Nate Holmstadt (2018) - Hall of Fame - Montana State University Athletics

Nate Holmstadt

Induction:
2018

   Jerry Olson remembers the anxiety.
   It was 1994, and the decision of a coveted recruit was due any time. The wait seemed interminable, the vanishing time excruciating. “He was the player of the year in Minnesota,” Olson says of Nate Holmstadt, “and he told me he was going to call Mick (Durham, Montana State’s head coach) in the afternoon. I waited and waited, and finally three hours later I called Mick. He just laughed and said, ‘He’s coming.’ Mick forgot to call me.”
   The wait, and the heated recruiting battle, was worth it. Holmstadt enters the Bobcat Hall of Fame as one of the most productive players in Bobcat basketball history. He remains third on the school’s all-time scoring list, third in rebounds, and sixth in blocked shots, and his 602 points as a senior remains the program’s third-most. And the 6-8 forward-center contributed in every way possible. His 723 field goals remains a school record, his 386 free throws is third-most all-time, his 83 blocked shots is sixth on MSU’s all-time list, and he even dished out nearly 200 assists in the Blue and Gold.
   As wide-ranging as his contributions were, his consistency was almost mind-numbing. “He was so good we almost took him for granted,” the lead recruiter for Holmstadt, who like Olson is a native Minnesotan. “He was so consistent. We just knew he was going to give us 18 (points) and eight (rebounds) every night.”
   Holmstadt’s career is unquestionably great, but his timing may have been even greater. His arrival, which coincided with fellow freshman star Danny Sprinkle, came at exactly the right time. They joined a nucleus of tough, veteran players who were hungry to win. Holmstadt bolstered the Bobcats inside, providing the rare combination of muscle and finesse. His totals of 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds seem modest in the context of his full career, but he (and Sprinkle) were the final pieces of a puzzle that when fully assembled resulted in a Big Sky Championship.
   If there were doubts that the 1996-97 campaign would be a breakout season for Holmstadt, they were dispelled early. After scoring 18 points with 15 rebounds against Simon Fraser in the season opener, the Cats headed to Hawaii to face Louisville. “(Cardinals coach) Denny Crum grabbed me after the game,” Olson said, “and told me that if they could take Nate back with them they would win the National Championship.” Holmstadt scored 32 points with 13 rebounds in that contest, the second of nine double-doubles he’d post as a sophomore.
   That was the beginning of a nice groove for Holmstadt. He averaged 16.9 points a game with 6.7 boards as a junior, and a remarkable 20.8 points with 7.4 rebounds as a senior. His production was a big reason for the team’s sustained success, as the Bobcats advanced to its most recent NCAA Tournament and never finished below a third-place tie.
   Holmstadt’s singular physical attributes – “At 6-8 he’d run (sprints) with the wings rather than the bigs,” Olson said – and unmatched production remain stark two decades after his career. And he remains one of the finest players and people the Bobcat program has ever produced.