NC State boasts a rich history of legendary head coaches. From the youthful and energetic Jim Valvano, to the inspiring Kay Yow and those that helped build the Pack in the likes of Everett Case and Norm Sloan, the history of NC State Athletics is not lacking when it comes to influential leaders.
Elliott Avent’s name belongs alongside those that came before him. A lifelong Wolfpack fan from Aventon, North Carolina, Avent is entering his 22nd season with the NC State baseball team and has taken the program to new heights during his tenure.
Avent is the winningest coach in Wolfpack history, passing the legendary Sam Esposito in 2010, and collected his 1,000th career win last season, the 15th active NCAA coach to accomplish the feat. He has led NC State to the NCAA Tournament 16 times, a Super Regional four times and the program’s second College World Series appearance in 2013.
The accolades are seemingly endless for Avent, who will officially become the longest-tenured head coach in program history when he starts his 22nd season on Friday. He started with the Wolfpack as an assistant to Ray Tanner in 1988, before heading to New Mexico to be the head coach for eight years. Following his stint with the Lobos, Avent took over his dream job as head coach at NC State in 1997, replacing Tanner.
Twenty-two years later he is still in Raleigh, with more success than any coach the Pack has ever had, including his predecessors in Esposito and Tanner. It’s a level of success and longevity that Avent could never have imagined at a place he cares so much about.
“No way. I just really could not,” Avent said. “I said my biggest fear when I came here was taking a program that coach Esposito built and coach Tanner continued and I would screw it up. The thing I’m most proud of is that I haven’t screwed it up yet … that I’ve been able to be here this long and I didn’t mess up anything [Tanner] and coach Esposito did. I just work hard every day to make sure that doesn’t happen, because this place means so much to me.”
Avent embodies NC State, and his passion for the Pack runs deep. He’s been cheering for the Pack his entire life, and was a student at the university as well. From joking around with reporters about the rivalry with UNC-Chapel Hill, to an “admiration and awe” for Valvano and other Wolfpack legends, Avent’s love for NC State is no secret.
It’s something that his players have an appreciation for as well, according to redshirt senior pitcher Johnny Piedmonte. Piedmonte is a sixth-year player for the Pack, and has gotten to know NC State baseball’s main man better than just about anyone.
“He’s competitive,” Piedmonte said. “He loves his school. He’s a loyalist. He loves NC State; everything about NC State. He’s diehard NC State.”
While Avent’s love for the Pack is abundantly clear, there is another thing that stands out about the long-time head coach; he loves to talk to anyone who will listen. Any meeting or interaction with Avent is an experience, with most ending in anecdotes about his experiences and fun conversation.
It’s a trait that doesn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated by reporters and fans alike, but is also something that helps to build a truly special relationship between him and his players.
“[He’s] approachable,” senior pitcher Brian Brown said. “You can talk to the guy, especially off the field, about anything. He’s always there for you. On the field, it’s basically the same thing. I’ve built a relationship with him myself that I can have a conversation with him and he can understand what I’m saying.”
Brown wasn’t the only one to heap praises on his head coach. Sophomore shortstop Will Wilson, who had a breakout freshman year in 2017, said that Avent was someone that you could “sit down and have coffee with.” Piedmonte echoed his teammates’ appreciation for the ability to talk to Avent, while also expressing what makes his coaching style work so well.
“He’s great. He’s very easy to talk to,” Piedmonte said. “I talk to him before practice. He comes in our locker room and jokes around with us. Then, on the field, there’s a difference between him being a friend and being a coach, which is what you need. He stays on top of us on the field and there’s a separation between when he’s in the locker room with us and when he’s on the field, which is great.”
That approachability and coaching style have helped to make Avent and the NC State baseball team into a force, and the fanbase the team has attracted is continuously growing. In Avent’s first season at the helm, the Pack averaged just 875 fans per game at Doak Field, albeit a much smaller, pre-renovation Doak Field. In 2017, NC State broke a program record for attendance, averaging 2,574 fans per game in Raleigh.
The popularity of Wolfpack baseball is vast, and it was built by Avent and the teams he has put on the field. NC State is selling out season tickets, and making Doak Field a tough place to play despite its small capacity.
“That means a great deal to me,” Avent said. “It’s always been a cozy stadium and it’s just a great atmosphere. It’s one of the best atmospheres in the ACC. I’m really proud of that.”
The popularity of the program, as well as the wins and accolades for Avent will continue to grow, as NC State enters the 2018 season looking to make its fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. But it is something else that stands out as the most meaningful part of the job; seeing his former players move on to chase their dreams.
During Avent’s time in Raleigh, 95 members of the Pack have been selected in the MLB Draft, including eight from last year’s team. Seeing former players come back to Raleigh, thankful for their time with him, to train and practice for their upcoming professional seasons is the thing that is most rewarding for Avent. He had that experience last week, as former catcher Andy Cosgrove, now in the Minnesota Twins organization, left Raleigh to head for Spring Training.
“What means a lot to me is when I’m out here practicing and Andy Cosgrove hollers at me and says ‘Coach, come here. I just wanted to say bye and thanks for everything,’” Avent said. “That’s the biggest thing. When Cosgrove comes up and gives you a hug today and says thanks for everything. That means the most to me. You know that you’re helping them move on in life and chase the dreams that they might want to chase.”
