Get to Know an Incoming Transfer: Providence’s Emmitt Holt

This time last year, Emmitt Holt was a day away from being dismissed from the Indiana Hoosiers basketball program by head coach Tom Crean following a second incident involving alcohol. Holt, who played 29 games in his freshman season at Indiana in 2014-15, was previously suspended for 2 regular season games at the start of his college career after he struck former Hoosier teammate Devin Davis with his car when Davis darted in front of the vehicle. The second incident was a citation for possession of alcohol while underage. Holt issued the following statement at the time of his dismissal:

Dear Indiana University Community,

While my dismissal from the Indiana basketball team was a consequence of my own choices, I’m primarily guilty of doing what most young college students do on any given weekend which is participate in campus life which often includes engaging in the use of alcohol. As a member of the Indiana basketball team I realize that I am held to a higher standard than most college students, coaches and family down and for that I’m truly sorry. I promise to learn from my mistakes and I look forward to pursuing my studies and my basketball career at Indian Hills. I want to thank Coach Crean, the entire staff, my teammates and most of all the great fans of Indiana Basketball for my time in Bloomington.

Sincerely,

Emmitt Holt

Holt found a new home at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa. The Rochester, NY native was the team’s final addition for the 2015-16 season. He played 31 games for the Warriors and had the second-best field goal percentage of all NJCAA Division 1 players at 68.9%. Holt was described by Indian Hills head coach Hank Plona in a release announcing his commitment to Providence as “an impressive young man with a bright future...Emmitt is the type of person and player that will try to do whatever is asked of him.” Plona added, “he is very unselfish and will fit great into the basketball program at Providence, as well as in PC's community.” Plona would know. He holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Providence. He served as a student manager and graduate assistant under Tim Welsh and then Keno Davis.

As for the off-court issues at Indiana, Plona told Kevin Farrahar of Friarbasketball.com at the time of Holt’s commitment:

I think Emmitt has continued to grow up and mature, just like most 18- to 20-year-olds do. Obviously, he had some negative attention that forced him to realize that as a scholarship basketball player, he was under a greater spotlight than an average student.

We do our homework on every kid we take, and the recommendations about Emmitt were as positive as any transfer I’ve taken. Emmitt comes from an outstanding family and has a great support system that has helped him realize that he needs to be aware of the situations that he puts himself in.

To this day, I have still not found a person that has anything negative to say about Emmitt’s character. I wouldn’t say he exceeded expectations because my expectations for him were extremely high, but he met them in every way, and I could not have been happier to have Emmitt as part of the Indian Hills basketball program.

Holt, who will have two seasons of eligibility at Providence, measures in at 6’7 with an impressive 7’3 wingspan. During his freshman season at Indiana, he registered 3.6 ppg and 3.0 rpg in 11.4 mpg. In addition to shooting a high percentage from the floor last season at Indian Hills, Holt also shot an impressive 73% from the free throw line. Holt should compete with freshman Kalif Young for frontcourt minutes, with early word out of Providence offseason workouts being that Holt may lead for the starting spot.