The 2024-25 school year was without precedent for East Carolina. Never had the Pirates beaten a Power Four program in a bowl game, had a winning season in basketball and made the NCAA tournament in baseball.

ECU was the only in-state athletic program with the threefold feat.

The accomplishment accentuated a timely adjustment to the new landscape in college athletics with the influence of NIL dollars and immediate eligibility for transfers.

The goal is to sustain success and with revenue sharing with athletes becoming a reality, there are approaching challenges to keep the sails of the Pirate ship filled and sailing forward.

The Pirates control bowl eligibility, not who they would play in the postseason, so a potential win over a Power Four foe will only present itself occasionally. An exception would be a season in which ECU earned a College Football Playoff berth, elevating the likelihood of a matchup with an elite opponent.

Basketball and baseball control their own fate in terms of a winning season in hoops and NCAA eligibility on the diamond.

There were factors to deal with in each sport in the multi-faceted triumph that was completed with the baseball championship in the American Athletic Conference tournament in Clearwater. There are also factors going forward to maintain a high level of performance throughout the school year.

Football in retrospect

A 26-21 Military Bowl win over N.C. State created the opportunity for basketball and baseball to do their part in the trifecta. Without question, the turning point in the 2024 football season was the promotion of Blake Harrell to coach on Oct. 20.

The Pirates were 3-4 when athletic director Jon Gilbert pulled the plug on the Mike Houston coaching era. Potential wins had gotten away against Appalachian State and Liberty. There were decisive AAC road losses to Charlotte and Army.

Harrell gave Katin Houser the nod at quarterback and things fell in place for a 5-1 finish.

Football going forward

ECU opens the season in a bowl rematch at State on Aug. 28.

Finding production in the running game with inspiring back Rahjai Harris gone will be a key, as well as effectively retooling the defensive front under new coordinator Josh Aldrich.

Houser returns with confidence after a solid performance against the Wolfpack and there are capable receivers.

The tone in the AAC race may be set early as the Pirates host defending champion Army and travel to Tulane in the first two games.

Hoops in the rear view

The Pirates went a best-ever 10-8 in the AAC and were 19-14 overall after quite a bit of coming and going in the transfer portal.

The league is not as tough as when Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston were members and ECU was able to step up behind R.J. Felton (18.8 points per game), C.J. Walker (16.7) and Jordan Riley (14.5).

The Pirates won seven of their last nine games.

Basketball outlook 

Riley returns and Jayshayne Woodard, who averaged 5.8 points, should have an expanded role.

The portal harvest will be key again.

A Dec. 22 trip to Chapel Hill will be a nonconference highlight.

Baseball comes through

The Pirates got their focus before the AAC Tournament and went 4-0 as the No. 6 seed to extend their string of NCAA appearances to seven.

Two wins over Florida in the Conway regional helped push the final record to 35-27. Host Coastal Carolina managed a 1-0 season-ending win over ECU in its run to the College World Series final series.

Injuries were a hindrance as the Pirates were without the leadership of center fielder Ryley Johnson until late in the season and two potential starting pitchers were sidelined throughout the campaign.

Future on the diamond

There was some notable transfer attrition after the season, but Cliff Godwin, who became the winningest coach in program history, has scored some notable additions, including, apparently, highly-recruited left-hander Luke Payne from Tennessee.

Jake Gautreau brings an impressive resume as the new hitting coach.

Freshman All American Braden Burress will be back after hitting a team high .389.

As usual, the Major League draft, July 13-14, figures to have an impact on potential Pirate personnel.