NC State DE Ty Linton leaves program to pursue career as pilot
N.C. State defensive end Ty Linton is leaving the program, but he won’t be playing football at another school.
Instead, Linton, a sophomore, will enroll in Middle Tennessee State’s aeronautical science program to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot, the Wolfpack program announced.
“My dream has always been to become a pilot,” Linton said. “My mom, dad and two sisters are in the flight industry so it’s always been a passion of mine.”
The 25-year-old Linton arrived at NC State in 2014 after playing professional baseball in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization for three seasons. He missed the 2014 football season due to a torn ACL.
“I’m 25 years old with two knee surgeries behind me and no ambition to play football at the next level, so it’s time for me to start thinking about my career,” Linton said. “I want to thank Coach Doeren and the Wolfpack family for the opportunity to be a part of this program. I’ve met a lot of great people in a short time and consider my NC State teammates to be my brothers.”
The 6-foot-2, 254-pound Linton, a native of Weddington, N.C., originally signed with North Carolina as a recruit in the 2010 class, but decided to pursue a baseball career after the Diamondbacks selected him in the 14th round of the 2010 MLB draft.
“I’m proud of Ty for achieving admission to flight school,” said Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren. “He came here to follow his dreams and I have loved being a part of his career. He will be a very successful professional.”
Linton appeared in 116 games at the rookie and single-A levels as a baseball player. Overall, he had a .233 batting average with 10 home runs, 53 runs batted in and a .285 on-base percentage.
For more North Carolina State news, visit TheWolfPacker.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
