Upon graduating, Nylen began his professional career, spending three seasons with the Wilmington Hammerheads of the USL Second Division, before joining the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division for three seasons.
After one season, Nylen joined the Boston College Eagles in a similar role.
During his first season at Boston College in 2010, the Eagles advanced to the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament and earned one of the 27 at-large berths to the NCAA Championship.
Nylen's 2011 season at BC was even more of a success, as the Eagles advanced to the finals of the ACC Tournament marking the fifth-straight time that the squad made it to at least the semifinal stage.
Nylen holds a United States Soccer Federation "A" coaching license as well as an NSCAA Advanced National diploma.