NC State Baseball Coaching Staff
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Apr 19, 2024
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Elliott Avent
Head Coach
Through 25 seasons as head baseball coach at NC State, Elliott Avent has molded the Wolfpack into one of the nation’s best and most consistent programs. Starting with his hiring in 1996, Avent, who is NC State's all-time winningest coach with 926 victories (1,150 in his 33-year head coaching career), has taken the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament in 19 of the last 25 seasons and 14 of the last 17. 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.
He joined an elite group on Feb. 14, 2020 as he collected his 1,100th career win with a 4-0 result over James Madison at Doak Field. He is one of 10 active head coaches to surpass the mark, as he currently owns a 1,150-762 overall record. On April 6, 2021, Avent reached the 900-win milestone at NC State with a 13-2 rout of App State at Doak Field.
After a shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Avent, who was named ABCA/Rawlings Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and USA Baseball College Coach of the Year, guided the Wolfpack back to the College World Series in 2021. It was the third in program history and first since 2013. Despite a slow 4-9 (1-8 ACC) start, the 2021 squad turned in one of the most historic and memorable seasons in NC State baseball history, as it finished the regular season with a 28-15 record, winning 24 of its last 30 games, and close out conference play with a 19-14 record to finish third overall in the ACC. After earning the No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament, the Pack reached its first title game since 2015 thanks wins over Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech before suffering a 1-0 loss to 2021 ACC Champion Duke.
After earning its 10th NCAA Regional bid in the last 11 seasons, NC State went on to go 3-0 in the NCAA Ruston Regional to earn the program's fifth all-time NCAA Super Regional berth against top-seeded Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. In the three-game set with the Razorbacks, NC State dropped its opener, 21-2, then created history by earning 6-5 and 3-2 wins to become the first team in Super Regional history to advance to the College World Series after losing game one by 15 or more runs. The Pack tabbed 10-6 and 1-0 wins over Stanford and Vanderbilt, respectively, and was one win away from advancing to the championship series in Omaha before it was eliminated from the tournament due to COVID-19 protocols, and tied its highest finish in program history with a No. 3 national ranking.
In the 2021 season, Avent saw a league-leading seven players collect All-ACC honors and a program-best five collect All-ACC Academic Team honors, headlined by ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Jonny Butler. Additionally, Butler, Evan Justice and Tyler McDonough collected a combined seven All-America honors.
In the past three seasons, a combined 18 players have been selected in the MLB Draft, headlined by first rounders Will Wilson (2019, Los Angeles Angels) and Patrick Bailey (2020, San Francisco Giants). They are the first Wolfpack players to be drafted in the first round in back-to-back seasons. The eight players taken in the 2019 and 2021 MLB Drafts tied for the second-most in a single season and were one shy of the program-record nine in 2008.
In 2019, NC State turned in a 42-19 record which marked the second consecutive year and 10th time under Avent that a team has posted 40+ wins in a single season. The squad was undefeated through its first 19 games, securing its best start to a season in program history as it was one of the nation’s last two remaining unbeaten teams. Thanks to its hot start, the Pack was ranked No. 1 in a major poll for the first time in program history as it occupied the top spot in the Collegiate Baseball Rankings for three consecutive weeks (March 18 - April 7).
Four players earned All-ACC and All-America honors, headlined by Will Wilson who was named NC State's first-ever ACC Defensive Player of the Year and its first consensus All-American since 2012. Patrick Bailey, a Buster Posey Award semifinalist, and Wilson, a Brooks Wallace Award finalist, were additionally among the candidates for the Golden Spikes Award.
In 2018, NC State hosted an NCAA Regional for the sixth time in program history, each of which has come under Avent’s leadership. The Wolfpack ended the year with a 42-18 overall record, highlighted by tying the school record with 19 ACC wins.
The Wolfpack placed seven players on the All-ACC Team, headlined by Brian Brown, the ACC Pitcher of the Year, and Patrick Bailey, the ACC Freshman of the Year. NC State won its first nine series in 2018, including its first seven conference series. The Pack earned a road sweep at No. 2 Clemson for the first time since 1997.
