The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1000643
128 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY JACEY ZEMBAL D ating all the way back to her early teenage years, NC State sopho- more Elly Henes wanted to sur- pass what her parents achieved while running at NC State. Her mother, Laurie Henes, coaches the women's cross country team for NC State, and was an All-American in cross country for the Wolfpack during her junior and senior years. She also won the national title in the 5,000 meters at the 1991 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Her father, Bob Henes, is also a former All-American in cross country and track at NC State. Henes was a distance running prodigy at Cary Green Hope High, winning the North Carolina 4A state title in cross country as a junior in 2014, and finishing third as a sophomore and second as a senior. "I definitely want to leave my mark on this program and see what I can accomplish during my time here," Henes said prior to entering NC State. As for outdoing her parents … "That might be part of the 14-year-old me being a rebellious teenager in me," Henes said. "I wanted to be better than my mom and my dad in college. "I'd say those goals are still there until they are met." As a freshman, Henes made her first trip to the big stage in cross country at NC State, finishing 159th at the NCAA Championships — something she will re- member for a long time. It won't be be- cause 158 runners were better than her. Instead, she fell and was trampled, marring her first national meet. "After getting spiked, I didn't feel like I could get back with the pack, and I didn't feel like I could run with those girls," Henes said. "This year, that pushed me and definitely motivated me to get another chance." Henes and the Wolfpack team returned to the NCAA Cross Country Champion- ships in Louisville, Ky., and she finished 32nd in the country to claim All-America honors in the 6,000-meter race. "This year, I was conservative at the be- ginning of the race because I was a little afraid of falling again in the same situa- tion," Henes explained. "Once I was about a mile in and on my feet, I looked around and was further back than I wanted to be. I was trying to move up and pick people off." The success in cross country changed her mindset, leading to a strong indoor track and field season. "Once I became an All-American, I put myself on the same level as some of these girls that I had been watching and looking up to on the track and other running sites," Henes said. "I put myself on that level with them." Henes busted out during the 2017-18 in- door track and field season, highlighted by winning the 3,000-meter run at the ACC Championships, and earning first-team All-American honors after finishing sev- enth in the 5,000-meter run at the NCAA Championships. "When I came into college, I said to my- self and my parents that I was going to be All-American by my junior year," Henes said. "Then I would build from there and aim for a national title. That was my loose plan. "To get to be an All-American by my FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR ELLY HENES A FAMILY AFFAIR Both Her Parents Were All-American Runners At NC State, And Distance Runner Elly Henes Achieved That Distinction In Her Sophomore Year In 2017-18, Henes captured All-America honors three times — in cross country, and the indoor and outdoor 5,000-meter runs. PHOTO BY CHERYL TREWORGY/COURTESY NC STATE "When I came into college, I said to myself and my parents that I was going to be All-American by my junior year. Then I would build from there and aim for a national title. That was my loose plan. "To get to be an All-American by my sophomore year in college, it is coming together faster than I even planned." ■ Henes