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Heavy-hearted transfer benefiting Britt (Link)
A year ago at this time, North Carolina State reliever Curt Britt would not have been available to throw three shutout innings out of the bullpen for the Wolfpack in the ACC tournament like he did Thursday afternoon against Notre Dame. He was pitching for another team in another conference.
Britt was just finishing up his sophomore season at South Carolina when his father, Tommy Britt, the long-time baseball coach and athletic director at Scotland High School died after a brief illness. He was 50.
“He was so close to his dad,” said NC State head coach Elliott Avent. “His dad wasn’t only one of the great coaches in the state of North Carolina, they were best friends.”
At that point, getting closer to home and family became the most important thing in Curt Britt’s college baseball career.
“I made up my mind knowing that I was going somewhere else,” Britt said. “I knew NC State was closer to home.”
NC State was about half an hour closer to Britt’s home town of Laurinburg, but Raleigh is much closer to Greenville, where his twin sister Katherine just finished at East Carolina University. In a very difficult time, that close proximity to family made all the difference.
“Just having them, knowing where I can take a 30-40 minute drive to meet them for dinner one night, was very comforting,” Britt said.
Britt made his decision to transfer fully expecting to sit out this season, but he was able to take advantage of an NCAA rule that allows athletes to play immediately when transferring due to family hardship.
“I’ve been thankful for it, but it’s been a tough one no doubt,” Britt said. “Everything happens for a reason, and as it turned out, it (the transfer) benefited me and family. It worked out.”
“Strong mother, great family ties,” Avent said of the Britt family. “That always comes through. This has been a good thing for Curt and a good thing for NC State”
Britt has made 16 appearances for NC State this season, including three starts. He boasts a 2.28 ERA in 47.1 innings of works and has struck out 49 to just 16 walks.
Britt may be one of the last athletes to benefit from the family hardship rule. The NCAA has since changed its transfer policy, and student-athletes in Britt’s situation will likely have to sit out a year — with the understanding they will not lose a year of eligibility.
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