Bolles will welcome back a familiar face next year as alumnus Jay Bolt ’13 returns to his alma mater to join the middle school P.E. staff and assist with the varsity boys' soccer team.

Bolt will fill the P.E. role for the retiring Mike Akabekjan, whom Bolt played for on the middle school soccer squad. He will again work alongside his high school soccer coach Jim Lieb on the upper school sidelines. 

Bolt rejoins the Bolles staff after guiding the Episcopal girls’ and boys’ teams to unprecedented success. He led the girls’ team to the first state final in program history in 2025 and did the same with the boys’ team in 2026. Bolt’s prior coaching experience was at Bolles as the JV coach and assisting with the varsity team from 2013-19.

As a player, Bolt earned numerous accolades at the professional, collegiate and high school levels. He was named Newcomer of the Year by the Charleston Battery of the United Soccer League in 2018 and played at the professional level for three seasons.

Bolt played college soccer at the University of North Florida from 2013-16 for fellow Bolles alum Derek Marinatos ’94. His stellar UNF career resulted in Bolt being selected for the school’s Hall of Fame in 2025. He helped UNF to the 2015 Atlantic Sun Tournament Championship title and 2016 Atlantic Sun Regular Season crown. He was named ASUN defensive player of the year in 2015 and 2016, All-Conference four times and NSCAA Southeast All-Region three times. Bolt totaled five Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Week honors and three Atlantic Sun All-Tournament honors.

Bolt earned numerous accolades at Bolles as well. As a senior, he was named the Florida Dairy Farmers State Player of the Year, All-State, All-District, to the Times-Union All First Coast First Team, the Times-Union Player of the Year and was named All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jay Bolt back home to Bolles,” said Athletic Director Rock Pillsbury. “His success as both a player and coach will be an asset to the program and we are proud he will be donning blue and orange again!”