NC State Baseball's History of Success
8/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
NC State first played baseball in 1903, the second varsity sport (after football) added to the school by the athletics council. Through games of 2008, the Wolfpack had played 3,202 games, and won 1,974 of them for a .621 won-lost percentage.
The modern age of NC State baseball began in 1967, when former major league infielder Sam Esposito became the program’s 14th head coach. In 42 years since Esposito took over the program, the Wolfpack has been among college baseball’s strongest programs, averaging more than 30 wins per season, winning five Atlantic Coast Conference championships, and making 22 appearances in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolfpack has a .659 winning percentage in that time.
Esposito’s second team, in 1968, became the first NC State team in 60 years to win 20 or more games in a season, going 25-9, and the first and only Wolfpack team to advance to the College World Series. In the years since then, Esposito and successors Ray Tanner and Elliott Avent, forged NC State into a perennial power in baseball. Esposito guided the Pack to four ACC championships, six NCAA Tournament appearances and a school-record 513 victories before handing the program over to Tanner, his former third baseman and his assistant coach for seven years.
Tanner coached the Wolfpack for nine seasons and continued to build on the foundation that Esposito left in place. Tanner’s first seven teams averaged more than 45 wins per season, and Tanner averaged nearly 44 wins per season over the course of his nine-year tenure. Tanner guided seven of his nine NC State teams to the NCAA Turnament, won the 1992 ACC championship, and set a school record with 49 victories in 1993.
Tanner left for the University of South Carolina following the 1996 season, and NC State in turn hired former Tanner assistant coach Elliott Avent. In his 12 seasons on the job, Avent has become the second-winningest coach in school history, winning 458 games for an average of more than 38 victories per season. Despite new NCAA limits on the number of games in the regular season, Avent has won 40 or more games six times in 12 seasons, and has guided the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament nine times, most ever by a Wolfpack coach. The current streak of six consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament (2003-08) is a school record, eclipsing the previous mark of five, set from 1990-94. Avent’s 2003 and 2008 teams both advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals, college baseball’s equivalent of basketball’s Sweet 16.
Avent has coached 13 of NC State’s 28 All-America players, and three of NC State’s five first-team All-Americans. He has coached 39 All-ACC players, including 21 who were first-team all-conference. Avent has sent players on to professional baseball. Major League Baseball has tapped 54 Avent players in its First Year Player Draft, including a school-record nine in 2008.
Coaching History
Unknown (1903/05/07)
C.D. Welch (1904)
M.J. Kittredge (1906)
Frank Thompson (1908-11)
Edward Greene (1912)
Fred Anderson (1913)
Harry Hartsell (1917-18/1921-23)
T.H. Stafford (1919)
W. McK. Fetzer (1920)
Chick Doak (1924-39)
Doc Newton (1940-44)
Beattie Feathers (1945)
Vic Sorrell (1946-66)
Sam Esposito (1967-87)
Ray Tanner (1988-96)
Elliott Avent (1997-present)
ACC Player of the Year 4
1969 Chris Cammack, 3B
1971 Mike Caldwell, P
1984 Tracy Woodson, 1B
1988 Turtle Zaun, 1B
