The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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124 ■ THE WOLFPACKER "He has done a good job of recruit- ing," Leslie said. "He is getting the pieces there. He has definitely turned the pro- gram around. I think it will grow to new heights." Leslie was expected to be a star com- ing out of high school. The former Holly Springs (N.C.) High standout was well known for being the younger sister of for- mer NC State forward C.J. Leslie and her play on the court. She was a second-team all-state selec- tion her junior year, but injuries interrupted the majority of her senior campaign. Nev- ertheless, ESPN HoopGurlz ranked her as the No. 52 overall player in the class of 2014. NC State wanted her badly out of high school, but she elected to play for Mary- land. She averaged 4.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per game her sophomore season and then suffered the ankle injury. While Leslie's basketball career was at a crossroads, she took care of business in the classroom and graduated from Maryland in three years with a degree in criminology and criminal justice. She wanted to take a nega- tive and create a positive. "During that time, I just focused on aca- demics," Leslie said. "I graduated in three years, and I made Dean's List that year I broke my ankle." All her rehab and training paid off this spring when the Washington Mystics se- lected her with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. "The way I was performing, I knew that WNBA was possible," she said. Leslie's new journey in the WNBA is a welcomed challenge. She became the fourth NC State player to go in the first round of the WNBA Draft, and the 16th to be drafted. However, Leslie is going to be tested again — she suffered a meniscus tear in her knee and will miss this season with the Mystics. "With everything I've been through, I know how things go and what I need to do to get back," Leslie said. "It's another minor setback that I will get through." ■ Here are the top 10 female athletes during the 2018-19 school year at NC State after women's basketball player Kiara Leslie, The Wolfpacker's Female Athlete of the Year: 1. Sophie Hansson, women's swimming: The freshman became a five-time All- American and five-time ACC champion in her debut season. The ACC Women's Swimming Freshman of the Year finished third in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships. She was also part of a 200 medley relay that finished third there and the 400 medley relay that was fourth. The Helsingborg, Sweden, product also earned honorable mention All-America honors as part of the 400 freestyle relay. 2. Elly Henes, track and field/cross country: The junior earned second-team All-America accolades in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter races during the indoor track season, but she didn't run during the outdoor campaign. Henes set a new NC State record in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15:31.97 en route to an eighth-place finish at the Adrian Martinez Classic June 13, breaking the mark set by Betty Springs in 1983. Henes also placed 16th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in the fall. 3. Ky-lee Perry, swimming: She earned All-America status after finishing seventh in both the 50 and 100 freestyle, and being part of the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay teams that both placed third at the NCAA Championships. The Norwalk, Conn., native also received honorable mention All-America status for her role on the 400 freestyle relay as a junior. 4. Anna Rogers, tennis: Rogers went 31-15 in singles action, including 20-8 in dual matches, before falling in the second round of the NCAA Championships. The junior joined freshman doubles partner Alana Smith to go 35-6 overall and reach the NCAA Doubles Championships' Elite Eight, with both being named All-Americans. Rogers finished No. 13 in the final Oracle/ITA Division I singles rankings, and she and Smith were No. 4 in the doubles listings. Both are the highest finishes in NC State history for their respective categories. She also was a first-team All-ACC performer. 5. Tziarra King, soccer: The junior led the Wolfpack with 10 goals and 26 points, which ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the ACC. She added six assists and had 25 shots on goals. King was No. 47 in the country in TopDrawerSoccer's top 100 national player rankings list. The Sicklerville, N.J., product earned second-team All-ACC recognition. 6. Kylee Alons, swimming: The Fort Collins, Colo., native finished eighth in the 50 freestyle to earn All-America honors at the NCAA Championships. The freshman also picked up All-America honors in the 200 freestyle relay (third-place finish) and 200 medley relay (third) and 400 medley relay (fourth). Alons earned honorable mention All-America honors as part of the 400 freestyle relay and in the 200 backstroke, where she finished in a tie for 12th. 7. Alana Smith, tennis: The Smith and Anna Rogers duo made school history at No. 1 doubles. They were 16-4 against nationally ranked opponents and 23-4 in dual matches. Individually, the freshman from Fort Washington, Md., went 32-13 overall and 20-8 in dual matches, all at No. 2 singles. Smith was ranked No. 69 nationally in singles and No. 4 in doubles by the ITA. She also earned second-team All-ACC honors. 8. Nell Crosby, track and field: The senior earned All-America honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Crosby finished 12th in the finals, and finished in the top dozen in every steeple - chase race she competed in this spring. The Colorado Springs, Colo., product set a school record, running a 9:58.09 in the NCAA semifinals. 9. Melissa Evans, volleyball: The 6-1 redshirt sophomore earned second-team All-ACC recognition after finishing with 349 kills and 3.17 kills per set. The Lone Tree, Colo., product added 18 aces and 191 digs. Evans became the first-ever NC State volleyball player to earn a spot on the U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team following the season. 10. Dominique Clairmonte, track and field/cross country: The redshirt sopho- more finished eighth at the ACC Championships in cross country, fifth at the NCAA Southeast Regional and 62nd at the NCAA Championships. The Lexington, Ohio, native then earned All-ACC honors by finishing fifth in the mile during the indoor track season. — Jacey Zembal Junior Elly Henes posted a 16th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Coun- try Championships, and then earned second-team All-America acco- lades in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter races during indoor track season. PHOTO BY CHERYL TREWORGY/COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS THE BEST OF THE REST