Reclaiming His Love For Wrestling

When Seth Nevills entered the transfer portal following the 2022-23 wrestling season, he was looking for two specific things in a new program and school. First, the ability to form a genuine connection with his coaches. And second, a place where he would be able to reclaim his love for the sport. 

It didn’t take long for Nevills to find that place—as the Maryland wrestling program quickly made a lasting impression on him. After about a month in the portal, Nevills made his commitment to the Terps official. 

“I wanted to see what place had the best coaches with the best enthusiasm for me and what place was going to recapture my love for wrestling,” Nevills said. “And I really, truly believe that I found that here.”

Nevills’ wrestling journey to get to this point is a fascinating one. 

Growing up in Clovis, CA, Nevills was surrounded by the sport from a young age. His three older brothers, Zach, Nick and A.J. all wrestled as kids after Zach was first introduced to the sport through a neighborhood friend. The three younger brothers all followed suit and all four of them starred in the sport and all eventually went on to wrestle in college as well. 

The competitiveness that took place in the Nevills household sharpened the youngest brother early. 

“Growing up with them, growing up competing, growing up wrestling in Clovis, it was a great way to grow up and learn the sport.”

From there, Seth quickly blossomed into a star in his own right, putting together a historic career at Clovis High School where he compiled a 169-1 prep school record en route to four straight California state championships at heavyweight. At Clovis, also the high school of Terrapin freshman Dario Lemus, Nevills was a four-year varsity wrestling captain. During his junior season, he not only went undefeated, he also pinned every single opponent he faced in that span. 

Nevills didn’t just shine on the mat however, he was also a big-time football player at Clovis. 

“Wrestling and playing football at the same time really helped me grow as an overall athlete,” Nevills said. “Playing one sport always helped with the other.”

His wrestling prowess eventually earned him the status as the top-ranked recruit in the class of 2018 at one point. The California heavyweight would commit to Penn State and spend four seasons with the Nittany Lions, amassing a 22-7 record in that time, including a 13-4 mark in dual matches.

But after four seasons there, Nevills felt that it was time for a change and time to find a place where he could cement himself as a big-time program’s heavyweight starter and create a new home for both himself and his wife Arisa.

Maryland would soon prove to be that place.

As soon as Terrapin head coach Alex Clemsen and assistant coach Devin Mellon saw that Nevills had entered the transfer portal and was available to be contacted, they immediately reached out through social media direct messages. Soon after, they drove up to State College to meet with Nevills in person and convinced him to come to College Park for an official visit. 

For the coaches, Nevills would be a clear instant impact as the team’s closer—a position they specifically needed after Jaron Smith’s graduation.

“Seth has an amazing ability to move his feet despite the fact that he is nearly 6’5” and 275 pounds,” Clemsen said. “He moves more like he is 6’ and 200. His feet and feel are just plain special. He was the number one recruit for a reason; his talent level is off the charts.” 

For Nevills, it didn’t take long for him to be sold on the program once he sat down with Clemsen and Mellon in-person for the first time.

“When I met the coaches, that was really it. It was an easy choice for me.”

Nevills went through his official visit just to be sure of his decision, but that only further cemented it. 

“It was never about the equipment or the facilities or anything like that for me,” he said. “I just wanted to know the coaches were committed to me and were really going to put a lot of attention and love into me and that’s what I found here.”

Nevills committed during his visit—while at dinner at GrillMarX no less, a restaurant that head football coach Michael Locksley is a co-owner of. 

“I told Locks it was his steaks that did it,” Clemsen said. “Heavyweights love to eat!”

Nevills and his wife Arisa officially moved to Maryland right before the school year began—and they couldn’t be happier in their new home. 

“I love everything about this program,” Nevills said. “I love how hard the coaches push their guys and I love the teammates I have around me. It’s a really good group of guys that have really accepted me into the group.”

That feeling is equally as strong for the coaches and athletes who welcomed Nevills into the program.

“Seth’s had a huge impact on our team already,” 197-pounder Jaxon Smith said. “He has a ton of experience and knowledge and he’s brought it to our team. I believe he’s gonna shock a lot of people this year.”

“Seth is a great human and any time you can add great humans to your program you want to because they elevate everyone,” Clemsen said. “He is bright, competitive, and a good teammate. We love that he is a Terp.”

Turtle Power fans will be just as enamored with their new closer—who is sure to put on a good show each and every time he wrestles.

“I’m looking to go out there and wrestle really hard and make guys not want to wrestle me again. Whether that produces a National title or anything else, that’s always going to be my mindset…That’s what I came here to do.”