His 2017 squad won 13 of its last 15 regular season games to earn the program’s third consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. The Wolfpack came within a game of advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals but fell short against the host and seventh-seeded Kentucky Wildcats. In 2016, the Pack hosted an NCAA Regional for the fifth time in program history, all of which have come under his leadership. NC State advanced to the regional final but fell short against eventual NCAA Champion Coastal Carolina.
Avent’s 2015 campaign knocked on the door of a surprise Super Regional berth, taking national fourth-seed TCU to the brink on their home turf. A nucleus of senior leadership piloted the Wolfpack through a 32-20 regular season. In the ACC Tournament, Preston Palmeiro’s walk-off roundtripper pushed NC State to its first title game since 2010. Lefthander Brian Brown earned Freshman All-America honors from NCBWA, one of three starting pitchers nationwide.
The 2014 NC State baseball squad saw seven players taken in the MLB First-Year Player Draft, tied for the third-most all-time at NC State. Carlos Rodon and Trea Turner became the Wolfpack's first-ever three-time All-Americans and gave State a pair of first round picks for the first time in program history. Andrew Knizner earned Freshman All-America honors and a spot on the All-ACC third team. Brett Austin joined Turner and Rodon on the All-ACC first team.
In 2013, the Wolfpack returned to Omaha for the first time since 1968 and the second time in program history. Avent was named the 2013 ABCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for his efforts.
Avent's 25 years in Raleigh have created a legacy of victories and of individual and collective achievement:
• 926 career victories
• 19 NCAA regionals
• 5 NCAA Super Regionals
• 37 All-Americans
• 7 of the 9 first-team All-Americans in the program's 117-year history
• 40 first-team All-ACC selections
• 90 total All-ACC selections
• 120 players taken in the MLB draft, 47 since 2014
• ACC and National Coach of the Year in 2003
• 2021 ABCA/Rawlings Atlantic Region Coach of the Year
• Selected for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team coaching staff in 2004 and '15, and named manager of the team in 2021
• Won a Gold Medal with Team at the World University Games in Chinese Taipei in 2004
Since 2003, Avent has elevated NC State baseball to an entirely new level:
• 710 victories -- an average of more than 38 per season
• 16 NCAA Tournament appearances
• A school-record six consecutive NCAA appearances from 2003-08, and 10 NCAA appearances in the last 11 seasons
• First-ever NCAA Regional hosted on campus in 2008, second in 2012, third in 2013, fourth in 2016 and fifth in 2018
• Five NCAA Regional championships, five Super Regional appearances, and two Super Regional championships
• 33 All-Americans and 68 All-ACC selections
No previous period in the program's history comes close to duplicating that level of success. The buzz surrounding Wolfpack baseball really began to take off when Doak Field at Dail Park was renovated during the 2003 and 2004 seasons:
• Annual attendance has risen more than 65 percent since the ballpark reopened in 2005
• From 30,407 in 2005 and a then school record of more than 48,000 in 2008
• The Wolfpack broke that record by drawing 52,840 in 2012, benefitting from the Raleigh Regional which welcomed 13,324 over four days
• The 2012 average of 1,554 per game smashed the previous record
• The 2018 season drew in a program record 100,533 fans, and in 2019 the average single-season attendance hit an all-time high of 2,682
NC State has had just 16 head coaches in more than 100 years of varsity baseball, and only three of them coached the Wolfpack longer than Avent, who passed the legendary Sam Esposito as the program’s all-time winningest coach on May 9, 2010.
“When I first came here, I said this was the only job I ever wanted, and that’s more true today than ever,” Avent says. “I’ve been an NC State fan all my life, and that will never change, so this job means more to me. NC State baseball is all about tradition, and I’m very proud to be a part of that tradition.”
Before coming to NC State, Avent spent eight seasons (1989-96) at New Mexico State University, where he compiled a 224-213 record and left as the second-winningest coach in school history. Avent took over a New Mexico State program that school administrators were considering dropping and guided it to its greatest success ever.
