The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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tracking the PACK ■ Red And White Notebook in 2011, and Justin Gainey left in 2009 for Elon and is now at Appalachian State. Watkins wasn't the only former NC State assistant on the move this past month. UNC Asheville head coach Eddie Biedenbach, who played (1965-68) and was an assistant coach (1970-78, 1993-96) at NC State, left to become an assistant coach under Buzz Peterson at North Carolina Wilmington. NC State Forms Wolfpack Leadership Academy NC State athletics is forming a Wolfpack Leadership Academy in association with the Janssen Sport Leadership Center. The Wolfpack Leadership Academy will launch this summer with a focus on the NC State football program. The academy will then open to all Wolfpack athletic programs beginning in the fall semester of 2013, and continue into the spring. The Wolfpack will welcome the Fighting Irish (whose current head coach, Brian Kelly, is shown above) to Carter-Finley Stadium during the 2016 campaign. photo by bill panzica NC State Football To Host Notre Dame In 2016 NC State will welcome Notre Dame to CarterFinley Stadium in 2016. A specific date for the game will be announced at a later time. NC State and Notre Dame will be meeting for only the second time in the history of the two programs. The Wolfpack won the lone previous matchup, defeating the Fighting Irish 28-6 in the 2003 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. Notre Dame will play five ACC teams each year per its agreement for its other sports to join the league, alternating between three home games and two away, and two home games and three away each year. Notre Dame will face every ACC team at least once in the first three-year rotation of games. Wolfpack Hoops Learns ACC Opponents For 2013-14 The NC State men's basketball team will have four home and away ACC opponents during the 2013-14 season — North Carolina, Wake Forest, Miami and Pittsburgh. The Wolfpack will host Boston College, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Virginia. The five road opponents in the league are Clemson, Duke, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Virginia Tech. There will be a total of 18 league games on the 2013-14 schedule. ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas ranked Duke No. 4, North Carolina No. 6, Syracuse No. 11, Notre Dame No. 13 and Virginia No. 23 in his early look at the preseason top 25 for next year. CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish and Jeff Goodman also had the same five ACC teams ranked in their top 25 for 2013-14 — Duke at No. 7, UNC at No. 8, Syracuse at No. 11, Notre Dame at No. 19 and Virginia at No. 22. Huntington (W.Va.) Prep star small forward Andrew Wiggins, who is the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2013, is down to UNC, Florida State, Kansas and Kentucky, and could also sway the rankings with his eventual college decision. Levi Watkins hired at buffalo NC State men's basketball assistant director of operations Levi Watkins was hired as a full-time assistant coach at Buffalo. Watkins, who played for the Wolfpack from 2002-05, was hired by former Duke star Bobby Hurley — whom the Bulls hired this spring from Rhode Island, where he was an assistant coach under his brother Danny Hurley. "Levi is the complete package for what I'm looking for in an assistant," Hurley said. "He had a tremendous playing career in the D.C. area as a high school player and as a collegiate player at North Carolina State. He has transitioned very well into a variety of roles at a high-level program at NC State. I'm excited about him joining the staff and all that he'll bring to the table." Watkins played in 97 career games at NC State under head coach Herb Sendek, and he helped the Wolfpack reach four consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The former Rockville (Md.) Montrose Christian standout was part of a recruiting class that helped revive NC State hoops with Julius Hodge, Josh Powell, Ilian Evtimov and Jordan Collins. Watkins followed that by working under both Sidney Lowe and Mark Gottfried. Watkins was a video coordinator and eventually a director of operations under Lowe, and then found a role as assistant director of operations the last two years with Gottfried. Watkins is the latest in the line of former Wolfpack players who have moved on to being a full-time assistant coach. Tony Bethel was hired at Mount St. Mary's The Janssen Sports Leadership Center offers comprehensive and customized training for college and high school athletic departments around the globe. "Jeff Janssen's leadership program is the gold standard in athletic circles and we are pleased he will be the professional teaching in the Academy," NC State athletics director Debbie Yow said. The group has worked with North Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, Arkansas, Baylor, Pittsburgh and over 200 other schools in the U.S. to help develop studentathletes and coaches into world-class leaders on and off the playing fields According to the company, 85 percent of participants at the schools said the program had a positive effect on their team's performance. At Michigan, 100 percent of student-athletes improved their leadership scores. The program will be launched with two specific groups in mind: the Emerging Leaders program for sophomores and juniors, and Veteran Leaders for established leaders who are juniors and seniors. Former NC State Women's Basketball Coach Kellie Harper Lands New Job Kellie Harper quickly landed on her feet after being fired as NC State's basketball coach March 26. Harper and the Wolfpack went 17-17 and reached the second round of the WNIT in her fourth season in Raleigh. Missouri State hired Harper April 10 with a five-year contract worth $145,000 in base salary and $60,000 for radio and television shows. Her husband, Jon Harper, was also hired as an assistant coach. Missouri State went 14-17 last year. "I couldn't be happier and more excited about this opportunity. This program has great tradition, fantastic facilities and a solid fan base," Harper said. "It's a fresh start for Lady Bears basketball. The future is very bright, and we're going to have high expectations to do something really special here." The former Tennessee standout won three national titles under legendary coach Pat Summitt. She was hired away from Western Carolina by former NC State athletics director Lee Fowler and immediately led the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament her first season. The 35-year-old went 70-64 in four years, including 23-39 in the ACC. 14 ■ the wolfpacker 10-12,14,16.Tracking The Pack.indd 14 4/30/13 3:50 PM