UNLV baseball is turning from one longtime program builder to another, and the next one already knows the city, the school and the recruiting ground.
Stan Stolte announced his retirement after 16 seasons with the program, including 10 as head coach. UNLV then hired Nick Garritano, a Rebel Hall of Famer and longtime College of Southern Nevada coach, to lead the Hustlin’ Rebels into their next era.
Stolte steps away
Stolte, 64, finished 278-271 as UNLV’s head coach, ranking second in school history behind Fred Dallimore. His final team went 30-25, reached the Mountain West Championship and saw its season end with a 17-2 loss to Air Force in Mesa, Arizona.
His best season came in 2022, when UNLV won the Mountain West regular-season title and Stolte was named Mountain West Coach of the Year.
“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,” Stolte said in UNLV’s announcement. “It’s just time.”
Stolte also pointed to the changing college sports landscape, saying the transfer portal has made it harder to build the kind of long-term relationships that drew him into coaching.
A local answer
UNLV’s answer is Garritano, 53, who brings a different kind of continuity. He is not just a new hire. He is a Las Vegas baseball lifer.
Garritano spent 16 seasons as head coach at CSN, going 632-271 and leading the Coyotes to multiple conference titles, regional titles and two NJCAA World Series appearances. Before that, he went 316-118 at Green Valley High School and won Nevada state championships in 2001 and 2003.
“Nick Garritano is a proven winner, a respected leader, and a true Rebel,” UNLV athletics director Erick Harper said in the university’s announcement of Garritano’s hiring. “His record of success speaks for itself, and he has a deep connection to UNLV and the Southern Nevada community.”
Back in Rebel colors
Garritano’s UNLV ties run deep. He was a four-year starting kicker for the Rebels from 1991-94, helped UNLV win the 1994 Big West championship and later was inducted into the UNLV Athletics Hall of Fame.
His family ties also reach the baseball program. His son, Nicky Garritano, played for the Rebels in 2025 and 2026 after starting his college career at CSN.
“The opportunity to take over the UNLV baseball program is truly a dream come true,” Garritano said. “Leading the baseball program at UNLV brings my journey in our wonderful community full circle.”
What changes now
The hire gives UNLV a coach with deep Southern Nevada recruiting roots and a long record of moving players to the next level. At CSN, Garritano helped produce 22 MLB Draft selections and more than 190 players who advanced to four-year programs.
That matters for a UNLV program trying to compete in the transfer-portal era while keeping local talent connected to Las Vegas.
Stolte leaves as the longtime builder. Garritano arrives as the local connector. For UNLV baseball, the next chapter starts with a familiar name.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
