The NC State Wolfpack baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate baseball program of North Carolina State University, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. The team has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since the conference's founding in the 1954 season. The program's home venue is Doak Field, which opened in 1966. Elliott Avent has been the head coach of the team since prior to the 1997 season. As of the end of 2024 world series the Wolfpack have appeared in four College World Series and 34 NCAA tournaments. They have won four ACC tournament Championships and four ACC Regular season Championships. As of the 2021 Major League Baseball season, 47 former Wolfpack players have played in Major League Baseball.

History

The baseball program played its first official game against Guilford College in 1894. The program began varsity play in 1903, playing at Riddick Stadium, and in 1907 won its first State Championship. The program competed in each season until 1914, when the program was discontinued for three seasons (1914–1916) before being revived prior to the 1917 season.

The team's nickname was the "Farmers" until autumn 1921, when an alumnus complained that the behavior of some of the school's football players was "as unruly as a pack of wolves." Subsequently, newspapers began referring to the school's athletic teams as the "Wolfpack."

The program's current venue, Doak Field, opened in 1966.

NC State made its first College World Series appearance in 1968, in the second season of head coach Sammy Esposito's tenure. In the World Series, the team lost in the semifinals to eventual champion USC. Since the NCAA tournament's format was changed in 1999 to include the Super Regional round, NC State has appeared in five Super Regionals, losing to Miami in 2003, Georgia in 2008, and Florida in 2012, beating Rice in 2013, and Arkansas in 2021.

The Wolfpack have hosted five NCAA Regionals, one at Wilson, North Carolina's Fleming Stadium (in 2003) and four at Doak Field (in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2016).

Conference affiliations

2021 College World Series

NC State was put into the Ruston Regional as a 2 seed where they cruised right on through not losing a single game. They then moved on to face the #1 team in the country, the Arkansas Razorbacks. Arkansas destroyed NC State game one 21-2. The Wolfpack then bounced back to win the next two games (each by one run).

The Wolfpack went into Omaha and faced off against the 9 seeded Stanford Cardinal. NC State breezed by Stanford, winning 10-4. They moved on to face the 4 seeded Vanderbilt Commodores. The Wolfpack went in facing the top pitcher in the country, Jack Leiter. NC State would only score off a home run by Terrell Tatum. That proved to be all they needed as they won 1-0, despite Leiter striking out 15 batters in 8 innings. Then they faced the Commodores again in the next matchup where they lost 3-1. However, before they could play the elimination game, many of the NC State players contracted the COVID-19 virus. They did not have enough players to field a team of baseball players, so they had to forfeit the game. That ended their magical postseason run and hopes of winning the program's first ever national title.

Venues

Riddick Stadium

Prior to 1966, the team played at Riddick Stadium, which was also home to the NC State football program.

Doak Field

The Wolfpack's home venue is Doak Field, which opened in 1966 and has a capacity of 3,000 spectators. The field is named for Charles Doak, who was the program's head coach from 1924 to 1939.

Head coaches

The program's most successful head coach was Sammy Esposito. Esposito coached teams to four ACC regular season championships, three ACC tournament championships, and one College World Series appearance in his 21-year tenure.

Current head coach Elliot Avent is the program's leader in total career victories at NC State, with 1,036 as of July 31, 2024. Avent became the program's winningest coach on May 9, 2010, in a 21–0 NC State win over Towson. The win was Avent's 514th, putting him past Sammy Esposito on the program's career wins list.

Coach Avent is also the program's longest tenured head coach, with 22 seasons in the position. Vic Sorrell and Sammy Esposito each served as head coach for 21 seasons.