Avent began his coaching career as an assistant coach at North Carolina Wesleyan from 1981-82 under former Old Dominion head coach Tony Guzzo, helping to lead the Bishops to a two-year record of 62-28 and a fourth-place finish in the 1982 NCAA Division III World Series. Avent followed Guzzo to Virginia Commonwealth in 1983 and worked there for one season. From 1984-85 Avent was an assistant coach at Louisburg (N.C.) Junior College under Hall of Fame coach Russ Frazier, an NC State alumnus.
After his two seasons at Louisburg, Avent joined Joe Breedon’s staff at William & Mary in 1986 and stayed there two years. In 1988, he returned to Raleigh to join Ray Tanner’s first staff at NC State and helped guide the Wolfpack to a then-school record for wins and a 45-16 overall record. He went to New Mexico State the next year.
Chris Hart
Associate Head Coach
Tabbed as one of the nation’s top assistant coaches and recruiting coordinators, Chris Hart enters his 18th season with the Wolfpack and seventh as associate head coach. He serves as the Wolfpack’s hitting coach in addition to his role as recruiting coordinator and is involved in all facets of the program.
After a shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hart played an essential role in guiding the Wolfpack back to the College World Series in 2021, which was the third in program history and first since 2013, which he was also a part of. Thanks to his efforts in a historic season, Hart was named Baseball America's 2021 Assistant Coach of the Year.
He has been responsible for NC State's reputation as one of the top offensive and defensive teams year in and year out, as the Wolfpack finished third in the NCAA in fielding percentage (.982) and T-fifth in home runs (92) under his direction in 2021. In 2019, NC State finished first in the ACC and 13th in the NCAA with 130 doubles, and in 2018 it finished the season ranked fifth in the nation with 87 home runs and 10th with a .477 slugging percentage as a team.
In 2019, four position players earned All-ACC and All-America honors. Will Wilson became NC State's first-ever ACC Defensive Player of the Year and first consensus All-American since 2012. Patrick Bailey, a Buster Posey Award semifinalist, and Wilson, a Brooks Wallace Award finalist, were additionally among the candidates for the Golden Spikes Award. In 2021, Hart saw outfielders Jonny Butler and Tyler McDonough rack up a combined five All-America honors and Austin Murr win the Gold Glove Award, while those three along with Terrell Tatum and Jose Torres earned All-ACC honors.
In the past three seasons (2019-21), a combined 10 position players have been selected in the MLB Draft, headlined by first rounders Will Wilson (2019, Los Angeles Angels) and Patrick Bailey (2020, San Francisco Giants). They are the first Wolfpack players to be drafted in the first round in back-to-back seasons.
Hart became the program's lead recruiter in 2010 and produced immediate results on the recruiting trail, signing one of the best recruiting classes in the nation. Among the 13 heralded newcomers on the NC State roster that fall were Brett Austin, a supplemental first-round draft pick and the highest-drafted recruit to attend NC State in 31 years; Carlos Rodon, the 2011 North Carolina High School Player of the Year and a 16th-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers; and Trea Turner, a slick infield prospect who went in the 20th round to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Baseball America ranked the Wolfpack's 2010-11 class No. 4 in the country.
Hart knows the Atlantic Coast Conference well. He was a four-year letterman for former head coach Mike Martin at Florida State from 1999-2003. He was a utilityman as a freshman, starting as the designated hitter against left-handed pitching and playing 50 games in all. He began his sophomore year as the Seminoles' starting catcher, but fractured his tibia eight games into the season. He was granted a medical hardship by the NCAA, restoring a year of eligibility, and came back as a redshirt-sophomore a year later, in 2001.
Lingering problems from his rehab cost Hart playing time the next two seasons, but he blossomed as a senior, playing in 67 games and making 63 starts at second and third base. He batted .305 with 10 doubles, four home runs and 35 RBIs that season as FSU rolled to a 54-13 record and a berth in the NCAA Super Regionals. Hart saved his best for the end of his playing career. He batted .438 in the 2003 ACC Tournament in Salem, Va., then batted .350 with three doubles and four RBIs in the NCAA Regionals, including a four-hit game vs. Rutgers in the third round of the regional.
In all, Hart played 195 games for the Seminoles, starting 116 and batting .271 with 23 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 72 RBIs. Hart's four Florida State teams (1999, 2001-03) posted a combined record of 218-60 (.784) and appeared in the NCAA Super Regionals all four years. The Seminoles advanced to the College World Series in 1999 and 2000. During his career at Florida State, Hart played every position on the field except for pitcher and center field.
Upon graduation, Hart spent one year (2004) as an assistant coach at St. Petersburg (Fla.) College, where he served as hitting coach and third-base coach, and was involved in all aspects of the program. Hart coached all positions defensively, and was involved in the program's recruiting as well.
During the summer of 2004, Hart was head coach of the Loudoun Rangers of the Shennandoah Valley League. At Loudoun he coached players from seven different Division I Conferences, including the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big East and Conference USA.
Hart was a two-time all-state selection and a four-time all-county pick in four years at Clearwater Central Catholic High School. Twice he was named All-Suncoast, and was the county home run leader as a junior. He was selected to the Florida All-Star Team as a senior, was Florida's 1998 American Legion Player of the Year, and was taken in the 46th round of the 1998 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox.
Hart graduated from Florida State in 2003 with a degree in sport management. He is single and resides in Raleigh.
Clint Chrysler
Pitching Coach
Clint Chrysler enters his fourth season as NC State baseball's pitching coach after joining the program in July of 2018.
He came to NC State after eight seasons on Winthrop's staff as the Assistant Head Coach, Recruiting Coordinator, and Pitching Coach.
"Clint has built a strong reputation in this region and nationally amongst the baseball community as one of the best pitching coaches in the country," said Avent upon his hiring. "During his collegiate career at Stetson University and a nine-year professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners organizations, he was known for his competitive nature and his strong work ethic. He's done an excellent job of translating that into his coaching style.
"He's a hands-on teacher known best for his ability to develop players through relationship building and designing individualized plans to help them grow, adjust and reach their full potential as baseball players, and as men. Everyone I spoke to during this process had high praise on his approach and demeanor, and we're happy to have Clint and his fiancé (now wife) Christy join our family here at NC State."
After a shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chrysler managed to help develop what proved to be one of the top starting rotations in the ACC in 2021, as veteran Reid Johnston and second-year freshmen Sam Highfill and Matt Willadsen combined for 23 wins in 41 appearances with 252 strikeouts, throwing a bulk of the team's innings that season and leading the Pack to the College World Series. He additionally saw Evan Justice have a breakout season on the mound as one op the top closers in the NCAA, as he finished second in the nation with 13 saves, which ranks third all-time at NC State for a single season, and tallied five wins. Out of the bullpen, Justice compiled a 1.85 ERA and earned a decision in 17 of his 20 relief appearances. Johnston and Justice both earned Third Team All-ACC honors and were selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, while Justice picked up All-America honors from two publications. Additionally, Chrysler saw second-year freshman Chris Villaman along with Johnston and Willadsen each throw a complete game during the season. NC State was the only school in the ACC to have three players throw a complete game, as Villaman and Willadsen's were in shutout fashion to earn ACC Pitcher of the Week honors.
In his first season at NC State (2019), the Wolfpack’s pitching staff led the ACC with a 4.21 earned-run average against conference opponents, and finished second in overall ERA (3.86) in the regular season. Additionally, he saw Reid Johnston earn ACC Pitcher of the Week honors after throwing a complete game shutout on March 30 vs. Virginia. It was the first of Johnston’s career and first for a Wolfpack pitcher since Carlos Rodon in June 2013.
At Winthrop, Chrysler helped guide the Eagles to five consecutive winning seasons in conference play, including the 2017 season when Winthrop won its first outright regular season Big South title since 2003.
Chrysler brought in high-caliber recruiting classes during his tenure at Winthrop. The 2013 class was ranked No. 1 in the Big South Conference and No. 63 nationally. The 2014 class was rated No. 2 in the Big South and top-100 nationally, while the 2015 class was likewise ranked among the nation's top 100. Winthrop's 2017 recruiting class again led the Big South and was ranked in the top-100 nationally.
Chrysler was instrumental in developing the Eagles' pitching staff as five Winthrop pitchers have gone on to sign professional contracts during Chrysler's tenure. Winthrop's pitching staff has ranked among the top 50 nationally in strikeouts/base on ball ratio and fewest base on balls per nine innings from 2012-2016.
Chrysler coached three All-Big South Performers as well as numerous Big South Pitcher of the Week recipients.
Chrysler came to the Eagles after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Stetson University. During his time with the Hatters, Chrysler was in charge of the outfielders, assisted with the hitters and pitchers, as well as serving as the first-base coach and baseball camp coordinator.
A native of Clear Lake, Texas, Chrysler played collegiately at Stetson University from 1995-97. He played three seasons as a two-way player for the Hatters and accumulated a 14-10 record on the mound with a 3.80 ERA. As a hitter, Chrysler had a career average of .309, including a career-high .344 average as a junior. He helped lead Stetson to two NCAA Tournament appearances in three seasons and currently holds the single-game pitching record by throwing 11 innings against Florida International on May 15, 1997.
Chrysler was named the 1996 Cape Cod League Reliever of the Year playing for the Wareham Gatemen. He also set the Cape Cod League save record that season and still holds the Gatemen team saves record. Chrysler was named to the Mid-Season All-Star Team during the season as well.
Chrysler left the Hatter baseball program after his junior season when he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 17th round of the 1997 Major League Draft. He spent nine years playing professional baseball with the Mariners (1997-99) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (2000-04) and reached as high as the AAA level playing for the Pirates (Nashville Sounds). During his professional career, Chrysler was named to two minor league All-Star teams.
In 2010, he spent this summer as the head coach of the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs of the Florida Collegiate Summer League. The Diamond Dawgs won a league-record 31 games and the 2010 Florida League Championship, which was played at the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field. Chrysler was also recognized as Manager of the Year.
He graduated from Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, Fla., in 1994. As a player at Boca Ciega, Chrysler earned First Team All-Suncoast and All-State honors. He was drafted in the 47th round of the 1994 Major League Draft by the New York Yankees, but instead chose to attend Stetson.
Chrysler earned his bachelor's degree in Supervision and Management from Daytona State College in December of 2009.
Bo Robinson
Director of Player & Program Development
Bo Robinson joined the NC State baseball staff in August 2021 as its Director of Player and Program Development.
Robinson comes to Raleigh after spending nine seasons at Charlotte on its coaching staff, including the last two as an associate head coach. He worked with the infielders and hitters, and assisted in all recruitment of future 49ers.
He brings a wealth of experience in player growth and development, as the Niners turned in a historic 2021 season. Robinson helped guide the Niners to a 40-win season and return trip back to NCAA Postseason play in 10 years. The 49ers led the country all year until the Super Regionals with 130 doubles on the year and hit .297 as a team. The Niners cranked out 594 hits with those 130 doubles and 66 home runs during the season which led to 374 RBI and 417 runs scored. The 49ers also tied a school-record with an 11-game win streak during the year and were ranked in the top-25 for the final 30 games of the regular season getting as high as #15 which also set a new school record for highest-ever ranking for the program.
Awards throughout the record-setting year started with All-American Austin Knight winning the league's Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and all-conference first team honors. Bryce McGowan and Christian Lothes joined Knight on the first team while Will Butcher and Aaron McKeithan took home second team honors. In addition to Lothes and Butcher, LuJames Groover III ended the year with all-freshman honors. Knight went on to become a first team All-American selection by Collegiate Baseball and became a semifinalist in both the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy honors. Butcher and Lothes eventually took home freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball as well.
In the shortened 2020 season, Robinson helped Dominic Pilolli and David McCabe earn Freshman All-American honors by Collegiate Baseball in their 17-game rookie seasons. Pilolli hit .403 at the plate which was the best among all Conference USA freshmen, fourth-best overall in C-USA and sixth among all freshmen across the country. Pilolli belted out 27 hits, tied for first in C-USA when the season ended, and second-most nationwide. McCabe's patience at the plate earned him 16 walks, second-most among all freshmen nationwide, adding 15 hits at the plate. Charlotte led C-USA with 94 team walks on the year.
Robinson helped produce yet another MLB draft pick for the Niners when Harris Yett was selected by Baltimore in June 2019. Yett, a first team all Conference USA performer, hit .325 with 22 doubles, 11th-most in the country, with eight home runs and 39 RBI. Todd Elwood (.333), Carson Johnson (.304) and Tommy Bullock (.300) all joined Yett in hitting .300 or better on the year. For the second-straight year, Yett was named a Buster Posey Award (formerly Johnny Bench Award) semifinalist. Charlotte also set a new school record for the best defensive year fielding at a .977 clip with just 44 errors as a team.
In 2018, the Charlotte offense was the toughest team to strikeout in Conference USA for the third-straight season. The 49ers were led by Jackson Mims, Yett, Elwood and Reece Hampton all hitting above .300 on the year. Five players in all, including Mims, Yett and Hampton, we're selected to all-Conference USA teams. Hampton became a 12th round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers while Yett was named a semifinalist for the prestigious Johnny Bench award.
For the second-straight year under Robinson in 2017, Charlotte improved to a .300 hitting team and set another school-record with a .978 fielding percentage in 2017. The .301 team batting average led to a 34 wins, 18 in C-USA play and a trip deep into the league's year-end tournament. Six different players hit .300 or better with three of those becoming MLB Draft picks in June. In the last three seasons under Robinson, hitting numbers have gone up across the board. Hits have increased from 403 to 572 and 610 during the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons along with runs (204-309-384), doubles (68-105-107), triples (8-13-18) and HR (15-34-41). In addition to the offensive numbers going up, the Niners have had the fewest strikeouts in Conference USA over the past two seasons.
T.J. Nichting improved his average to a team-best .373 leading C-USA for most of the season while Drew Ober hit .354 in 12 games before a season-ending injury. Brett Netzer and Zach Jarrett each hit .342 while Jackson Mims and Hunter Jones followed at .319 and .310 respectively. Jones' .310 became a career high in a season. Netzer became a third round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox later in June while Nichting (9th round) and Jarrett (28th round) were both selected by Baltimore.
The new record-setting fielding percentage of .978 was top-20 in the nation while leading Conference USA. The Niners also led the league in triples with 18. Postseason awards saw six 49ers make C-USA all-conference teams with Nichting (1st), Netzer (2nd) and Zack Smith (freshman) earning honors.
During 2016, Charlotte had their best hitting year since 2011 hitting .294 over 55 games. Robinson led the 49ers offense in improving every offensive statistical category while cutting down the strikeout total. Some of the offensive improvements came in the form of a 105-run improvement from 2015 that included 169 more hits (572 total), 37 more doubles (105), 19 more long balls (34) and 96 RBI improvement (271).
On the defensive side of his duties, Robinson guided the Niners to their best fielding percentage in 2016 sporting a .971 mark committing just 65 errors with 15 outfield assists.
Robinson helped Brett Netzer, Logan Sherer and T.J. Nichting to all-conference honors as second team representatives while Reece Hampton landed on Conference USA's all-Freshman team. Defensively, Sherer was named a Rawlings/ABCA first team member as the best first baseman in the region.
In his first full-time season of 2015, Robinson helped improved the Niners team batting average right off the bat going from a slow .173 batting average in February, to an immediate turnaround in March hitting .267. After hitting at a .258 clip in April, the Niners would post a .263 average for March and April combined getting them in the Conference USA tournament race.
Robinson also helped senior Brad Elwood end the year hitting .328 to wrap up his career as a .308 hitter while also aiding Brett Netzer in landing on Conference USA's All-Freshman Team after hitting .318 on the season. Fellow freshman Eddie Hull would hit .364 in 22 at-bats, primarily as a pinch-hitter. Robinson would assist Logan Sherer in turning around his season with the biggest individual turnaround of the year. Sherer, sitting on a .149 average after 13 games, would then go on to hit safely in 31 of his last 35 games, hitting 363 over that 35-game span, to finish the year as a .311 hitter.
The 2013 squad saw immediate dividends with his addition as the 49ers had an All-Rookie catcher (Brett Lang) and the league's Co-Player of the Year, Justin Seager. The 49ers grabbed more hits and doubles than in 2013 and the team won 37 games, the sixth time in the past eight seasons that the program collected 35 or more wins.
An alum of the 49er program, Robinson remains the only player in Charlotte history to reach 100 RBI in a season, which he did in 1998, a season in which Charlotte was selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament as an at-large entry (only 48 teams played in the postseason in those years). He also hit a school-record 32 doubles of his record 106 hits that year, and he owns the career marks for doubles (82), RBI (230) and total bases (499). The 49ers retired his number-four jersey on May 12, 2013.
He is second in hits all-time at Charlotte (289), third in career runs scored (198) and homers (38), fourth in games played (221), seventh in batting average (.355) and slugging percentage for a career (.612) with the 49ers.
He is one of five players in team history to win a league batting title, hitting .424 for Charlotte in Conference USA in 1998, when he played in all 62 games for the 49ers in 1998. He earned one First-Team and three Second-Team All-America honors after that season, adding to a Freshman All-American honor in 1995.
He was the Seattle Mariners Minor League "Player of the Year" in 1999 after winning the Midwest League batting title with a .329 average, league record 50 doubles and 13 home runs. He also scored 101 runs, posted 102 RBI with 108 walks that season. He followed that with 33 more doubles, 10 homers, 97 RBI and a .313 average with Lancaster to earn an All-Star nod in the California League. Robinson also played in the Double-A All Star Game after hitting .293 with 13 round-trippers and 74 more RBI with San Antonio of the Texas League.
He also spent time in the Yankees and Cardinals organizations, playing as late as the 2005 season in the minor leagues. He advanced as far as triple-A with the Columbus Clippers with the Yankees organization.
Robinson was one of the most respected hitting instructors in the Charlotte region, formally holding the post of Director of Player Development with the On Deck Baseball Skill Development Academy. He was the head coach for the On Deck O's team in 2011. While at On Deck, he helped over 250 players receive college scholarships to play baseball. He joined On Deck in 2000, with former 49er Jason Hill, during his professional playing career. After his playing days were over, Robinson worked toward completion of his degree at Charlotte, which he did with a B.A. in History, awarded in May of 2010.
He is a Charlotte product, attending South Mecklenburg High in Charlotte, earning Mecklenburg County Player of the Year, All-State and All-Conference honors with the Sabres. Robinson is married to Charlotte alum Amanda Pannell Robinson and they have two kids Jack (16) and Max (10).
Brett Austin
Assistant Coach
The 2022 season marks Brett Austin’s first season as an assistant coach for NC State baseball. He joined the program’s coaching staff in August of 2021.
An alum of the Wolfpack program (2012-14) he returns to Raleigh after serving as a bullpen catcher for the Washington Nationals for nearly two seasons.
Prior to his stint with the Nationals, Austin played in the minor league system from 2014-19. He was drafted out of college to the Chicago White Sox as the 108th pick in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball Draft, and played for the Kannapolis Intimidators (A), Winston-Salem Dash (Adv-A), Birmingham Barons (AA) and Charlotte Knights (AAA) until 2018.
In 2019 he signed a free agent contract with the High Point Rockers, and later that season his contract was purchased by the San Francisco Giants as he was assigned to the Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA)
Austin was a standout player at NC State, as he was a part of the 2013 College World Series team and tabbed a First Team All-ACC honoree and All-American by Baseball America in 2014. He played in a combined 182 games behind the plate and turned in a career .290 batting average, highlighted by a career-high .344 clip with 74 hits as a junior. Defensively, he committed just 12 errors in his catching career for a cumulative .991 fielding percentage.
He resides in the Raleigh area with his wife, Chelsey.