HERRIMAN, Utah (Monday, January 9, 2022) – Real Salt Lake has signed current Homegrown and former RSL Academy defender Erik Holt to a multi-year contract extension, keeping him with the Club through at least the 2024 season with a Club option for 2025.
“I’m very excited to build off my time here at the Club and its great to have clarity for the longer term,” said Holt, who appeared in 17 combined RSL and Monarchs games for the Club a year ago. “We have a phenomenal, player-led culture here, one which helps me improve on and off the field each and every day, not just as a player but as a person. In our locker room, we are all leaders, holding each other accountable to control our actions and own our habits for the group’s success. I heard that ‘true hell is when the person you are meets the person you could have been.’ Along those lines, I’m excited to continue to become the best I can, always fighting for this Club and our fans.”
Holt, 26, first signed with Real Salt Lake on January 3, 2019, as the Club’s 20th all-time Homegrown Player following four years as a Bruin at the University of California, Los Angeles. In his four seasons as a member of the Claret-and-Cobalt, Holt has registered 40 MLS appearances, starting in 29 of those. Holt’s first and only goal with the Club came at the most opportune time, a stoppage-time stunner to give Real Salt Lake the 2-1 victory at home on June 18, 2021 over Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Holt also has two assists across all competitions for Real Salt Lake, one against Minnesota United in 2020 and another last year in the team’s Leagues Cup Showcase match against Liga MX side, Atlas FC.
During his first year with Real Salt Lake in 2019, the rookie defender played an instrumental role in helping Real Monarchs lift the Club’s first-ever USL Championship trophy. In the midst of the Monarchs’ championship run Holt scored two critical playoff goals. Holt’s first USL Championship playoff goal was a 120th minute game-winner against El Paso Locomotive in the Western Conference Final; the second an equalizer that sparked the momentum shift for the Monarchs to defeat Louisville City and clinch the Championship trophy. Overall, Holt has played 29 matches and scored four goals for Real Monarchs across USL and MLS NEXT Pro action.
Following his time with the RSL Academy and prior to signing his first professional contract with Real Salt Lake, Holt recorded one goal and five assists in 71 appearances for UCLA. As part of the RSL Academy, during its time in Arizona, Holt helped RSL earned the nation’s best record in 2015, including a three-month unbeaten streak in U.S. Soccer Development Academy competition.
