VERMONT SPORTS HALL OF FAME

Photo Courtesy: Forrest family

Bennington

Wrestling

Inducted 2026

An All-American who was among the state and New England’s all-time elite wrestlers during his time at powerhouse Mount Anthony Union High School, it was during an unexpected second act of Steven Forrest’s wrestling career that he reached a level no other Vermonter has to date: the U.S. National Team.

Forrest finished his high school career in 2000 as a three-time state champion (and four-time finalist) with the Patriots winning four straight team titles. He also was a two-time New England regional champ at 171 pounds, graduating with a record of 192-23 — more wins than any other Vermonter at the time. He was the 1999 junior national champion in both freestyle and Greco wrestling. He was honored in 2000 with the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

A Division I scholarship at Sacred Heart University followed, but a series of injuries derailed Forrest’s collegiate career and he chose to join the Marines, where he served on active duty from 2003 to 2014, with tours in Iraq and Cuba.

In 2006, Forrest made the All-Marine wrestling team, which rekindled his competitive career. He was the 2009 Armed Forces Greco champion, and from 2010-2011 he was a member of the U.S. National team after finishing second at the 2010 USA Wrestling World Team trials. Forrest was also a three-time All-American at the U.S. Open Championships from 2010 to 2012.

Following his time with the Marines, he returned to his roots: Vermont and Mt. Anthony wrestling, where he served as an assistant coach for two years.  He was later recruited by his former MAUHS head coach Scott Legacy to join the staff at VSU Castleton starting in 2017. Now known as Vermont State University Castleton, Forrest has assisted in the development of several All-Americans at Castleton, which made program history in 2024 with a fifth-place finish at the NWCA National Duals.