The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1306549
12 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK wolfpacker spotlight DOMINIQUE CLAIRMONTE Women's Cross County NC State athletics has two ongoing ACC dynasties — men's swimming and diving, and women's cross country. The latter kept up its league superiority with a dominant performance in Cary, N.C., on Oct. 30 to win its fifth straight conference title. The Wolfpack had three runners in the top seven, including meet winner and fifth-year senior Dominique Clairmonte. She finished the 6K race in 19:55.1, about 11 seconds ahead of the runner-up. She led a Wolfpack con- tingent that included five of the top 20 runners. Winning the title represented a triumph to an already accomplished career for Clairmonte, a native of Lexington, Ohio. She had finished third at the ACC Championships during her redshirt freshman campaign in 2017 and then was eighth in 2018. In 2019, she finished third in the outdoor track and field 5K and fifth in the indoor mile at the respective league title meets. Earlier this fall, Clairmonte was named the Women's National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association after she won the Wolfpack Invite with a 5K time of 16:56.4. The individual ACC victory represents a repeat of sorts as well. A year ago, her teammate Elly Henes took home the league's individual cross country title for the Wolfpack. "I think what makes us special is how close we are as a team. That allows for us to be able to work together better," Clairmonte told the ACC Network after her title. "When we do go out there and race, we can rely on each other. "That always happens when you have a team that has a good culture. Our team definitely has the ideal culture, where you know that everyone has your back come race day." — Matt Carter/Photo courtesy NC State athletics