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AUBURN — When NC State head coach Elliott Avent got to the team hotel for this year's Auburn regional, he was greeted with the written word.
"There were like 20 letters, most handwritten, all over my room," he said. "I didn't know what the heck had gone on."
The messages came from plenty of notable names. Auburn baseball head coach Butch Thompson was among them, as were Brian O'Connor, Danny Hall, Hal Baird, Mike Bianco, Ray Tanner and Ron Polk. Auburn's athletic department — spearheaded by by assistant athletics director for administrative engagement McRae Clay — put together the thoughtful sendoff in a less less than 48 hours, because Avent announced his retirement after 30 years as the program's head coach just before the postseason.
NC State's season — and Avent's career — ended Saturday, May 30, with top-seeded Auburn bouncing the Wolfpack in a 17-13 contest, but the head coach exited Plainsman Park with high praise for his surroundings.
"Sure, I don't want to be going home," he said. "I don't want my career to be ending. But if it's got to end, ending on the Plains is OK with me."
Avent has faced Auburn plenty in recent postseasons. The programs have squared off in regional play three times since 2018, but he has several ties to the Tigers despite never coaching in the state of Alabama. Baird has long been a mentor of his, he said, and two Auburn staffers — trainer Anthony Sandersen and director of player development Scott Foxhall — used to work for him.
He's also held in high regard by Thompson. That showed before Thompson spoke postgame, because Auburn's entire dugout stuck around after the win to shake Avent's hand.
"Everything I've heard and everything I've seen, just absolute respect," Thompson said. "We can tip our hat. That's a great part of baseball that we should never lose. ... When you see that and you know it's the end of the line, by choice, that was our opportunity and our way to say, 'We respect you.'"
Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: NC State's Elliott Avent praises Auburn baseball as coaching career ends
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"There were like 20 letters, most handwritten, all over my room," he said. "I didn't know what the heck had gone on."
The messages came from plenty of notable names. Auburn baseball head coach Butch Thompson was among them, as were Brian O'Connor, Danny Hall, Hal Baird, Mike Bianco, Ray Tanner and Ron Polk. Auburn's athletic department — spearheaded by by assistant athletics director for administrative engagement McRae Clay — put together the thoughtful sendoff in a less less than 48 hours, because Avent announced his retirement after 30 years as the program's head coach just before the postseason.
NC State's season — and Avent's career — ended Saturday, May 30, with top-seeded Auburn bouncing the Wolfpack in a 17-13 contest, but the head coach exited Plainsman Park with high praise for his surroundings.
"Sure, I don't want to be going home," he said. "I don't want my career to be ending. But if it's got to end, ending on the Plains is OK with me."
Avent has faced Auburn plenty in recent postseasons. The programs have squared off in regional play three times since 2018, but he has several ties to the Tigers despite never coaching in the state of Alabama. Baird has long been a mentor of his, he said, and two Auburn staffers — trainer Anthony Sandersen and director of player development Scott Foxhall — used to work for him.
He's also held in high regard by Thompson. That showed before Thompson spoke postgame, because Auburn's entire dugout stuck around after the win to shake Avent's hand.
"Everything I've heard and everything I've seen, just absolute respect," Thompson said. "We can tip our hat. That's a great part of baseball that we should never lose. ... When you see that and you know it's the end of the line, by choice, that was our opportunity and our way to say, 'We respect you.'"
Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: NC State's Elliott Avent praises Auburn baseball as coaching career ends
Continue reading...
