BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN
lliott Avent stood in a somber home dugout
at Charles Schwab Field, the site of the Col-
lege World Series in Omaha two summers
ago. He made sure to hug every one of his
players after NC State was knocked out of the
2024 tournament with a 5-4 loss to Florida.
The veteran skipper shared a unique mes-
sage with each of his players as they walked
past. Most of those he embraced shed a tear in an
emotional moment. The team was making its third
trip to the pinnacle of college baseball in an 11-year
span, but it had fallen short of winning the pro-
gram's first-ever national championship.
Avent had been hunting that elusive title from
the day he showed up in Raleigh. Was this go-
ing to be his final trip to the CWS? Not if he
could help it, but with the college athletics
environment rapidly changing and Avent
nearly three decades into his tenure with
the Pack, the fan base wasn't sure of
what his future held.
Avent didn't sound entirely sure
himself. Asked after the loss to elabo-
rate on his plan going forward, he
replied, "I don't have one."
"I'm not good at processes,"
he continued. "I'm not a
process guy. I'm a day-
to-day guy. I don't run
E
LABOR LABOR
OF LOVE OF LOVE
After Three Decades, Elliott Avent's
Passion For NC State Baseball
Is Undiminished
40 ■ THE WOLFPACKER
