With the baseball season-opener against Appalachian State less than three weeks away, the team isn't the only group making preseason preparations.
The baseball program has appointed 11 Diamonds to their roster in an effort to increase fan support and help create an exciting atmosphere.
Nate Birtwell, director of Baseball Operations, said 12-15 people applied for Diamond positions, including two male candidates.
"We didn't flat out say no to anyone," Birtwell said. "A few people decided on their own they weren't the right fit."
The Diamonds had to complete an application, fulfill minimum GPA requirements and go through a short interview process.
"We sat down and talked to each person and asked them why they wanted to be a Diamond," Birtwell said. "We also asked them which teams were in the World Series last year and who their favorite baseball player was, to test their baseball knowledge."
Birtwell said it was more about how each individual handled the questions as apposed to their answers.
Kim Smith, a sophomore in business management and president of the Diamonds, said the interview process was pretty simple.
"They just wanted to get a feel of what kind of people we are and what we think we can contribute to the program," Smith said.
The enthusiasm and personalities of the applicants was evident, Birtwell said, and it became clear they wanted to be a part of the baseball program.
At this point, the Diamonds have been reviewing their responsibilities and brainstorming fund-raiser ideas.
"We are thinking about doing raffles during the game, which would be a way to fund raise and get the fans involved," Smith said. "We have also discussed selling food and going around the community and getting sponsors."
Kaitlin Icard, a freshman in political science, said the Diamonds also want to get kids involved with N.C. State baseball.
"We want to go around to local Little League teams and hopefully set up a Kid's Day," Icard said. "The kids can come out and meet with the team which would be a really good experience for them."
While other schools with programs similar to the Diamonds' focus on looks, the Wolfpack maintain focus on enthusiasm and personality while continuing the baseball tradition of excellence.
Erin Summerlin, a sophomore in business management, said she is excited to add spirit.
"We want to contribute to the atmosphere and make it more fan-friendly," Summerlin said. "We all have a lot of different personalities, but as a team I think we can really help out the program."
