The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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said Butterworth, who is playing this summer for the Chesapeake Baysox, a Class AA affiliate of the Baltimore Ori- oles. "He'd talk about all the great players he's coached, but it would always go back to Trea Turner is Trea Turner, Carlos Rodón is Carlos Rodón, but you're Bran- don Butterworth. You're the player you are because you have your mindset, you are your own person. You should try to better yourself every day. You shouldn't try to compare yourself." A New Era Dawns Hart has big shoes to fill as he steps into his former boss' role in Raleigh, including 20 NCAA Regional appearances in the past 22 years. But Avent is confident that his former assistant is the right man for the job. "Thank goodness the next head coach is Chris Hart. That was a part of the puzzle, too," Avent said. "It was the right place and the right time. I wanted to make sure Chris Hart was the next head coach or I may not have made that decision [to step down]." For Hart, the past two decades have served as an extended job interview, during which he displayed the qualities needed to be a successful head coach in the ACC. He's had his hands in every facet of the program, learning and perfecting his approach all over the field to make himself one of the most-respected as- sistant coaches in the nation. "He's very hands-on in everything he does," said Jacob Cozart, a catcher at NC State from 2022-24 who is now with the Akron RubberDucks, a Class AA affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. "He's more invested than any other coach out there. He's poured in countless hours." Hart could have left to become an as- sistant coach at another program with more resources or taken one of the many head coaching opportunities that came his way over the years. Instead, he was determined to make NC State his home for the long haul. "The grass isn't greener at other places. You hear tough stories a lot of times, so I was thinking, I've got it pretty darn good," Hart said. "I like it here. I love Raleigh. I love NC State." And now it's time for Hart to keep the program's momentum rolling for years to come. ■ Elliott Avent Leaves A Towering Legacy, On And Off The Diamond Elliott Avent's phone rang nonstop from the moment his retirement was announced on May 21 until his head hit the pillow that night at his Raleigh-area home. He let most of the calls go to voicemail, but he did make time for two of the callers whose names popped up on his phone: Janis Guzzo and Pam Val - vano — widows of two of the most influential people in his life, longtime wrestling coach Bob Guzzo and basketball icon Jim Valvano. Those two men — along with former women's basketball coach Kay Yow and longtime men's soccer coach George Tarantini — tend to come up often in conversation with Avent. He made sure to keep their legacy alive within his program over the past three decades. "It's what built this place. It's what made NC State great," he said. "My connection to all the past … is what makes this place so special." Avent's coaching career came to an end with a 17-13 loss to the host team at the NCAA Auburn Re - gional on May 30, but his legacy will last forever in Raleigh. Just ask any of Avent's players. They will tell you he cares for them on a deeper level than most coaches do in today's transactional era of college athletics. "I've only been with him for a year, but it feels like I've been a part of this program since I was a fresh - man," said senior designated hitter Dalton Bargo, a Tennessee transfer. "A little less than a year ago, I was scrambling trying to find a school to play at. I don't think Avent even saw any video of me, but he took a shot through word of mouth. "That's just the kind of guy he is. He's one of the greatest humans I've ever met. This relationship is go - ing to last a very long time." Avent won 1,103 games as NC State's head coach and made 22 trips to NCAA regionals, along with six Super Regional appearances and three treks to the Men's College World Series in Omaha. In addition to his on-field successes, he's been an enthusiastic proponent of NC State's philanthropic ef - forts. Inspired by Valvano and Yow, he teamed up with one of his former players, Trea Turner, to establish the Wolfpack's "Victory Over Cancer" game to raise money for the Jimmy V Foundation to find a cure for pediatric cancer. Established in 2024, the game has quickly become a key part of the program's sched - ule each season. NC State has generated more than $150,000 the past three years, and the fundraiser has since been expanded to the rest of the ACC. Long before his retirement was an - nounced, Avent sought to put in perspec- tive the importance of the fight against c ancer, determined to keep it from being overshadowed by the daily ups and downs of college athletics. "When I pass that torch on, I don't ever want to bump into anybody in the grocery store or down on the beach and talk base - ball," Avent said. "I want to talk about [the Victory Over Cancer] game and what it would be like to see kids fill this [stadium]. That's what I'm going to be about in the next stage of my life, because this is all way more important than what we think we do every day." Although he won't be on the top step of the dugout wearing a uniform anymore, it's likely Avent will still be around NC State do - ing what he does best: sharing his love for the university with anyone who will listen and recounting the lessons he learned from Valvano and others. "All that stuff is NC State to me," Avent said. "I'm happy to be that person who can still tell those stories." — Noah Fleischman Avent won 1,103 games and guided NC State to 22 NCAA Tournament appearances during his three decades as head coach. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS JULY/AUGUST 2026 ■ 41