LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV baseball head coach Stan Stolte has announced the promotions of Kevin Higgins and Patrick Armstrong to associate head coach and assistant coach, respectively.

"It's great having the staff finalized with Kevin becoming the associate head coach and Patrick moving into a full-time assistant role," said Stolte. "They both hit the ground running two months ago and we have really improved our recruiting class with some solid players for this fall. Kevin's baseball IQ and work ethic are so well respected in the baseball world, and Patrick has the personality and the energy to tackle the every day nonstop relentless recruiting needed at this level to be successful. They both have been so instrumental with the daily goal of moving this program forward."

Higgins has served the past six seasons as an assistant coach after he and Stolte came to UNLV in the fall of 2010 as members of then-head coach Tim Chambers' coaching staff. Higgins, who has been in charge of coaching the infielders and overseeing the catchers, has mentored 15 student-athletes (20 times) to Mountain West All-Conference Team recognition. Additionally, he has had four positional players drafted by Major League Baseball teams since 2012.

Prior to UNLV, Higgins was an assistant coach at the College of Southern Nevada, and he helped the Coyotes to the 2010 Region XVIII and Western District championships as well as a third-place showing at the JUCO World Series. During that season, he counseled the team's catcher Bryce Harper, the first overall pick in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Higgins was drafted in the 12th round of the 1989 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres and spent five years in the organization. He made his MLB debut with the Padres on May 28, 1993, and remained with the big-league club the remainder of the season. He transitioned into coaching following his playing career and spent two years as a coach with the Las Vegas 51s, then a Triple-A of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and two more as a color analyst.

Armstrong, most recently, served as the Rebels' volunteer assistant coach this past season with a primary focus on the outfielders. Armstrong was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 39th round of the 2014 MLB Draft following a two-year career at UNLV (2013-14), where he earned All-MW Team honors twice over. He helped the Rebels to a 2014 MW regular-season title and a trip to an NCAA Regional.

The Woodbridge, California, native came to Las Vegas via Sacramento City College where he helped the Panthers to two Super Regional appearances while begin named an All-Big 8 Second Team performer twice.

Earlier this month, Stolte added Baseball Hall of Famer Greg Maddux to his staff as a volunteer coach for the upcoming campaign.

Nate Erbach has been tabbed to serve as the program's director of operations, and according to Stolte will handle a lot of the behind the scenes activities that will allow the coaching staff to focus on the overall development of the program. Stolte added that Erbach is a great addition that is very thorough and hard working.