As we enter a new era of NC State baseball in 2023, it can be hard to find a star player to latch onto and a team identity to connect with and root for. Who will lead? Who will be there in the clutch? Most importantly, does the Pack have what it takes to get back to the NCAA Tournament?

Well, look no further than junior third baseman LuJames “Gino” Groover. Groover is set to headline a hungry Wolfpack squad in 2023, one that’s determined to set the record straight come postseason time and put on a show while getting there.

Groover, who transferred from UNC-Charlotte, had a breakout season in 2022. On top of being an All-ACC player and leading the team in multiple statistical categories, Groover became a fan favorite due to his high-energy, dependable and clutch playstyle.

Now with a full year under his belt, Groover and the Wolfpack are ready to take matters into their own hands, especially after back-to-back seasons of controversial decisions that have foiled NC State’s high postseason aspirations.

This year, Groover and the Pack are determined to control their own destiny and leave no room for doubt by the end of the regular season.

“This year we’re going to turn some heads, open some eyes,” Groover said. “I think that this year, we’re going to let it be known and leave no doubt. That’s all we can do — take it out of the hands of other people, make it so there’s not even a question about what’s going to happen. We’re going to go out, win as many games as we can, perform to the best that we can, have fun and put on a show for everybody.”

Getting back to the tournament, or even contending for a tournament spot, isn’t easy, especially in the ACC. For Groover, the journey there starts with both personal improvement and stepping into a leadership role. As a transfer himself, Groover is in a prime position to be a role model for the Pack’s reloaded roster that includes seven transfers and 10 freshmen.

“I want to be better than what I was last year and in the previous years, to go out there and keep improving from a personal perspective.” Groover said. “But also just getting out there and leading the team, and then putting in a lot of confidence that carries all the way around — people are looking at what I’m doing.”

On top of sliding into a leadership role, Groover is determined to build on his statistically-impressive 2022 season where he tallied 86 hits, 16 doubles, 10 home runs and recorded a team-leading .364 batting average.

“I want to hit 20 doubles this year, 15-20 home runs,” Groover said. “The biggest goal that I set is that I want to chase that .400-average mark. I think that’s probably the hardest one to do, especially in ACC, but I feel like I’m more than capable of doing it.”

Groover didn’t just perform well in 2022; he performed well when it mattered the most. The junior consistently came through in clutch situations last season, hitting a game-winning home run in extra-innings versus Quinnipiac and scoring the game-winning runs in back-to-back walk-off wins against UNC-Wilmington and Boston College.

Those are just the highlights because being clutch is something Groover prides himself in. His secret? Just treat that extra-inning, two-out at-bat like any other.

“I treat it like any other normal at-bat — I go out there, and I’m just confident in my ability,” Groover said. “I know the work I put in, it allows me to slow the game down and just go out there and do what I do normally, and I don’t try to do more than what I normally do. Essentially, I usually always make something happen when it’s needed.”

Groover’s clutch gene helped NC State win quite a few games last season, but at times, the team’s downfall was a lack of defense rather than offense. With a bevy of offensive talent on the roster, this year’s test will be when Groover and the rest of his team are fielding and pitching. But the junior is confident the Pack will pass that test with flying colors in 2023.

“Overall, I believe that our defense as a whole should be a lot better this year,” Groover said. “That’s what I’m excited about because we’re gonna hit, so it just comes down to stopping other teams from scoring, and I believe we have the ability to keep that to a low this year.”

As D1 Baseball’s No. 8-ranked third baseman entering the season, Groover is expected to have no issues in holding down the hot corner for the Pack, and a team-wide focus on defense will aid an NC State squad that’s confident in its ability to produce offensively.

Ultimately, an improved defense and high-octane offense are nothing without a united team to power it. But even with 17 new players, Groover and his teammates are already on the same page. NC State is focusing on a selfless, team-first style of play, a strategy that Groover believes is the final piece of the puzzle to putting on a show during the season and leaving no doubt come April and May.

“At the end of the day, we know that once the time comes, these players are willing to play for the person in the next jersey,” Groover said. “That’s all you can really do. If we get the players to play for each other, great things will happen — put the team first instead of yourself.”

It all starts on Friday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. when NC State takes on Wagner in its season opener at Doak Field in Raleigh.