Year(s)CoachSeasonsW-L-TPct
Year(s) Coach Seasons W-L-T Pct 1903–1904 C. D. Welch 2 20–15–0 .571 1905–1906 M. J. Kittredge 2 16–12–0 .571 1907 W. W. "Win" Clark 1 14–8–0 .636 1908–1911 Frank Thompson 4 70–16–4 .800 1912 Edward Green 1 13–6–1 .675 1913 Fred Anderson 1 6–0–0 1.000 1917–1918, 1921–1923 Harry Hartsell 5 52–37–4 .581 1919 Tal Stafford 1 12–11–0 .522 1920 Bill Fetzer 1 14–6–0 .700 1924–1939 Charles Doak 16 147–129–6 .533 1940–1944 Williams Newton 5 16–50–0 .242 1945 Beattie Feathers 1 7–6–0 .538 1946–1966 Vic Sorrell 21 223–196–5 .532 1967–1987 Sammy Esposito 21 513–253–4 .669 1988–1996 Ray Tanner 9 395–173–3 .694 1997–present Elliott Avent 28 1036–615 .627 Totals 16 110 2,554–1,533–27 .624
1903–1904C. D. Welch220–15–0.571
1905–1906M. J. Kittredge216–12–0.571
1907W. W. "Win" Clark114–8–0.636
1908–1911Frank Thompson470–16–4.800
1912Edward Green113–6–1.675
1913Fred Anderson16–0–01.000
1917–1918, 1921–1923Harry Hartsell552–37–4.581
1919Tal Stafford112–11–0.522
1920Bill Fetzer114–6–0.700
1924–1939Charles Doak16147–129–6.533
1940–1944Williams Newton516–50–0.242
1945Beattie Feathers17–6–0.538
1946–1966Vic Sorrell21223–196–5.532
1967–1987Sammy Esposito21513–253–4.669
1988–1996Ray Tanner9395–173–3.694
1997–presentElliott Avent281036–615.627
Totals161102,554–1,533–27.624

Yearly record

Wolfpack Baseball Yearly record

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Independent (1903–1913)
1903C. D. Welch10–3
1904C. D. Welch10–12
1905M. J. Kittredge10–5
1906M. J. Kittredge6–7
1907Win Clark14–8State Champions
1908Frank Thompson21–4
1909Frank Thompson16–8–1
1910Frank Thompson15–1–3
1911Frank Thompson18–3
1912Edward Green13–6–1
1913Fred Anderson6–0–0
No program (1914–1916)
Independent (1917–1921)
1917Harry Hartsell5–8
1918Harry Hartsell11–5–1
1919Tal Stafford12–11
1920Bill Fetzer14–6
1921Harry Hartsell10–10–2
Independent:191-97-8
Southern Conference (1922–1953)
1922Harry Hartsell13–7
1923Harry Hartsell13–7–1
1924Charles Doak18–4
1925Charles Doak14–4
1926Charles Doak7–13
1927Charles Doak2–10
1928Charles Doak12–6
1929Charles Doak9–9
1930Charles Doak8–10–1
1931Charles Doak11–8
1932Charles Doak7–6–2
1933Charles Doak9–4
1934Charles Doak9–11–1
1935Charles Doak10–9
1936Charles Doak11–8
1937Charles Doak7–12
1938Charles Doak8–7–2
1939Charles Doak5–8
1940Williams Newton3–9
1941Williams Newton3–10
1942Williams Newton6–9
1943Williams Newton3–10
1944Williams Newton1–12
1945Beattie Feathers7–6
1946Vic Sorrell11–4
1947Vic Sorrell9–13
1948Vic Sorrell8–13–1
1949Vic Sorrell8–12
1950Vic Sorrell16–9
1951Vic Sorrell10–10
1952Vic Sorrell15–10
1953Vic Sorrell11–9
Southern:284-279-8
Atlantic Coast Conference (1954–present)
1954Vic Sorrell8–88–63rd
1955Vic Sorrell13–412–32nd
1956Vic Sorrell14–5–111–42nd
1957Vic Sorrell8–107–74th
1958Vic Sorrell10–76–75th
1959Vic Sorrell8–125–98th
1960Vic Sorrell12–89–53rd
1961Vic Sorrell13–58–54th
1962Vic Sorrell11–108–6t–3rd
1963Vic Sorrell9–104–107th
1964Vic Sorrell8–154–97th
1965Vic Sorrell10–10–16–8t–5th
1966Vic Sorrell11–12–27–7t–3rd
1967Sammy Esposito11–116–75th
1968Sammy Esposito25–913–41stCollege World Series
1969Sammy Esposito17–119–94th
1970Sammy Esposito21–1013–83rd
1971Sammy Esposito18–11–19–53rd
1972Sammy Esposito19–137–84th
1973Sammy Esposito23–10–19–32ndDistrict 3 Regionals
1974Sammy Esposito22–107–53rdDistrict 3 Regionals
1975Sammy Esposito27–710–2t–1stAtlantic Regional
1976Sammy Esposito20–126–64thACC tournament
1977Sammy Esposito27–125–5t–4thACC tournament
1978Sammy Esposito23–165–75thACC tournament
1979Sammy Esposito23–133–96th
1980Sammy Esposito21–127–64thACC tournament
1981Sammy Esposito33–1210–4t–1stACC tournament
1982Sammy Esposito24–147–74thACC tournament
