LOVE HIRED AS AN ASSISTANT

Aggies baseball kicks off its season on Feb. 17 at home against Cincinnati

 GREENSBORO, N.C., December 7, 2005 – Austin Love, a former Aggies baseball player under head coach Keith Shumate, was hired as the program’s first-ever full-time assistant, Shumate announced. For the first eight seasons of his tenure at N.C. A&T, Shumate relied on several former student-athletes and volunteers to help shape his program.

 “I’m happy to have Austin here,” said Shumate, who led the Aggies to the school’s third MEAC Championship and first appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. “He brings experience, leadership, and respect to what these players are doing here. He knows what it takes to win, and just having him here is a bonus to all of the success we’ve had recently.”

 Love earned four letters for Coach Shumate from 2001-04 as primarily a leftfielder and first baseman. He also filled in as a pitcher early in his career. Love’s best season came in 2001, in which he hit .300 with three homers, 40 RBI, and stole 27 bases. He was an All-MEAC second-team selection following that season.

 A Dean’s List honoree, Love was a two-time MEAC Commissioner’s Award Winner for carrying a 3.0 grade-point average and earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering.