The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/125393
tracking the PACK ■PACK PEOPLE Jana Angel,Volleyball After finishing up her career for NC State in 2010, Angel began studying internationally at the University of Valencia in Spain. Last summer, the 6-3 middle blocker, at the encouragement of pros based overseas, began pursuing a potential professional contract in Europe and was signed to a one-year deal by Conflans Andresy Jouy Volleyball, which is based north of Paris. Angel started her professional career in September with a schedule that ran through the winter and allowed her the opportunity to travel throughout Europe. Albin Choi, Men's Golf The junior from Toronto has enjoyed a stellar season for NCSU. He is one of 10 semifinalists for the prestigious Ben Hogan Award, which is given to the nation's top college golfer. Choi is ranked in the top 10 individually by both Golfweek and Golfstat Cup and has won an NCAAleading five individual titles this season. He needs one more to match former NCAA champion Matt Hill's school record of 10 career individual titles. Choi and the men's team are expected to compete in an NCAA regional May 16-18 in a location to be announced. Nick Gwiazdowski, Wrestling The future appears bright for the Pack wrestling program, and one of the biggest reasons why is Gwiazdowski, a sophomore from Delanson, N.Y. Gwiazdowski is a heavyweight who redshirted this past season. He qualified for the world team trials with a seventh-place finish at the U.S. Senior Nationals in Las Vegas April 20.The World Team Trials are June 20-23 in Stillwater, Okla., and Gwiazdowski will be joined by classmate Thomas Gantt after Gannt finished second in the ASICS Junior Nationals at 70 kilograms (approximately 155 pounds). Gantt will vie for a spot in the Junior World Championships. Marissa Kastanek, Women's Basketball The departing guard from Lincoln, Neb., closed her State career by being awarded with the HC Kennett Award, the top honor for a Wolfpack student-athlete given out during the annual Wolfie Awards banquet. Kastanek ranks among the top-10 all-time leading scorers in NCSU history with 1,650 career points, and she is also among the top five at State in free throw percentage, made three-pointers and three-point accuracy. She was also a two-time Academic All-American and has the distinction of being the last recruit to play for NCSU signed by Hall of Famer Kay Yow. Sterling Lucas, Football The former linebacker from Orangeburg, S.C., was honored at the Wolfie Awards as the Comeback Player of the Year after he bounced back from knee surgery that forced him to miss the 2011 season. He started all 13 games last fall at the critical middle linebacker position and tallied 87 tackles while also serving as a team captain. Lucas will continue on at NC State, working as an intern this summer for Jason Veltkamp's strength and conditioning staff. Page Marsh, Women's Golf One year after leading NCSU to the NCAA Championships as a team for the first time in program history, Marsh coached her squad to its highest-ever finish in the ACC Championships April 19-21 at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. The Pack, ranked No. 21 nationally, came in second place, edging out No. 13 Virginia to finish in second place behind No. 3 Duke. State had twice placed third for its previous best finish at the conference tournament. Karimah Shepherd, Women's Track & Field The senior jumper from Chesapeake, Va., continues to have a historic season for NC State. During the indoor season, she set a school record in the long jump with a leap of 21-2. On April 19, Shepherd won the outdoor long jump at the ACC Championships, held in Raleigh, with a mark of 21-1.25, becoming the first women's long jumper in NC State history to win the conference title in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. She also helped State finish third overall in the team standings for its best finish since 1986. Quoting The Pack "This summer is going to be huge for us. We can't take any steps back. We need to keep getting more comfortable so when you show up Aug. 1 for fall camp, we're not thinking. We're just out there playing." photo by ken martin ■ NC State redshirt junior quarterback Pete Thomas on the offseason (TheWolfpacker.com) "With this coaching change, I knew that there would be an opening and everybody would have an equal shot at getting a position. I just tried to put in the extra work — at the training table, eating to get my weight up; in the weight room to get my strength up and in the film room. I used all three of those tools to get on the field this year." — NC State sophomore middle linebacker M.J. Salahuddin on trying to win a starting job (TheWolfpacker.com) "The last program that I took over [Northern Illinois] was the opposite, and that was tough. We had to score 65 points to win some games. I would rather be ahead on the defensive side than the offense." — NC State football coach Dave Doeren on trying to win games next year with the defense (TheWolfpacker.com) "The Leadership Council is a position of respect. It empowers these guys. This position is not a recognition of athletic ability, but leadership ability. I will go to this group with decisions that I want player input on, and if a player wants something brought to a coach they will go to the council and the council will bring it to us. It gives them a voice. These 20 men will enter an additional structured leadership program, which will give them a chance to build their leadership skills without a coach involved." — NC State football coach Dave Doeren on forming a 20-member Leadership Council (GoPack.com) "You know what I like more than anything? You're standing in there. I mean, your right tackle is on the ground. The defensive tackle is beating down on you and you stand in the face of the rush and make a great throw." — ESPN's NFL analyst Jon Gruden, former NFL coach, on ex-NC State quarterback Mike Glennon leading up to the draft (ESPN.com) "Even in the workouts we're having right now, I feel like they're more disciplined and feel like everybody's working harder than what we did last season. I feel like, last season, we just relied on our talent too much instead of going out there and practicing hard every day and getting the job done that way." — NC State sophomore point guard Tyler Lewis on changes this spring (Fayetteville Observer) 16 ■ the wolfpacker 10-12,14,16.Tracking The Pack.indd 16 4/30/13 3:50 PM