The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1343401
22 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER G enerations of NC State fans have a lot of pride in their Wolfpack athletics. The eldest can remember the days of David Thomp- son, Tommy Burleson and Monte Towe on some of the best college basketball teams of all time. Soon-to-be-retirees can remember tears of joy when a trio of seniors named Thurl Bailey, Sidney Lowe and Dereck Whit- tenburg, with an assist from underclassman Lorenzo Charles, knocked off "Phi Slama Jama," the seemingly unbeatable Houston Cougars, for the 1983 championship. Those growing up in the '80s and '90s can recall the "Fire and Ice" backcourt of Rodney Monroe and Chris Corchiani, women's basketball reaching a Final Four in 1998 and being on the edge of their seats every time Torry Holt caught a pass from Jamie Barnette. Football fans of the 21st century can go in lengthy detail about "QB U." stars Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson, or fondly relive how pitcher Carlos Rodon and shortstop Trea Turner led the Wolfpack to a College World Series before their MLB playing days. For years, NC State fans have been able to watch from a distance as these student-athletes poured out their sweat to provide lasting memories, and now the Wolfpack Club is offering an opportunity to be there alongside them on their collegiate journeys. Through a new venture called the Student-Athlete imPACK Program, par- ticipating donors will be given an opportunity to build lasting relationships with individual student-athletes at NC State. The financial commitment for the program is $50,000 over four years, and in that time the donor will be partnered with a student-athlete, and have personal interactions and a chance to provide mentorship and guidance while enhancing the student-athlete's experience at NC State. "It's really to humanize our student-athletes," Buzzy Correll, associate execu- tive director of the Wolfpack Club, explained. "Sometimes the donors just see them on the field and on the court. Now they are getting to see that they are real people, and they have real majors. That's the exciting part of it." Ben Broussard, the executive director of the Wolfpack Club, set a goal to have 40-50 donors in the program in the first year, and it is off to a strong start, with already around 25 committed, including former NC State and NBA basketball star Tom Gugliotta. The goal is to have around 200 participants within five years. A CH A N CE TO MAKE AN IMPACK The Wolfpack Club Launches An Exciting New Program For Donors And Student-Athletes Redshirt freshman wing Dereon Seabron was matched up with Wolfpack Club member Ged King and his family as part of the imPACK program. PHOTO COURTESY ACC BASKETBALL