The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1177236
NOVEMBER 2019 ■ 13 TRACKING THE PACK Sponsored by Colony Tire & Service www.colonytire.com Kelsey Chmiel, Cross Country After each of her first two meets racing for NC State, the rookie from Saratoga Springs, N.Y., was named the ACC Freshman of the Week. She was NCSU's second best runner in both races, includ- ing finishing in 15th place at the competitive Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational Oct. 4 in South Bend. Chmiel was the second-best freshman in the meet and the third-best runner from the ACC. She was also runner-up to All-American teammate Elly Henes in the season-open- ing adidas XC Challenge Sept. 20 in Cary, N.C. Vincent Durand, Soccer After an injury knocked out NC State starting goalkeeper Leon Krapf in the 54th minute of the season opener, Durand — a fifth-year senior from Cary, N.C. — has filled in for every second since and helped NC State post a 7-3-1 overall record and 3-2 mark in the ACC through Oct. 11. Durand had a 0.93 goals allowed average in relief of Krapf, which is the sixth-lowest mark in the ACC. Durand had never appeared in a match prior to this season. Elly Henes, Cross Country In the season opener for cross country, she won the individual title at the adidas XC Challenge in Cary, N.C., leading the Wolfpack to a first-place fin- ish as a team. Henes was afterward named the ACC Performer of the Week. Then in the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational, the Cary native finished ninth overall, bettering her personal-best time set two years ago for a 5K by stopping the clock at 16:29.27. The senior was The Wolfpacker's Female Athlete of the Year for the 2017-18 school year. Tziarra King, Soccer The senior from Sicklerville, N.J., continues to build on her legacy as one of the greatest women's soccer players in school history. She was named the ACC's Offensive Player of the Week after she had two goals and three assists in a win at East Carolina Sept. 18, and then she added a goal in a 1-1 tie at No. 8 Duke four days later. Through 12 games, dur- ing which NCSU is 6-4-4 overall and 1-1-4 in the ACC, King had 10 goals and four assists. She is the second in the league for goals scored. Christian Salzer, Golf The senior from Sumter, S.C., has been NC State's most consistent performer thus far this fall. He was the Wolfpack's leading scorer in the first three events of the season, including a second-place finish in the Wolfpack Intercollegiate held at Lonnie Poole Golf Course on NC State's Centennial Campus, help- ing the Pack take home the team title as well. Salzer was also NCSU's second-best finisher at the Bank of Tennessee Intercol- legiate in Jonesboro, Tenn. PACK PERFORMERS 47.2 Yards per punt for NC State redshirt sophomore TRENTON GILL through five games, which is tied for 13th in the country. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN 91 Days between the first Wake Forest game (Dec. 7) and the second one (March 6), the longest time ever between games in the same season in State's longest- standing rivalry, eclipsing the previous long of 89 in the 1956-57 season. 32% of the athletes playing for the Wolfpack football team that were freshmen at Florida State Sept. 29. 3 NC State senior verbal commits selected to the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game Dec. 21 — tackle Jonathan Adorno of Rolesville (N.C.) High, defensive tackle Davin Vann of Cary (N.C.) High and defensive back Devan Boykin of Ragsdale (N.C.) High. 29 Consecutive non- conference home victories for the NC State women's basketball team at Reynolds Coliseum entering the 2019-20 season. ADORNO VANN BOYKIN "I really don't know why my steals were down. I probably wasn't that locked in defensively last year as I am this year. My expectations this year is not only make the [NCAA] Tournament, but to make a run in the tournament." — NCSU senior point guard Markell Johnson on improving his defense and overall team goals (TheWolfpacker.com) THEY SAID IT