Elliott Avent honored with Prestigious Long Leaf Pine Society Award
10/6/2025 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State baseball coach Elliott Avent has been bestowed the State of North Carolina's highest award, as he was honored by Governor Josh Stein with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award for persons who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments.
"These exceptional athletes and coaches have strengthened our state through their outstanding achievements and their leadership on and off the field and court," Stein said in a statement. "I am proud to honor their contributions to our state in the field of athletics."
The Wolfpack's all-time winningest coach, Avent, has molded the Wolfpack into one of the nation's best and most consistent programs for nearly three decades. Starting with his hiring in 1996, he has taken the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament in 22 of the last 29 seasons and 17 of the last 20. Avent captured both ACC and National Coach of the Year honors in 2003 and was named USA Baseball's College Coach of the Year in 2021.
Chosen as an assistant on head coach Frank Cruz's staff, Avent was a coach with USA Baseball in 2004 for the World University Games in Taiwan. Not only did he get a chance to represent his country and travel to the other side of the world, but he also returned home with a gold medal.
Along with coach Avent, NC State football legend Torry Holt was also recognized. Heather O'Reilly, Jenny Levy, LeVelle Morton, and Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Stall also received the award from the governor.
Considered the state's highest honorary society, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society is a member of the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies and the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits*. Its mission is to research, record, and preserve the history of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine award and to promote its ideals of civic leadership, service, and accomplishment through the engagement of award recipients and support of programs with shared values and objectives.
Persons named to The Order become honorary North Carolina "Ambassadors" with their names and award dates recorded on a Roster maintained by The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society.
"These exceptional athletes and coaches have strengthened our state through their outstanding achievements and their leadership on and off the field and court," Stein said in a statement. "I am proud to honor their contributions to our state in the field of athletics."
The Wolfpack's all-time winningest coach, Avent, has molded the Wolfpack into one of the nation's best and most consistent programs for nearly three decades. Starting with his hiring in 1996, he has taken the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament in 22 of the last 29 seasons and 17 of the last 20. Avent captured both ACC and National Coach of the Year honors in 2003 and was named USA Baseball's College Coach of the Year in 2021.
Chosen as an assistant on head coach Frank Cruz's staff, Avent was a coach with USA Baseball in 2004 for the World University Games in Taiwan. Not only did he get a chance to represent his country and travel to the other side of the world, but he also returned home with a gold medal.
Along with coach Avent, NC State football legend Torry Holt was also recognized. Heather O'Reilly, Jenny Levy, LeVelle Morton, and Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Stall also received the award from the governor.
Considered the state's highest honorary society, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society is a member of the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies and the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits*. Its mission is to research, record, and preserve the history of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine award and to promote its ideals of civic leadership, service, and accomplishment through the engagement of award recipients and support of programs with shared values and objectives.
Persons named to The Order become honorary North Carolina "Ambassadors" with their names and award dates recorded on a Roster maintained by The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society.
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