ACC Coach of the Year 4
1984 Sam Esposito
1986 Sam Esposito
1990 Ray Tanner
2003 Elliott Avent
ACC Rookie of the Year 1
1994 Tom Sergio
The ACC 50th Anniversary Team
(Chosen in 2003 to mark the 50th
anniversary of the founding of the ACC)
Brian Bark
Mike Caldwell
Terry Harvey
Tom Sergio
Jake Weber
Tracy Woodson
Turtle Zaun
1st Team All-ACC
1954 Jack Turney, 2B
Jack Yvars, P
John Yvars, SS
1955 Billy Peed, 1B
Jack Turney, 2B
Dudley Whitley, SS
1956 Lou Dickman, P
Billy Peed, 1B
Carmen Santoli, OF
Dudley Whitley, SS
1957 Dick Hunter, OF
Bob Kennel, C
Eddie Wyatt, 1B
1958 Danny Casteen, OF
Rus Casteen, OF
Dick Hunter, OF
Bob Kennel, C
1959 Don Hafer, OF
1960 Jim Cox, 2B
1961 Joel Gibson, P
Vernon Strickland, UT
1962 Bob Conner, P
Wayne Edwards, SS
1968 Chris Cammack, 3B
Steve Martin, OF
1969 Chris Cammack, 3B
1970 Mike Caldwell, P
Chris Cammack, 3B
Tommy Smith, OF
1971 Mike Caldwell, P
Chris Cammack, 3B
1972 Mike Baxter, OF
Rick Richardson, 1B
1973 Dan Zagorski, 1B
1974 Ron Evans, 3B
Dan Zagorski, 1B
1975 Mike Dempsey, P
Ron Evans, 3B
Bill Smodic, 1B
1977 Dick Chappell, OF
John Skinner, P
1978 Roy Dixon, OF
Rich Spanton, P
1979 Chuckie Canady, DH
1980 Chuckie Canady, DH
Joe Plesac, P
1981 Chuckie Canady, DH
Joe Plesac, P
1982 Ken Sears, OF
1983 Chris Baird, OF
1984 Mike Pesavento, P
Doug Strange, 2B
Tracy Woodson, 1B
1985 Mickey Billmeyer, DH
Doug Strange, 2B
1986 Greg Briley, 2B
Andrew Fava, OF
Jeff Hartsock, SP
Jim McNamara, C
Doug Strange, 2B
Turtle Zaun, DH
1987 Jeff Hartsock, SP
Turtle Zaun, 1B
1988 Dell Ahalt, DH
Brian Bark, OF
Bryn Kosco, 3B
Turtle Zaun, 1B
1989 Brian Bark, OF
Steve Shepard, 1B
1990 Brian Bark, OF
1992 Matt Donahue, SP
Jamie Wolkosky, RP
Sean Drinkwater, SS
Vinnie Hughes, DH
1993 Tim Tracey, 3B
Pat Clougherty, OF
1995 Tom Sergio, 2B
Tony Ellison, OF
1996 Mandy Jacomino, DH
1997 Tom Sergio, 2B
Clay Eason, RP
Jake Weber, OF
1998 Jake Weber, OF
1999 Matt Postell, UT
2000 Brian Wright, OF
2001 Brian Wright, OF
2002 Brian Wright, OF
2003 Colt Morton, C
Joey Devine, P
Vern Sterry, P
2004 Vern Sterry, SP
Michael Rogers, SP
Joey Devine, RP
2005 Jake Muyco, C
Aaron Bates, 1B
Joey Devine, RP
2006 Matt Camp, OF
Ramon Corona, 2B
2008 Clayton Shunick, SP
Jimmy Gillheeney, RP
2nd Team All-ACC
1955 Joe Barringer, 3B
Russell Casteen, OF
Tommy Hargrove, P
1956 Eddie West, C
1957 Don Hafer, OF
1958 Derris Bradshaw, 2B
Danny Casteen, P
1959 Glen Sparrow, 2B
1960 Bernie Latusick, OF
Joel Gibson, P
1961 Vernon Strickland, 3B
1962 Vernon Strickland, 3B
1963 Don Montgomery, 1B
1964 Larry Clary, OF
1965 Vic Sorrell Jr., SS
Jerry Price, OF
1966 Wendell Coleman, OF
1969 Darrell Moody, SS
Mike Caldwell, P
1971 Danny Baker, OF
1973 Jerry Mills, 2B
Ron Evans, 3B
Bill Glad, C
Mike Dempsey, P
1974 Kent Juday, SS
1975 Dan Moore, OF
1976 Tom Crocker, 3B
Dick Chappell, OF
1977 Chuck Harmon, 2B
Roy Dixon, OF
1978 Dave Moody, P
1979 John Isley, 1B
Rick White, OF
Chuckie Canady, C
1980 Ray Tanner, 3B
Pat Sheehy, C
Louie Meadows, OF
1981 Pat Sheehy, C
Dan Pleasac, P
1982 Louie Meadows, OF/DH
1984 Andrew Fava, 3B
1985 Andrew Fava, 3B
Paul Grossman, P
1986 Alex Wallace, SS
1987 Bryn Kosco, 3B
Brian Bark, OF
1988 Mark Withers, OF
Jeff Hartsock, P
1989 Gary Shingledecker, 2B
1990 Jeff Pierce, OF
1991 Chris Long, 2B
Scott Snead, SS
Jeff Pierce, OF
Matt Donahue, P
1992 Paul Borawski, 3B
Pat Clougherty, OF
Greg Almond, C
1993 Andy Barkett, 1B
Greg Almond, C
1994 Tom Sergio, 2B
Pat Clougherty, C
Larry Edens, OF
Mark Wells, OF
1995 Jake Weber, OF
Rob Lasater, C
1996 Jake Weber, OF
1997 Chris Combs, OF
