Nelms hoping to make splash as Baptist minister

Swimmers often describe their time in the pool as a spiritual experience, but UNLV's Steven Nelms is taking that concept to the extreme.

The senior sprinter, vying for his fourth consecutive NCAA appearance, plans to leave his sport in March in favor of the clergy.

Though Nelms has Olympic potential, he feels a higher calling. He will begin preparing to become a Baptist minister at the conclusion of the 2010-11 season.

"This is the final chapter of my swim career," said the native of Plano, Texas. "My goal as a third-year captain is to continue to lead this team in a way to set them up for future success."

Nelms said he was not a religious man when he came to Las Vegas, but a conversation with coach Jim Reitz got him to thinking during his freshman year.

"Jim dropped a reference to the Bible," Nelms said. "I didn't know what he was talking about. I was so embarrassed that I started reading the Bible, trying to figure out what it all meant."

Nelms understands the irony of finding religion in a city known for sinful ways.

"I tell people that God sent me to Sin City to save me," said Nelms, the younger brother of former UNLV swimming standout Brandon Nelms.

But swimming pools are generally the same from one town to the next, and that's where Nelms has done a large share of soul-searching.

"Some of my deepest Bible study happens at practice," he said, "whether verses are going through my head or I'm looking at my team wondering how I can love this family to the best of my ability. There's time to do a lot of soul-searching, asking yourself the big question of who you are and what you can do."

There's no question about what Nelms can do in the swimming pool. Rebels associate head coach Kunio Kono expects his standout swimmer to end his career with a bang.

"He's definitely got the talent and tools (to make another NCAA run)," Kono said. "He just needs to use it."

Nelms helped UNLV beat former conference rival Utah in his team's most recent dual meet on Nov. 5, winning the 50-yard freestyle and swimming legs of the victorious 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays.

But those wins meant little to Nelms compared with what's coming next. The Rebels are tapering in preparation for next week's Texas Invitational, where the top swimmers will attempt to secure NCAA berths with "A" qualifying times in their best events.

Though Nelms will have long-term career aspirations on his mind, he has every intention of fulfilling his coaches' expectations.

"I definitely want to return to the NCAAs," he said. "That would be my fourth year to do that."

And no one will support him more than his brother, who held school-record times as a member of the 200-medley and 200-free relay teams before they were topped by Steven and his teammates.

"Brandon is one of my biggest fans," Nelms said. "He loved it when I broke his high school records, and he loved it when I knocked his name off the record board here at UNLV. He's one of the reasons I came to UNLV in the first place."

After a few more meets, Nelms' biggest goal will be to become a pastor at Las Vegas' Lifesong Church. But he always will feel he owes everything to his time at UNLV.

"I've grown so much," he said. "This program has turned me into a better man."