Will Bolt on Sports Nightly: Huskers Ready to 'Go Compete' Against Creighton

Nebraska baseball aims to continue its winning streak with another long stretch of action heading into the month of April.

The Huskers (22-6, 8-1 Big Ten) will exit March with a perfect 12-0 record inside of Haymarket Park while going 17-2 overall in the month, with the losses coming at Auburn and at Michigan. Nebraska's hot streak will once again be tested with another four-game stretch in six days as the Huskers host Penn State in Big Ten play beginning Friday after restarting the in-state rivalry with Creighton Tuesday night.

"Another opportunity for us to go play well in a week," Nebraska baseball coach Will Bolt said during his appearance on the Huskers Radio Network's Sports Nightly program Monday night. "Turn the page from last week and set the tone for this one right down the road playing at Charles Schwab Field against a really good Creighton team that's well coached and going to be ready to play."

Nebraska baseball has had plenty of reasons to celebrate its early success this season after starting the year with over 20 wins before the end of March. | Nebraska Athletics

"For us its just go compete, play together, get a chance to get a road RPI game, and like I said, start the week off on the right foot," Bolt said.

The midweek matchup between Creighton and Nebraska becomes the 153rd matchup between the in-state rivals as the Bluejays took two of the three contests from the Big Red a season ago in coach Ed Servais' final season at the helm for Creighton. Since their last matchup, coach Mark Kingston has replaced the long-time Bluejays' skipper as Creighton has opened the season 13-12 and hosts the Huskers after going 4-1 in a five-game home stand that began last week in a 7-6 home win over Omaha.

Nebraska baseball, however, continues to look at the potential for the season rather than focusing on a one-off midweek game, regardless of the opponent.

Jeter Worthley throws to the first base to complete the strikeout. | Amarillo Mullen

"It starts with process and being sold out and bought into the process of practicing with joy and intent," Bolt said Monday night. "We talk about that probably three or four times a week, 'Hey, this is how we need to prepare.'

Bolt added that the team continues to play with a sense of "urgency" despite the team's early record, which has set the team up for success heading into April. That urgency has helped guide Nebraska to a fresh No. 19 rating in the latest D1Baseball polls, up from No. 24 a week ago and the highest rating for the program since the 2021 season's finish at No. 17.

The program's uptick in national notoriety begins with some of its senior leadership, as Bolt highlighted the work done by infielder Dylan Carey.

Dylan Carey was credited by coach Will Bolt on Monday's Sports Nightly as a key cog in Nebraska baseball's hot start to the 2026 season. | Amarillo Mullen

"He's right in the middle of the culture getting better and better and better since he's been here. It's been a steady process there as well," Bolt said. "When he got here in [2023], we didn't make a regional... the back-to-back Big Ten championships don't happen without Dylan."

"The character, the makeup, the hard work, the work ethic, just all of it. It's the reason why he's successful on the field. He's a heck of a talented baseball player on top of that," Bolt said.

Carey broke the Huskers' doubles record in the Huskers' sweep of Indiana on Sunday, as the senior finished 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBI in Nebraska's 12-4 victory. The Castle Rock, Colo. native has 57 career doubles and is on pace to cruise past his career-high 20 from his junior season with 10 doubles in 27 games this year.

Nebraska head coach, Will Bolt, meets former Creighton head coach, Ed Servais, at home plate prior to the game at Haymarket Park in 2025. | Amarillo Mullen

Nebraska, as mentioned, has been perfect in Haymarket Park this season, winning its first 12 matchups of the year in Lincoln. Bolt credited the home-field success to Husker fans being able to lift the team's energy through the start of Big Ten Conference play.

"It [has] really helped our guys just kind of stay in that fight. You get the crooked numbers going and the crowd's going crazy. It certainly helps our guys," Bolt said. "We feel that on the road, too. Even at Kansas State at the end of that game on Tuesday, we had more fans in the stands than they did. We're very fortunate here at Nebraska to have the fans that we have."

The Husker faithful have packed the stands early and often - home and away, as Bolt mentioned - as the program ranks in the top 10 nationally in current attendance across college baseball. Bolt added that the program doesn't "take that for granted, not one bit."

Nebraska shortstop Dylan Carey launches one of his two home runs against Michigan State at Haymarket Park. | Nebraska Athletics

Bolt also acknowledged that the early-season success has come from a standout bullpen, including a strong performance from Cooper Katskee against Indiana this past weekend. The coach added that the extra arms have helped Nebraska stay ahead of opponents early in the year.

"That is not lost on our guys. We have talked about that at length with this group of position players. How we win series, how we sweep series, how we set ourselves up for midweek games is do not take for granted your at bat. Each pitch is important," Bolt said.

Nebraska takes its winning streak into Omaha Tuesday night to battle Creighton before returning to Big Ten Conference play over the weekend with a home series against Penn State beginning on Friday. The Huskers are set for the opening pitch at 6 p.m. CDT against Creighton, then face Penn State Friday at 6 p.m. CDT, Saturday at 2 p.m. CDT, and Sunday at 12 p.m. CDT. The road tilt at Creighton will be broadcast on ESPN+, while the Penn State opener is featured on Nebraska Public Media, with the final two games of the week streamed on BIG+.