A New Home
Feb 23, 2026 | Baseball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Robby Bolin, who once lost sleep while deciding between baseball and football at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka, and who toiled over a college decision before taking his ball and bat to Nebraska, is sleeping pretty well these days as a senior outfield general for Kansas State, whose tight-knit team and outstanding culture make the transfer grateful his path ultimately brought him to the Little Apple.
Bolin is home.
"The thing that comes to mind with K-State is just gritty, hard-working guys," Bolin says. "That's what we do every day. We show up and get our work done. We just like to get after it. We like to compete. No matter who's in front of us, we want to show we can compete with them."
K-State showed exactly that in historic fashion by sweeping the MLB Desert Invitational, beating Iowa (15-6), UConn (7-3), Penn State (24-5) and Air Force (11-8) — the first time in school history K-State has opened a season by beating four different teams in four days.
After suffering its first loss of the season — a 5-1 defeat to No. 9 Auburn in the opening game of the Amergy Bank College Baseball Series on Friday — Bolin and the Wildcats bounced back with wins over Nebraska (5-3) and Michigan (10-6) to improve to 6-1 for their best start to a season since 2010.
"It's awesome," Bolin says. "Our main goal is to take it one day at a time, one opponent at a time, and not looking too far ahead. We don't get caught up in what's behind us. We focus on the task at hand to make sure come out on the winning side."
K-State now travels to face Louisiana in a pair of games at Moore Field at Russo Park in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both games are at 6 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+.
Meanwhile, time ticks down before K-State's home-opening series against Columbia on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Tointon Family Stadium.
"I'm very excited," Bolin says. "I wish I could witness Tointon right now. My teammates have told me how great the Toint is and how it packs up with K-State fans. I'm very excited for the home-opening day at Tointon."
It'll truly be a coming home party for Bolin, who is hitting .333 with one RBI, five walks, 11 runs scored and two stolen bases for the Wildcats.
There was a time in 2022 when some people around Topeka wondered if Bolin would swing a bat again. After all, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound All-Centennial League first-team wide receiver was selected to the East roster for the 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl all-star football game. Bolin had 33 catches for 517 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 15.7 yards per reception. He participated in football camps at K-State and Kansas. Washburn University offered him a football scholarship.
"I didn't know whether to play football or baseball in college," Bolin says. "It took me until right before my senior year to figure out football was over and I just wanted to do baseball. I got some backlash from some people who thought I should play football. Right before my senior baseball season, I decided I was going to pursue baseball."
Turned out to be a great choice. But where would he go?
"I didn't really put myself out there in recruiting for baseball, which was difficult," he says. "Since I was focused on football and baseball, I never went to any baseball showcases or put my name out there. I just played for my local summer ball team. So, not a lot of recruiting came my way, and my only options were community colleges. Barton Community College was the best one in my eyes, and it turned out to be one of the biggest blessings in disguise. I absolutely loved my two years there."
At Barton Community College, he developed into one of the nation's top prospects over his two seasons and was one of 24 players selected to the USA NJCAA All-Star team while being named Team USA's best hitter in the tournament in Amsterdam, which he calls the best experience of his career. He was named a NJCAA Gold Glover, and Jayhawk West Conference MVP as a sophomore. He batted .348 as a freshman, and then he smashed that mark by batting .464 as a sophomore, while boasting the nation's fifth highest on-base percentage.
Suddenly, recruiting picked up.
"K-State, Nebraska and a couple other schools reached out," he says. "I narrowed it down to K-State and Nebraska the first time. I saw all the eye appealing things like the facilities and the nice amenities with being at Nebraska. My family and I thought at that point it'd be best if I went to Nebraska."
In his first Division I season, Bolin batted .278 with 16 RBI while emerging as Nebraska's starting center fielder amongst a crew of returning commodities and notable transfer options. Bolin batted in the leadoff spot or in the middle of the order and came through in the clutch with a walk-off RBI to give the Huskers a 5-4 win in 10 innings against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.
Then came a change of heart.
"Honestly, it was a pretty easy and quick decision," he says. "I entered the transfer portal and K-State came calling. I pretty much committed right away. I knew what K-State had from the first time when I visited. It especially helped from last year playing them three times and seeing what they offered on the field and how they went about their business. I fell in love with their culture and what they do. It was an easy decision once I got that call."
And now he's home — well, actually 45 minutes from home. Close enough.
"It's awesome," he says. "I'm able to have a bunch of family come down and watch me play all the time. It's only a 45-minute drive from my home. I'm excited to have my family down here for my last year."
Bolin had two relatives play in the minor leagues in Melvin and Sam Bise, but Bolin has a chance to become the first member of his family to reach the major leagues.
He envisioned as much while playing the first seven games of this season at professional ballparks in Arizona and in Arlington.
"It was a great environment," he says. "Spring training was taking place while we were in Arizona. It was awesome to see big leaguers around camp and guys working out. It was a great atmosphere. Absolutely, I see myself in that role. It's always been my goal to make it there."
But first, Bolin and the Wildcats have business to take care of this spring.
"We want to go out there and prove what we can do," he says. "We compete each and every day. If we do that, bring that same intensity every day, and keep our heads down, we can look up in a couple months and be in a pretty good spot."
The ride continues to heat up.
And there's no sleep in sight.
