Longtime UNLV baseball coach Stan Stolte announces retirement: 'It's just time'

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — UNLV baseball coach Stan Stolte is retiring after 16 years with the Rebels program, he announced Saturday.

Stolte, 64, was named the seventh head coach in program history in 2016, but joined the team in 2010 as associate head coach.

The 2022 Mountain West coach of the year finishes his career with 278 wins, ranking second in school history behind Fred Dallimore.

“I am thankful for so many people – too many to mention here by name – during the past 16 years that I had the pleasure of working with at UNLV,” Stolte said in a press release from the university. “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.

"It’s just time. The new system of how to build championship-quality programs with the portal and everything else makes it tougher to also build lifelong lasting relationships with kids, which is the number one reason I got into this business. I have zero regrets and will always support the Rebels in all sports.”

The university said Stolte has coached 116 players who have signed professional contracts since he began his college coaching career in 1987 at Northwest Missouri State.

Under Stolte's leadership, the Rebels have had a total of 16 players drafted in the past seven years. Erick Fedde of the White Sox, Dean Kremer with the Orioles, Bryson Stott with the Phillies and Kyle Isbel of the Royals are all current UNLV alumni currently playing in the big leagues.

“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,” athletic director Erick Harper said. “He’s both a respected baseball man and a great person. We will now begin a national search to find the next head coach of the Hustlin’ Rebels.”