POTTER — Over the past few months, Potter-Dix High School track and field standout Taylor Holz has had a number of conversations with University of Wyoming track and field head coach Don Yentes.

One conversation in particular, though, still stands out in Holz's mind.

"One thing I remember him saying is that he thinks I'm a diamond in the rough," said Holz, a senior. "He said he had one other girl before that he thought was a diamond in the rough, and she's now a three-time national qualifier, and she's training for the Olympics. So, for him to say that to me, it was a very, very big honor. I was stunned that he thought that highly of me without even really seeing any of my talent."

Yentes thought enough of Holz to offer her a scholarship to compete for the Cowgirls. Holz accepted and signed her National Letter of Intent just over a week ago.

"It's an exciting opportunity," Holz said. "It's great to have a chance to compete in college, especially at a D-I school."

Holz has been attracting attention in track and field since she entered high school. She's a three-time state meet qualifier, including last season when she placed sixth in the 100-meter high hurdles and eighth in the 100. She recorded her highest placing at state her sophomore year, when she took third in the 100 hurdles.

Holz, who holds the school record in the 100 (12.5 seconds) and is tied for the 100 high hurdles school record (15.1 seconds), said she's not sure which events she'll focus on in college. She's also a solid long jumper, with a career-best leap of 16 feet, 5 inches.

"[Yentes] hasn't really said what he has planned for me," she said. "He kind of mentioned in September that I might be a multi-event person, like the heptathlon. But then also when I was down there for a visit he said that if he didn't put me in that then he'd probably put me in the open 100 and hurdles. He wasn't sure. He said we'll decide that when the time comes."

Holz had lots of other schools recruiting her, including the University of Sioux Falls, Concordia, UNK, and Hastings College. She made up her mind before Christmas break, though, that she wanted to join Wyoming's program.

"When I went down there for my visit [in mid-November], I met with Coach Yentes. He's just a great guy. He's awesome to be around," Holz said. "He helped answer any questions that I had. He also allowed me to meet with the team, so I met with the sprints, jumps and hurdles group. They're so nice, and their facilities are awesome. Also, the academic side was another big reason I wanted to go there. I'm going to be studying kinesiology, so I met with a couple directors in that department. They really helped sell it for me."

Now that she's committed to Wyoming, Holz expects to feel a little more pressure in her final high school track and field season, which begins in just a few weeks. That's OK, though, because she was already raising the bar higher for herself.

"I definitely want to place a lot higher at state," she said.

Specifically, she's seeking a state championship this spring. If it happens, it most likely will be in the 100 hurdles - her favorite event - or possibly in the 100.

"I'm most consistent with the 100 and the hurdles," she said. "Those are my two strongest events, I think."

She added, "In the hurdles, I know I can get a lot faster. I want to try to break 15 - that's my goal right now."

Holz joins a long list of local athletes who are already competing for the UW women's track and field team, including Diana Long and Lindsey Simmons, both of Torrington High School; Molly Lux of Crawford High School; and Maggie Ochsner and Candace Wollert, both of Lingle-Ft. Laramie High School. In addition, two local athletes are on the UW men's track and field team — Tyler Gifford and Jaymes Talkington, both of Banner County High School.