Robby Bolin, who once lost sleep while deciding between baseball and football at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka, and who toiled over a college decision before taking his ball and bat to Nebraska, is sleeping pretty well these days as a senior outfield general for Kansas State, whose tight-knit team and outstanding culture make the transfer grateful his path ultimately brought him to the Little Apple.
Bolin is home.
"The thing that comes to mind with K-State is just gritty, hard-working guys," Bolin says. "That's what we do every day. We show up and get our work done. We just like to get after it. We like to compete. No matter who's in front of us, we want to show we can compete with them."
K-State showed exactly that in historic fashion by sweeping the MLB Desert Invitational, beating Iowa (15-6), UConn (7-3), Penn State (24-5) and Air Force (11-8) — the first time in school history K-State has opened a season by beating four different teams in four days.
After suffering its first loss of the season — a 5-1 defeat to No. 9 Auburn in the opening game of the Amergy Bank College Baseball Series on Friday — Bolin and the Wildcats bounced back with wins over Nebraska (5-3) and Michigan (10-6) to improve to 6-1 for their best start to a season since 2010.
"It's awesome," Bolin says. "Our main goal is to take it one day at a time, one opponent at a time, and not looking too far ahead. We don't get caught up in what's behind us. We focus on the task at hand to make sure come out on the winning side."
K-State now travels to face Louisiana in a pair of games at Moore Field at Russo Park in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both games are at 6 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+.
Meanwhile, time ticks down before K-State's home-opening series against Columbia on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Tointon Family Stadium.
"I'm very excited," Bolin says. "I wish I could witness Tointon right now. My teammates have told me how great the Toint is and how it packs up with K-State fans. I'm very excited for the home-opening day at Tointon."
It'll truly be a coming home party for Bolin, who is hitting .333 with one RBI, five walks, 11 runs scored and two stolen bases for the Wildcats.
There was a time in 2022 when some people around Topeka wondered if Bolin would swing a bat again. After all, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound All-Centennial League first-team wide receiver was selected to the East roster for the 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl all-star football game. Bolin had 33 catches for 517 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 15.7 yards per reception. He participated in football camps at K-State and Kansas. Washburn University offered him a football scholarship.
"I didn't know whether to play football or baseball in college," Bolin says. "It took me until right before my senior year to figure out football was over and I just wanted to do baseball. I got some backlash from some people who thought I should play football. Right before my senior baseball season, I decided I was going to pursue baseball."
Turned out to be a great choice. But where would he go?
"I didn't really put myself out there in recruiting for baseball, which was difficult," he says. "Since I was focused on football and baseball, I never went to any baseball showcases or put my name out there. I just played for my local summer ball team. So, not a lot of recruiting came my way, and my only options were community colleges. Barton Community College was the best one in my eyes, and it turned out to be one of the biggest blessings in disguise. I absolutely loved my two years there."
At Barton Community College, he developed into one of the nation's top prospects over his two seasons and was one of 24 players selected to the USA NJCAA All-Star team while being named Team USA's best hitter in the tournament in Amsterdam, which he calls the best experience of his career. He was named a NJCAA Gold Glover, and Jayhawk West Conference MVP as a sophomore. He batted .348 as a freshman, and then he smashed that mark by batting .464 as a sophomore, while boasting the nation's fifth highest on-base percentage.
Suddenly, recruiting picked up.
"K-State, Nebraska and a couple other schools reached out," he says. "I narrowed it down to K-State and Nebraska the first time. I saw all the eye appealing things like the facilities and the nice amenities with being at Nebraska. My family and I thought at that point it'd be best if I went to Nebraska."
In his first Division I season, Bolin batted .278 with 16 RBI while emerging as Nebraska's starting center fielder amongst a crew of returning commodities and notable transfer options. Bolin batted in the leadoff spot or in the middle of the order and came through in the clutch with a walk-off RBI to give the Huskers a 5-4 win in 10 innings against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.
Then came a change of heart.
"Honestly, it was a pretty easy and quick decision," he says. "I entered the transfer portal and K-State came calling. I pretty much committed right away. I knew what K-State had from the first time when I visited. It especially helped from last year playing them three times and seeing what they offered on the field and how they went about their business. I fell in love with their culture and what they do. It was an easy decision once I got that call."
And now he's home — well, actually 45 minutes from home. Close enough.
"It's awesome," he says. "I'm able to have a bunch of family come down and watch me play all the time. It's only a 45-minute drive from my home. I'm excited to have my family down here for my last year."
Bolin had two relatives play in the minor leagues in Melvin and Sam Bise, but Bolin has a chance to become the first member of his family to reach the major leagues.
He envisioned as much while playing the first seven games of this season at professional ballparks in Arizona and in Arlington.
"It was a great environment," he says. "Spring training was taking place while we were in Arizona. It was awesome to see big leaguers around camp and guys working out. It was a great atmosphere. Absolutely, I see myself in that role. It's always been my goal to make it there."
But first, Bolin and the Wildcats have business to take care of this spring.
"We want to go out there and prove what we can do," he says. "We compete each and every day. If we do that, bring that same intensity every day, and keep our heads down, we can look up in a couple months and be in a pretty good spot."
The ride continues to heat up.
And there's no sleep in sight.
Players Mentioned
OF
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