Stan Stolte deserves most credit for saving UNLV baseball

It was one of those dense, towering, vertical storm clouds, the kind carried by powerful air currents, capable of producing severe weather such as tornadoes.

And, in this particular case, bringing a college baseball program to its knees.

The thunderhead that rested above UNLV for almost two seasons threatened to transform the Rebels into a tempest of losing that could take years from which to recover, but in staying the course with an affable and modest leader, the university has successfully allowed for a rainbow to appear in the distance.

Stan Stolte doesn’t want a word of this tale to be about him. But you can’t explain how a UNLV program that lost 68 games the previous two seasons begins a critical Mountain West series against San Diego State on Friday at Wilson Stadium with a 19-3 record and ranked 19th nationally and not lead with the primary reason for such an impressive reversal.

UNLV is off to its best 22-game start in history — and ranked for the first time since 2014 — because of Stolte, whether he wants to believe it or not.

He was caught in the gale unlike anyone else, torn between the loyalty and love for a friend whose demons with alcohol cost him his job and a clubhouse full of confused players seeking answers and guidance.

Tim Chambers was fired as UNLV’s baseball coach in December 2015, a few months after being arrested for driving under the influence of Ativan after he fell asleep at the wheel on the 215 Beltway near McCarran International Airport.

“I’ll always be there for Tim, whenever and whatever he needs,” said Stolte, who had managed UNLV on an interim basis when Chambers took leaves of absences for health issues. “He hired me. But the two things had to be separated because I had to be there for the kids. They had to be the priority, making sure they had the best experience possible.

“No one knew what was going to happen. We were just in this purgatory state for so long. I never gave up hope. I love these kids so much. I buried two brothers at way too early an age, so this isn’t close to being the worst thing. This is Disneyland compared to that.”

It’s still likely to be a Matterhorn ride of ups and downs for a while yet.

The uncertainty that was Chambers’ situation and who would ultimately assume long-term control of the program cost UNLV three recruiting cycles, a nearly insurmountable detriment at the Division I level that a few years from now will make things very lonely for Stolte on Senior Day.

This is a serious rebuild.

But one reason the Rebels have so impressively turned things around this season is because they’re finally getting people out, which makes even more sense when you consider that for the second straight year, all those young arms are being tutored by a guy (Greg Maddux) who happens to be one of the best and smartest pitchers ever to walk the Earth.

Stolte deflects all praise for the hot start to Maddux and assistant coaches Kevin Higgins and Pat Armstrong, to a roster that includes 12 locals, to the state-of-the-art Anthony and Lyndy Marnell III Clubhouse, to anyone and anything other than the person most responsible for calming the waters at a time when internal earthquakes threatened to cause a tsunami of doubt and seemingly endless defeat.

“No matter what was going on, and no one really knew for a long time, Stolte was always there for us,” said senior second baseman Nick Rodriguez. “Cared about us. He had our backs, and that’s always been the most important thing to us.”

Stolte, 56, looks to home when first searching for talent, having already added nine local commitments for next year and yet understanding you only take Las Vegas area players if they’re good enough to help you win a conference title and advance to the NCAA Tournament.

“My father was a Marine, so there was only one way to do things — the right way,” Stolte said. “That’s how we’re going to build this.”

The Rebels aren’t basking in total sunshine yet, still dealing with the reality of those lost recruiting classes, still left with a few noticeable clouds, but when the time came for UNLV baseball to emerge from under those massive thunderheads, Stan Stolte was a portrait of class and determination when responding to the downpour.

The guy who had the toughest job of all never forgot about the most important thing:

He always thought first about the kids.

Contact columnist Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.