The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1364233
44 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER C State sophomore gymnast Emily Shepard calls herself, "the little girl from Kansas with the big dreams." Shepard is not afraid to set lofty goals, and she is equally willing to push her ambitions in gymnastics higher when she achieves them. At the rate Shepard is going, her dreams are going to start reaching some of the highest levels for a collegiate gymnast. In 2021, Shepard became the first Wolf- packer to win the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association Southeast Region Gymnast of the Year award since Leigha Hancock in 2008. Shepard also was the fourth Wolfpacker to be named the East At- lantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Gymnast of the Year. Additionally, she competed at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships April 16-17 in Fort Worth, Texas, on the floor exercise, becoming the first NC State representative at the event in six years, when Brittni Watkins qualified in the all-around. Yet for Shepard, perhaps the biggest ac- complishment was helping NC State reach the NCAA Regional Finals for the first time. Along the way, in three meets the Wolfpack scored its two highest-ever team scores and also tied the previous best. Not bad for a program that was "humbled," accord- ing to Shepard, to have to play-in to the NCAA sec- ond round via a dual meet with Western Michigan. After prevailing, NC State finished second in the four-team field in the second round. The top two teams advanced to meet two others who had a bye into the NCAA Regional Finals. "I wanted to find a program I could have an impact on," Shepard said. "I just think that growing a program and impacting the people along the way is so much more im- portant. "The moment that I found out we were going to day three was the realization that I did have an impact on this program." Shepard's gymnastics journey began at about 18 months old when she was enrolled in a "mommy and me" class with her mother. "She was having to hold my hand and walk me across the floor," Shepard said. "I have done it ever since. I really don't know what one day without gymnastics is like be- cause I've done it since I was little." And Shepard has no regrets about dedicat- ing herself to the sport. "I truly just loved it," Shepard affirmed. "I love the person it made me. I love flipping, I love my teammates, and I appreciate the impact gymnastics has had on me. I'd be a completely different person if I didn't go through this thing. "Sometimes I love it too much. That's been a battle before, and I just had to bal- ance it out." Home-state options for the Olathe, Kan- sas, native were lacking, which left Shepard and her parents to aggressively pursue other options. They sent videos and bio informa- tion to, Shepard noted, "every single school there was." NC State was one of those that responded, and the staff led by head coach Kim Landrus went to one of Shepard's meets to watch her in person. From there, Shepard made a visit to Raleigh and found her new home. "I think the biggest thing, when I was looking for a program, was that I wanted to do all-around, but I also wanted to find a place where my gymnastics would grow," she explained. "I definitely saw myself growing as a person and gymnast at this school. "I have three coaches now [at NC State], and I had three coaches in club, and they all remind me of one another in some way." Shepard was a quick success in Raleigh. In 2020, she was named first-team All- EAGL in the vault and bars, and second- team on the floor, while also making the All-EAGL Academic Team. Yet Shepard wanted to be an all-around performer, which for her meant conquering the balance beam. Shepard admitted that she needed to develop more confidence in the event and finding that belief was crucial for her taking that next step in the all-around. "I really worked hard on that this whole year and my consistency," Shepard noted. "I think it just came from hours in the gym. I wanted it so bad, and I was not going to let that stop me from making my goals. "I wanted to be ready for my team in all four events, if they needed me." Shepard proved to be more than ready, ranking first in the EAGL in vault, bars and all-around during the season before making it all the way to the biggest stage for a col- lege gymnast. "It made all those hard days worth it," she confessed. "Wearing the block 'S' on your leotard is the best because you know you are doing it for more than yourself." Shepard's hope is that her successes, both individually and with her team, are just beginning. "I had big dreams and big goals, and as I went throughout my career, they just kept getting bigger," Shepard acknowledged. "I'm still progressing towards them, and I'm still setting new goals every single year in college. I am living my dreams here at NC State." ■ N " I had big dreams and big goals, and as I went throughout my career, they just kept getting bigger. I'm still pro- gressing towards them, and I'm still setting new goals every single year in college. I am living my dreams here at NC State. " Shepard HIGH STANDARDS Star Gymnast Emily Shepard Is Meeting Her Goals And More Shepard was the first Wolfpacker to be tabbed as the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association Southeast Region Gymnast of the Year since Leigha Hancock in 2008. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS