NC State Sneaks Into 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament, Will Face UCF in Auburn Regional

NC State still has some baseball to play. The Pack earned one of the final at-large bids to the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Wolfpack will head to the Auburn Regional as the No. 3 seed, opening play against No. 2 seed UCF on Friday at 6 p.m.

The field announcement comes just days after longtime head coach Elliott Avent announced his retirement at the end of the season. Avent, in his 30th and final year at the helm, now has at least one more weekend,  and potentially more, to add to his legendary tenure.

Wolfpack Makes it Through the Bubble

NC State entered Selection Monday as a true bubble team. The Wolfpack dropped three of their last four ACC series and suffered a one-and-done loss in the ACC Tournament, falling to Duke. Despite the late stumbles, strong metrics from the regular season,  including one of the toughest schedules in the league and solid DSR (37) and KPI (38) ratings, helped them squeeze into the 64-team field.

The Auburn Regional features:

• No. 1 seed Auburn (host)
• No. 2 seed UCF
• No. 3 seed NC State
• No. 4 seed Milwaukee

NC State will open against UCF on Friday evening.

Avent’s Story Not Yet Finished

Avent has been the face of NC State baseball for three decades, amassing over 1,100 wins with the program and leading the Wolfpack to 24 NCAA Regional appearances,  including 10 of the last 11. This marks his chance for a memorable sendoff as he prepares to hand the reins to associate head coach Chris Hart.

Fans and players alike will be motivated to extend the season as long as possible in what has become an emotional final chapter for the longtime skipper.

Stay tuned for updates on the Wolfpack’s path through the Auburn Regional as postseason baseball returns to NC State.