Brad Piercy, C
Scott Lawler, DH
1998 Brian Ward, 2B
Brad Piercy, C
1999 Brian Ward, 2B
2003 Joe Gaetti, OF
Michael Rogers, P
2004 David Hicks, 1B
2005 Ramon Corona, 2B
2006 Aaron Bates, 1B
Jonathan Diaz, SS
Caleb Mangum, C
Jon Still, DH
2007 Caleb Mangum, C
Eric Surkamp, SP
2008 Matt Payne, OF
Marcus Jones, OF
All-Americans
Aaron Bates 2005 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
2005 3rd team Baseball America
Greg Briley 1986 3rd team Baseball America
Chris Cammack 1968 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
1969 2nd team ABCA
1969 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
Matt Camp 2006 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
Pat Clougherty 1993 2nd team ABCA
1993 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
1993 3rd team Baseball America
Ramon Corona 2006 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
Joey Devine 2003 2nd team CollegeBaseballInsider.com
2003 3rd team NCBWA
Roy Dixon 1978 2nd team ABCA
Matt Donahue 1992 2nd team Baseball America
Clay Eason 1997 1st team Collegiate Baseball
1997 3rd team NCBWA
Larry Edens 1994 3rd team ABCA
Tony Ellison 1995 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
1995 3rd team Baseball America
Jimmy Gillheeney 2008 3rd team NCBWA
Terry Harvey 1993 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
Steve Martin 1968 2nd team Collegiate Baseball
1968 2nd team ABCA
Eryk McConnell 2007 3rd team NCBWA
Brad Piercy 1998 3rd team NCBWA
Michael Rogers 2003 3rd team NCBWA
2004 3rd team NCBWA
Carmen Santoli 1956 2nd team Collegiate Baseball
Tom Sergio 1995 3rd team Baseball America
1997 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
1997 2nd team The Sporting News
1997 1st team Baseball America
1997 1st team NCBWA
Clayton Shunick 2008 2nd team Collegiate Baseball
Vern Sterry 2003 1st team Collegiate Baseball
2003 2nd team NCBWA
2003 2nd team CollegeBaseballInsider.com
2004 2nd team Collegiate Baseball
2004 2nd team NCBWA
Jack Turney 1954 2nd team Collegiate Baseball
1954 2nd team ABCA
Jamie Wolkosky 1992 1st team Collegiate Baseball
1992 1st team ABCA
Tracy Woodson 1984 2nd team Collegiate Baseball
1984 2nd team Baseball America
1984 2nd team ABCA
Brian Wright 2002 2nd team NCBWA
2002 3rd team Baseball America
Johnny Yvars 1952 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
1954 1st team Collegiate Baseball
1954 1st team ABCA
Turtle Zaun 1987 3rd team Collegiate Baseball
1988 2nd team Collegiate Baseball
1988 2nd team Baseball America
1988 2nd team ABCA
AcadEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
GTE/CoSIDA
1990 Chris Woodfin RHP 3rd team
1996 Jake Weber OF 2nd team
1997 Jake Weber OF 2nd team
1998 Jake Weber OF 1st team
NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR
2003 Elliott Avent (CollegeBaseballInsider.com)
FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICANS
BASEBALL AMERICA
1984 Alex Wallace SS 2nd team
1985 Paul Grossman RHP 2nd team
1986 Jeff Hartsock RHP 1st team
1987 Brian Bark LHP 2nd team
1991 Pat Clougherty OF 2nd team
1992 Terry Harvey RHP 1st team
1994 Tom Sergio 2B 1st team
1995 Jake Weber OF 1st team
1999 Brian Wright OF 3rd team
Dan D’Amato LHP 3rd team
2000 Mike Prochaska LHP 3rd team
2003 Joey Devine RHP 1st team
Michael Rogers RHP 1st team
2006 Dallas Poulk 2B 2nd team
COLLEGIATE BASEBALL
1992 Terry Harvey RHP 1st team
1994 Tom Sergio 2B 1st team
1995 Jake Weber OF 1st team
1999 Brian Wright OF 1st team
2003 Joey Devine RHP 1st team
Michael Rogers RHP 1st team
2007 Dallas Poulk 2B 1st team