Hiltner will likely wrestle at 177 or 190 pounds in college. He was named the 1996 Minnesota/USA Junior Wrestler of the year in 1996. He won the Minnesota State championship as a heavyweight in 1996 and placed second in 1997. Hiltner also captured first place in both the Freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions at the Southeast Regional in Orlando, Fla., on April 24 and 25. He won both the Freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions at the 1997 Northern Plains Junior Regionals at 191.5 pounds. At the 1996 Espoir Nationals, he finished second in the Greco-Roman division at 220 pounds and placed seventh in the same weight bracket of the freestyle division.
Hiltner is the son of Sylvester and Linda Hiltner, rural Paynesville.