Nebraska has hired former Husker player and assistant Will Bolt to succeed Darin Erstad as the baseball team's coach.



Bolt will be the 24th coach in program history. He follows Erstad, who announced his resignation June 3 after eight seasons.



Bolt signed a five-year contract worth $300,000 annually. An introductory press conference will be held next week.



"The opportunity to come back home to Nebraska and lead the Husker baseball program is such a blessing and honor for my family and me," Bolt said in a press release. "It is such an exciting time in Husker athletics with the foundation laid by (Athletic Director) Bill Moos within the athletic department, and the success Coach Erstad and staff have had on the field.



"My family and I have the fondest affection for the Huskers and the city of Lincoln, and truly cannot wait to become part of the Husker family again!"



Bolt, 39, has been an assistant at Texas A&M since 2015, working under coach Rob Childress, who is also a former NU assistant. Bolt's primary duties at A&M included recruiting, coordinating the offense, coaching infielders and serving as third base coach.



As a Husker infielder from 1999-2002, Bolt was a team captain for his last two seasons. He helped lead Nebraska to four NCAA tournament appearances, including three super regionals and back-to-back trips to the College World Series. He finished his career with school records in games (251), games started (242), at-bats (922), hits (281), doubles (56) and assists (639).


Bolt launched his coaching career at his alma mater as a graduate manager in 2004 for Dave Van Horn. He then spent the 2005 season as the Huskers' volunteer assistant.



When Van Horn left for Arkansas, Bolt went to A&M with Childress to again be a volunteer assistant in 2006 and 2007.



Bolt landed his first head coaching job in 2008 at Texarkana College. He went 140-82 in four seasons.



He returned to Nebraska on Erstad's staff in 2012, spending three seasons as the associate head coach. The Huskers made the NCAA tournament once during that span.



With Bolt on staff at A&M the past five seasons, the Aggies have reached the NCAA tournament each year. They advanced to a super regional three times and made a trip to the CWS in 2018.



Bolt, who grew up in Conroe, Texas, is married with two children.