Jeff Christy enters his third season as an assistant coach at Nebraska in 2022, having joined the staff in June 2019. Christy coaches the Husker pitchers and catchers.
Christy, who played a key role on Nebraska’s 2005 College World Series team, has 11 years of collegiate coaching experience.
Three NU hurlers were selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, with Spencer Schwellenbach in the second round (59th overall) by the Atlanta Braves, Cade Povich going in the third round (98th overall) by the Minnesota Twins and Cam Wynne picked in the 20th round by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Christy helped guide Povich, a starting pitcher, and Schwellenbach, a reliever, as well as catcher Luke Roskam to first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2021. Nebraska went on to finish 34-14, captured the Big Ten regular-season championship and appeared in an NCAA Regional Final.
Christy’s first season at Nebraska in 2020 only lasted 15 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Christy was reworking a pitching staff that had lost its three weekend starters from 2019. He oversaw the emergence of junior college transfer Povich, who recorded 26 strikeouts and just two walks over 21.1 innings of work.
Prior to his return to Lincoln, Christy spent two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Texas A&M under former NU assistant Rob Childress. Christy mentored the Aggie catchers, while also serving as the first base coach. He also handled duties pertaining to on-campus recruiting and development of scouting reports..
In 2019, the Aggies won 39 games and made it to the championship final of the NCAA Morgantown Regional. Catcher Mikey Hoehner hit .292, tied for the second-best batting average on the team, and compiled 63 hits, 10 doubles and 30 RBIs. He threw out 13 of 34 attempted base stealers on the season.
In 2018, Texas A&M went 40-22 en route to a spot in the NCAA Austin Regional. The team batted .287 with a .423 slugging percentage and .364 on-base percentage. Aggie catchers Cole Bedford and Hunter Coleman combined for 19 doubles, 10 home runs and 62 RBIs on the season. Defensively, the duo committed just three errors while throwing out 13 of 52 attempted base stealers.
Christy spent two years as an assistant coach at Central Oklahoma and helped the Bronchos to a 67-43-1 record during his time on John Martin’s staff. In 2017, Central Oklahoma went 37-21-1 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Central Regional final after taking runner-up honors at the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association conference tournament. In 2016, the Bronchos went 30-22 overall and posted 21 wins in MIAA play, as Jon Kamies and Landon Eason earned All-America honors.
Christy returned to his alma mater in the summer of 2011 and served as a volunteer assistant coach on Darin Erstad’s staff. Christy helped Nebraska’s catchers develop into one of the best units in the Big Ten during his four-year stint on the Husker staff from 2012 to 2015.
The Huskers qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2014, the team’s first appearance since 2008. NU took runner-up honors in the Big Ten in 2013 and 2014, and qualified for the conference tournament during all four years when Christy was on staff. The Huskers made it to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament in 2013 and 2014.
In 2015, three-year starter Tanner Lubach earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as the team’s catcher before being drafted in the ninth round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Christy spent the 2011 season as a volunteer assistant at Wichita State under Gene Stephenson. The Shockers went 39-26 overall and made it to the championship game of the Missouri Valley Tournament. Chris O’Brien and Charlie Lowell were each tabbed All-Americans in 2011.
Christy was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round of the 2006 MLB Draft, the highest selection for a Husker catcher since 1985. He reached Triple-A in 2008 and 2009, playing for the Rochester Red Wings. Christy spent the 2010 season with the Wichita Wingnuts of the American Association and was named an All-Star while hitting .289 with 40 runs, 82 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, one home run and 39 RBIs.
A two-year letterwinner for the Huskers, Christy caught a school-record 64 games as a junior in 2005 to help NU earn a spot in the College World Series and win a school-record 57 games. He hit .236 with 32 RBIs, while throwing out 45 percent of opposing runners, including 8-of-11 runners in the postseason.
An honorable-mention All-Big 12 pick in 2006, Christy hit .284 with eight homers and 32 RBIs, while leading the Huskers to 42 wins and a No. 6 national seed.
Prior to his Husker career, Christy played at Barton County Community College and was a first-team All-Jayhawk League selection in 2004 and an honorable-mention pick in 2003.
Christy earned his bachelor’s degree from Nebraska in December 2008. He and his wife, Michelle, were married in 2007 and have three children, Quinn, Griffin and Stella.
