The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1364233
MAY/JUNE 2021 ■ 35 BY MATT CARTER eading into the NCAA Wom- en's Cross Country Champi- onships March 15 in Stillwa- ter, Okla., there were multiple reasons why NC State head coach Laurie Henes would have been happy with a sec- ond-place team finish. The timing of the meet was not ideal. Because the NCAA chose not to hold championships in the fall, it was questionable if the race would even be conducted. Ultimately, it was scheduled for March 15, two days after the Indoor Track and Field NCAA Championships were held. That meant coaches like Henes had to make a choice of whether or not to have their best distance runners compete in both or focus on one. "I made some decisions early on to al- low some people to do both, which some schools didn't do," Henes confirmed. "We had the full support of our administration." For runners like senior Hannah Steelman, there was not much internal debating about the decision. "I absolutely wanted to do both," Steel- man confessed. "Obviously, I am going to listen to what my coach suggests. Luckily, she and I were on the same page about do- ing both, but I think no matter what the circumstances were I would try to convince them to let me do both." H The Wolfpack, who won a fifth straight ACC title in the fall, matched its best-ever national finish in March. PHOTO BY JACOB SEEBER RACING FOR EACH OTHER NC State Women's Cross Country Overcame Obstacles And Challenges To Finish Second At The NCAA Championships