In today’s ever-changing world of college athletics, it’s rare for a coach to remain in one spot for more than a decade. Which makes Stan Stolte’s 16-year tenure with the UNLV baseball program all the more impressive — and worth celebrating.
Two days after the Hustlin’ Rebels’ 2026 season ended with a loss to Air Force in the Mountain West Conference tournament on May 21, Stolte announced his retirement as head coach. He departs as the second-winningest head coach in UNLV baseball history, recording 278 victories in 12 seasons at the helm.
Stotle joined the Hustlin’ Rebels in 2010 as the assistant head coach to Buddy Gouldsmith. After Gouldsmith departed following the 2010 campaign, Stolte stuck around and served as the right-hand man to Tim Chambers for the ensuing five seasons.
When Chambers resigned in December 2015 because of an off-field issue, Stolte was tabbed as the interim head coach for the 2016 campaign. Although UNLV struggled to a 24-32 record that year, Stolte was officially hired to lead the program on June 1, 2016.
With a dozen years as head coach, Stolte ranks behind only UNLV Athletics Hall of Famer Fred Dallimore (23 years).
In the past seven seasons alone, he developed 16 players who were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. That includes four UNLV alums currently on MLB rosters: pitchers Erick Fedde (Chicago White Sox) and Dean Kremer (Baltimore Orioles); infielder Bryson Stott (Philadelphia Phillies); and outfielder Kyle Isbel (Kansas City Royals).
Over the course of a collegiate coaching career that dates back to 1987, Stolte coached 22 All-Americans — including Fedde (2013) and fellow Rebel Tanner Peters (2011). Additionally, UNLV standouts Stott (2019) and Dean Toigo (2025) won Mountain West Conference Tony Gwynn Player of the Year honors under Stolte’s guidance.
In stepping down, the 64-year-old Stolte noted that the modern rules governing college athletics — including the transfer portal and NIL — played a part in his decision.
“It’s just time. The new system of how to build championship-quality programs … makes it tougher to also build lifelong lasting relationships with kids, which is the No. 1 reason I got into this business,” he said. “I am thankful for so many people during the past 16 years that I had the pleasure of working with at UNLV.
“I put every ounce of energy I could into the kids daily, holding them accountable, knowing right from wrong, developing them on the field and trying to win as many baseball games as we could along the way. I have zero regrets and will always support the Rebels in all sports.”
Said UNLV athletics director Erick Harper: “Stan Stolte has been a tremendous representative of UNLV baseball on the diamond and in the Las Vegas community, and we thank him for his many years leading our student-athletes."
Days after Stolte retired, Nick Garritano — a one-time Rebels place-kicker and UNLV Athletics Hall of Famer — was hired as the eighth coach in Hustlin' Rebels history.
