The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1436409
TRACKING THE PACK JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 ■ 11 PACK PERFORMERS Melissa Evans, Volleyball The graduate student from Porter Ranch, Calif., came into the season as the program's first four- time All-ACC honoree … and then earned a fifth. She was named to the all-conference first team, as well as the East All-Region squad, after another outstanding campaign. She is the third player in program history to make both squads in back-to- back years. Evans led NC State with 369 kills, averaging 3.62 per set — which ranked seventh in the ACC — while hitting .249 on the year. She was third on the team with six double-doubles and leaves with the school record for kills in the rally scoring era. Nyls Korstanje, Swimming Even an import from the Netherlands like Korstanje understands the importance of beat- ing North Carolina at NC State. He was named the ACC Men's Swimmer of the Week after an opening-weekend performance in mid-October in which the 11-time All-American and seven-time ACC champion announced his return to college swimming in a big way. After spending the 2020-21 season preparing for the Olympics, the junior led the Pack to dual wins over UNC and Tennessee with victories in all of his individ- ual races: the 50-yard freestyle, the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle. He also contributed to a winning 200-yard medley relay against Tennessee. Maximilian Steinlechner, Golf Steinlechner finished nine shots under par at the Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington Oct. 25 to set a course record while in action at the Williams Cup Presented by Stitch Golf. The junior from Austria came out of the gate firing, with five birdies and an eagle in his first seven holes to start seven-under. The 63 he carded was a new career low and tied for the third-best 18-hole score in program history. It's the lowest round by a Wolf- pack golfer since Benjamin Shipp shot a 63 in 2019. In the 54-hole tournament, Steinlechner finished third at eight under par, his third top-10 showing and second placement among the top five in four tournaments this fall. Drake Thomas, Football When the All-ACC football teams came out at the end of November, the sophomore earned the second-highest vote total among first-team defend- ers, finishing with 148 points to trail only Florida State defensive end Jermaine Johnson II (189). The Wake Forest, N.C., native ranked fourth in the ACC and led the Wolfpack with 100 tackles, plus he tied for fifth in the league with three interceptions. Among Division I linebackers with at least 700 snaps played, Thomas ranked sixth with a Pro Football Focus defensive grade of 80.2. — Ryan Tice Home is where the howl is. Join today at go.ncsu.edu/AAMembership #HowlBack