The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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10 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK Head Baseball Coach Elliott Avent Earns 900th Win At NC State NC State head baseball coach Elliott Avent became the first in program history to reach 900 wins with the Wolfpack's 13-2 home victory over Appalachian State April 6. Avent was already the pro- gram's all-time winningest coach and reached 900 wins in his 25th season in Raleigh. After a 4-9 start to the 2021 season, the Pack won 12 of its next 16 games to reach a 16-13 overall record as of April 20. Avent now has a 905-544 all-time record at NC State. Counting his eight seasons as head coach at New Mexico State, his 1,129 career wins rank seventh among active Division I college baseball coaches. The 2003 ACC and National Coach of the Year has taken the Wolfpack to 17 NCAA Regionals, four NCAA Super Regionals and one College World Series. He has a 340-312 all-time record against ACC opponents at NC State as of April 20. Wolfpack Head Football Coach Dave Doeren Receives Contract Extension Through 2025 The NC State Board of Trustees approved a new deal for head football coach Dave Doeren that extends his contract through the 2025 season. Doeren, who is entering his ninth season in Raleigh this fall, has the second-most wins in program history (55). He's also the third-longest-tenured coach in the ACC and ranks 15th among head coaches at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. "I am thankful to Chancellor [Randy] Woodson, [director of athletics] Boo Corrigan and our respective Boards for the oppor- tunity to be at NC State and continue to build and lead this great program," Doeren said in a release. "[Wife] Sara and I love Raleigh and the great state of North Carolina. Our children have been able to go to schools in the same city for their elementary, middle and high school years. Not many coaches can say that. "The commitment to me and our staff means a lot. We do not take it lightly and we will continue to fight to make this a great program. We have an incredible opportunity here, amazing support from our fan base and the future is very bright. I give God the glory and will do everything I can to serve these players and our staff." Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports reported that Doeren will receive a $250,000 pay increase, bumping his salary to $3.5 million begin- ning this season. Thamel also reported that NC State has raised the salaries of the nine returning assistant coaches and has increased investment in its support staff this offseason. "NC State football continues to have significant momentum un- der Dave's leadership and this new agreement further reflects our commitment to the direction of our program," Corrigan said in a release. "I'm grateful for the loyalty of Dave and Sara, they share our values and are rooted deeply within our community. Dave has assembled a highly experienced and cohesive staff, there is great stability within our program, and we will continue to invest in the forward progress of NC State football." Rylan Vann Becomes First NC State Commit In 2022 Class 2022 three-star center Rylan Vann of Cary (N.C.) High an- nounced his commitment to NC State on April 14, becoming the first member of the Wolfpack's 2022 class. Vann, a 6-1, 270-pounder, is the younger brother of freshman de- fensive lineman Davin Vann, who was one of two four-star talents in the Pack's 2020 class according to Rivals.com. "NC State was the best school for me to go to," Rylan told The Wolfpacker. "It seemed like I was already part of the family. I have all the assets at State to go further after college if I want to go pro. "I hope I can lead the whole class and show them how great it can be." Vann is also a standout high school wrestler. As a sophomore in 2020, Vann went 47-1 at 220 pounds before losing the 4A state finals match by a one-point decision. He won the heavyweight title and went 34-2 in 2019. — Justin H. Williams ■ RED AND WHITE NOTEBOOK Avent leads coaches in all sports at NC State with 905 wins as of April 20 and ranks seventh among active NCAA baseball coaches with 1,129 all-time victories. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP