OPINION: What to make of the Elliott Avent retirement and who do we expect to be named the next head coach?

Elliott Avent dropped his retirement news after 30 years at NC State, and say what you want, but this is the end of an era.

Some people wanted this news a couple of years ago, and some never wanted the day to come, but no matter your view of when he should step away, there is no debate about the job Elliott Avent did here in Raleigh.

The man built a legit, consistent winner. This team touched the Top-25 most years, with trips to Omaha, tons of pros in the big leagues, and a culture that actually develops kids instead of just flipping portal guys. He’s leaving the program in great shape, and NC State will have talented coaches lining up to take this job. This is very likely going to be viewed as a Top-25 job.

I know there will be some saying today is a day to celebrate Coach Avent, and it is, but this is 2026 sports media, and the people want to know what’s next for NC State baseball.

Is NC State assistant Chris Hart next in line?

 Avent just made that retirement announcement today, but there is already a name floating around as the potential next in line: Chris Hart.

Also, this is anything but a surprise, but I’d expect long-time assistant Chris Hart to be promoted to HC. Hart is an extremely heralded assistant. @NCStateBaseball https://t.co/ZCDjg6DoiX

— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) May 21, 2026

Hart’s been at NC State for 22 seasons, the last 11 as associate head coach. He’s the hitting coach, the recruiting coordinator, the guy who’s had his hands in pretty much everything. Hart is a former Florida State Seminole (played for the legendary Mike Martin), bounced over to St. Pete College for a year as an assistant, then landed at State in 2005 as director of ops. He worked his way up the old-fashioned way. Baseball America even named him Assistant Coach of the Year back in 2021.

But the biggest reason you’re hearing his name is becasue it’s been a not-so-well-kept secret over the past 5 years that Avent wanted to see Hart get the job when he was ready to step away.

Now, you’d assume after 30 years, he’d get his wish, right?

Well, that’s where the question really lies. How much input will Avent get vs. AD Boo Coorigan? Maybe they’re on the same page with this; we have no idea at this point. But Avent had a few public disagreements with the administration in the past, so we don’t want to jump to any conclusions.

What I will say is that two years ago, we were told that there were discussions about this very thing, but no commitments were made. That led to an unverified rumor that Avent may step down and hand the job to Hart midseason to assure he gets a chance. That never played out. Instead, we got this cleaner, more natural progression. Avent gets the full victory lap he deserves after 30 years.

But, did Elliot just finally think it was time, or was there a deal made that he’d step down now if Hart got his opportunity? This is something we won’t get answers to anytime soon, but a scenario worth considering.

Either way, if you ask me, Hart makes sense. It’s not easy to transition from a legendary 30-year head coach. You can either start fresh with a clean slate or bring in someone to continue what was being built.

The way recruiting has gone, the amount of young talent on this team, and the trajectory of the program would lead me to believe they want a smooth transition with very little (if any) turbulence. They’d like to retain players and keep current commitments (most of which were secured by Chris Hart) and build on what Avent has built here in Raleigh.

Hart’s background

Chris Hart is widely regarded as one of the top assistant coaches and recruiters in college baseball. He’s NC State’s hitting coach and recruiting coordinator, he has played a major role in landing several high-ranked recruiting classes, including the 2024 class that was ranked 5th nationally by D1Baseball. He has also been instrumental in developing numerous All-ACC performers and MLB Draft picks, such as Trea Turner, Carlos Rodon, Will Wilson, Patrick Bailey, Jacob Cozart, and many others.

In recognition of his outstanding work, Hart was named Baseball America’s 2021 Assistant Coach of the Year after helping lead the Wolfpack to the College World Series.

If you ask people around the program, the two words you’ll keep getting are ‘loyalty and consistency’. NC State has enjoyed 16 straight winning seasons with him in a key role, and he has reportedly turned down higher-paying opportunities, including interest in Power conference head coaching positions, because of his deep commitment to the program and the Raleigh community.

Hart played college baseball at Florida State from 1999 to 2003 under legendary coach Mike Martin. A versatile utility player, he contributed to strong Seminole teams that made multiple College World Series appearances. He joined the NC State staff in 2005 as Director of Baseball Operations before advancing into on-field coaching roles, where he has remained a cornerstone of the program ever since.

Other NC State Guys Who Might Pop Up?

In the rare chance that it’s not Hart who takes over, look at NC State to keep the job in the family.  One name you’d want to keep an eye on is Alex Sogard, who played for Avent for 3 seasons, including the 2008 Super Regional season.

Sogard was drafted in the 26th round by the Houston Astros and made it up to AAA before being traded.

In 2016, Sogard left pro ball to become an assistant coach on Wright State University’s baseball team. In 2018 he was promoted to head coach.

In 2020, Sogard was named Horizon League Coach of the Year for the first time. In 2021, Sogard was named Horizon League Coach of the Year for a second consecutive year, after leading Wright State to the Horizon League title. And then in 2023, Sogard was named Horizon League Coach of the Year for the third time, after Wright State’s 22–8 season and top seed in the 2023 Horizon League baseball tournament.

Last year, they made the NCAA Tournament, and this year, they are very likely to make it again this year.

His ties to Avent and NC State make Sogard one to watch if they happen to pass on Hart.

How will this play out?

Avent gets his celebration over the next couple of days and the timing of this announcement is great. NC State will learn its NCAA Tournament fate in a few days, and NC State will be on the bubble. Could the added drama of Avent’s final NCAA Tournament help the Pack get over the hump and into the tournament? We’ll see. If they get in, I’d expect an announcement very soon after the season ends. If they don’t get in, well, we could possibly hear something next week.