three league titles between 2003-07. He joined the coaching staff as a graduate assistant for two years following his graduation, later returning in 2010.

"He's going to provide us with some experience, expertise and diversity to our schemes," Gould said. "Coach Braun had a lot of success at WSU. We're excited to see the progress he's going to make with the defensive line."

He earned his undergraduate degree in secondary education in 2008 and his master's - also from Winona State - in sports management and educational leadership.

Nurse originally joined the UC Davis coaching staff in 2011 after three years at the University of Houston. While with the Aggies, he helped Jonathan Perkins earn All-Great West second-team honors. Nurse then moved on to the University of North Dakota - also a member of the Big Sky Conference - for two seasons.

He spent last season at Minn.-Crookston where he worked with the running backs and tight ends. He's also coached at The Citadel and The Military College of South Carolina.

Nurse played collegiately at Boise State where he was a three-year starting safety, earning All-Western Athletic Conference first-team honors and team MVP accolades in 2003. He was later a graduate assistant for the Broncos for two years.

"He's got a great understanding of not only the pass game but how the run defense fits in," Gould said. "We're not missing a beat with Coach Nurse because he's been in the program and he understands the players and the defensive schemes. He provides us with a tremendous amount of knowledge of the game."

Nurse graduated from Boise State with his degree in marketing. He and his wife, Valerie, are parents to three children - Jaiden (13), Trevyn (3) and Caysen (1).

UC Davis enters its fourth season in the Big Sky Conference in 2015. The Aggies open the season on Sept. 3 at Nevada.