SLAM! Nevada wrestler named Nevada Preps Boys Athlete of the Year
SLAM! Nevada wrestler Manuel Saldate had a perfect start to his high school career. He won the Class 5A individual state title at 120 pounds as a freshman in 2022 and the Bulls won their first team state title the same year.
Saldate didn’t stop winning after that.
He capped off an incredible high school career by winning the state title at 138 pounds on Feb. 8 in Fallon. It was his fourth straight individual championship, which helped SLAM! Nevada cruise to its fourth straight team title.
Saldate, the 40th Nevada wrestler to finish with four individual state titles, finished with 228 career victories, a state record. His historic accomplishments led to him being named the Nevada Preps Boys Athlete of the Year.
“When I was wrestling in the match, it felt different to win that one more than any other one, probably because it was my last one,” Saldate said. “I felt a little bit more of the pressure. It was kind of weird. After winning the state title as a team, that felt more special than winning the individual one for sure. We broke records as a team and we’ve all been (wrestling) teammates since elementary and middle school. So it was cool to end off the journey with my teammates.”
‘Be great’
Saldate started wrestling at age 4 after watching his older brother Antonio get involved in the sport. Antonio Saldate, who wrestled at Cal Baptist, set a high standard by winning three individual state titles and picking up 198 victories at Las Vegas High.
“I thought I was going to be a four-timer,” Manuel Saldate said. “My brother was a three-timer in high school. So I kind of wanted to outdo him.”
Saldate said coach Jake Rollans, who leads SLAM! Nevada’s wrestling program, was a “big influence” on him that always pushed him “to be great.”
He placed in national events as a freshman and showed at the state tournament he was going to be a force to be reckoned with.
“My first state title of my freshman year, that one sticks out the most because it was the first,” Saldate said. “Nobody expects a freshman to win it, either.”
Saldate has helped SLAM! Nevada become the state’s top wrestling program. The Bulls have dominated 5A the last four years.
“It’s really cool, a lot of these guys that were on the team have been with coach Jake for multiple years and he created something special and (he’s) a big part of SLAM’s success,” Saldate said. “It feels great to be together with a group of like-minded individuals that want to be great, not only at the state level, but hopefully go on to college and be great.”
‘A lot of big moments’
Saldate has competed against some of the top wrestlers in the country in tournaments all over the U.S. He said that prepared him for anything that could happen at the state tournament.
“I’ve been in a lot of big moments, so I kind of knew what to expect,” Saldate said. “The pressure doesn’t crush me. … It actually elevates me and makes me wrestle a little bit better, a little bit more clean.”
Saldate’s next step will be wrestling at Oregon State. He said his goal is to become the first collegiate national champion from Nevada.
“I took a lot of time just to think about the pros and cons of each (college), and I just really liked the culture and coaching staff at Oregon State,” Saldate said. “The weather is a little bit different from Vegas, so that will be a little something to adjust to. But I really like the atmosphere over there.”
Saldate also wants to leave a legacy behind. He hopes other SLAM! Nevada wrestlers see the example he and his teammates have set and try to surpass it.
“We had a great season this year, but I hope the next generation of wrestlers is able to outdo what our team has done,” Saldate said. “It’s going to be pretty hard. A bit like how I saw what my brother was able to accomplish, I want them to see what we accomplished and push past it.”
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