1983Sammy Esposito23–13–19–42ndACC tournament
1984Sammy Esposito32–89–33rdACC tournament
1985Sammy Esposito29–168–54thACC tournament
1986Sammy Esposito35–1511–21stSouth II Regional
1987Sammy Esposito39–1612–84thMideast Regional
1988Ray Tanner45–1613–62ndEast Regional
1989Ray Tanner35–21–210–104thACC tournament
1990Ray Tanner48–2014–73rdAtlantic Regional
1991Ray Tanner48–2011–103rdEast Regional
1992Ray Tanner46–1815–93rdAtlantic Regional
1993Ray Tanner49–1715–72ndMidwest Regional
1994Ray Tanner46–18–113–115thMideast Regional
1995Ray Tanner36–2414–146thACC tournament
1996Ray Tanner42–1914–13t–3rdEast Regional
1997Elliott Avent43–2015–83rdSouth II Regional
1998Elliott Avent41–2312–94thWest Regional
1999Elliott Avent37–2511–136thAuburn Regional
2000Elliott Avent30–2810–14t–6thACC tournament
2001Elliott Avent32–289–15t–7thACC tournament
2002Elliott Avent33–267–177thACC tournament
2003Elliott Avent45–1815–9t–3rdCoral Gables Super Regional
2004Elliott Avent36–2411–126thCoral Gables Regional
2005Elliott Avent41–1917–136thLincoln Regional
2006Elliott Avent40–2316–13t–2nd (Atlantic)Austin Regional
2007Elliott Avent38–2316–143rd (Atlantic)Columbia, SC Regional
2008Elliott Avent42–2218–112nd (Atlantic)Athens Super Regional
2009Elliott Avent25–3110–20t–4th (Atlantic)
2010Elliott Avent38–2415–153rd (Atlantic)Myrtle Beach Regional
2011Elliott Avent35–2715–15t–3rd (Atlantic)Columbia Regional
2012Elliott Avent43–2019–112nd (Atlantic)Gainesville Super Regional
2013Elliott Avent50–1619–102nd (Atlantic)College World Series
2014Elliott Avent32–2313–175th (Atlantic)ACC tournament
2015Elliott Avent36–2215–145th (Atlantic)Fort Worth Regional
2016Elliott Avent36–2215–143rd (Atlantic)Raleigh Regional
2017Elliott Avent36–2516–144th (Atlantic)Lexington Regional
2018Elliott Avent42–1819–113rd (Atlantic)Raleigh Regional
2019Elliott Avent42–1918–12t-3rd (Atlantic)Greenville Regional
2020Elliott Avent14–31–2t-8th (Atlantic)Canceled for Covid-19
2021Elliott Avent37–1819–143rd Atlantic)College World Series
2022Elliott Avent36–2114–155th (Atlantic)
2023Elliott Avent36–2113–165th (Atlantic)Columbia Regional
2024Elliott Avent38–2118–112nd (Atlantic)College World Series
ACC:2,078–1,150–10739–606
Total:2,589–1,556–27
National champion Postseason invitational champion Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion

Individual awards

National awards

Brooks Wallace Award

Richard W. "Dick" Case Award

Conference awards

ACC Baseball Player of the Year

ACC Baseball Coach of the Year

ACC Baseball Rookie of the Year

ACC Baseball Pitcher of the Year

Notable players

Below is a list of notable players of the program and the seasons in which they played for the Wolfpack.

Current MLB Roster

Former Wolfpack players on current MLB rosters as of August 14, 2023.

PlayerPositionNumberTeam
Patrick BaileyC14San Francisco Giants
Andrew KniznerC7St. Louis Cardinals
Carlos RodonP16San Francisco Giants
Trea TurnerSS6Philadelphia Phillies

Major League Baseball draft

2012

In the 2012 Major League Baseball draft, two NC State players were selected. Junior shortstop Chris Diaz was selected in the 11th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and senior outfielder Ryan Mathews was selected in the 27th round by the Oakland Athletics. Both players signed contracts with their respective organizations.

2014

In the 2014 Major League Baseball draft, two NC State players were selected in the first round. Junior pitcher Carlos Rodon was selected 3rd overall in the 1st round by the Chicago White Sox, and shortstop Trea Turner was selected 13th overall by the San Diego Padres.

See also

External links