The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1389905
44 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER o gain a full appreciation of the status of the women's tennis program that Simon Earnshaw inherited when he arrived at NC State prior to the 2015 season, a review of the history of the Wolfpack in the sport is necessary. Since women's tennis was sanctioned by the ACC in 1983, the Pack had just one win- ning record in league play, one other time it finished with a .500 conference mark and five times it qualified for the NCAA Tourna- ment, twice reaching the second round. In 16 years, it either went winless or won only a single league match. "I was told the only reason that I got the job here is because nobody else wanted it," Earn- shaw remembered. "When David [Secker] came to be my assistant, he was told, 'Why would you ever go there? They'll never be top 25.' People have a hard time visualiz- ing something that has never been. They just think something is because it was or it will be. I don't think that's actually reality. "When recruits come on campus with their families, they will say, 'I just didn't think it was going to be like this.' They as- sociated the lack of success with there was something wrong at NC State. There was T FEMALE TEAM OF THE YEAR TENNIS Doubles partners Anna Rogers (left) and Alana Smith (right) advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Doubles Championship — further than any Wolfpack duo ever — and helped NC State reach the Final Four in the team bracket. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS BREAKING THROUGH Women's Tennis Shines On Its Way To A Final Four Appearance