Provo's Holt Tops Utahns in National Preseason Senior Rankings

Wrestling USA Magazine published a national ranking of high-school senior wrestlers in its Oct. 1, 2005, issue. Top ranked of the 14 Utahns included in the list was Nathaniel Holt of Provo High School, who was ranked no. 5 in the country at 145 lbs.

Some of Holt's notable exploits include taking state in high school in 2005 and second in state in 2004.  He was a USA Wrestling Cadet All-American in freestyle, and won the tough Reno World Championships in 2005, following a fourth-place finish in 2004.  In 2005, he took 5th at the Reno Tournament of champions, and 2nd at the Rocky Mountain Rumble.  In 2004, he was selected by the Wrestling USA Magazine Utah Editor at a Junior Wrestler of the Year; in 2004, he was a Utah Wrestler to Watch.

Bill Kilpack, Utah Editor for WrestlingUSA Magazine, has chosen Holt as the preseason pick for one of the state's outstanding senior wrestlers. He said, "I've watched Holt for a some time now and, in the last year or so in particular, he has really developed into a fine wrestler.  He's skilled, he's fast, he's powerful."

The list was compiled by Dan Fickel, National Editor for the magazine, based on six criteria: 1) accomplishments at state high-school championships (folkstyle); 2) National Junior freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 3) Cadet National freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 4) performance at prestigious high-school tournaments; 5) information from coaches and parents; and 6) the state from which the nominee hails.

Fourteen Utah wrestlers appeared in the rankings in 10 of the 14 weight divisions.  This is up from the eight Utah seniors who were ranked preseason last year.

Other standouts include Levi Mele of Uintah, who was ranked no. 10 at 119 lbs.; Jake Swensen of North Sanpete, who was ranked no., 11 at 130 lbs.; Josh Wilson of Morgan, no. 11 at 145 lbs.; Jared McCurdy of Uintah, no. 11 at 189 lbs.; Talan Knox of Brighton, no. 14 at 160 lbs.; Jared Shepherd of Delta, no. 22 at 103 lbs.; and Phillip Rutledge of Mountain Crest, no. 22 at 171 lbs.  Receiving Special Mention were Ryan Young of Uintah, 103 lbs.; Tag Elliott of Bear River, 140 lbs.; Tyrel Sweat of Wasatch, 145 lbs.; Kenny Scott of Hurricane, 189 lbs.; Trent Steel of Delta, 215 lbs.; and Zane Taylor of Grand County, 275 lbs.

Of all the high schools represented by wrestlers in the national rankings, Uintah had three listed, Delta had two listed, and Bear River, Brighton, Grand County, Hurricane, Morgan, Mt. Crest, North Sanpete, Provo and, Wasatch each had one listed.

WrestlingUSA Magazine has been the voice of national high school wrestling since 1965. For more information, see www.wrestlingusa.com.

Kilpack is editor of UtahWrestling.org, an AAU national champion and seven-time national silver medalist, a 15-time AAU/USA Wrestling All-American, and earned an alternate position on the U.S. Pan-Am Team in Greco-Roman. He coaches an independent freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling program through Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, Mountain Top Wrestling Club.