The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1466831
36 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY TIM PEELER he brutal challenge of col- lege athletics is that after going through the careful process of building some- thing successful, the next and necessary step is to do it all over again. That's even more chal- lenging in today's world, in which in- stant gratification is possible through the NCAA-approved transfer portal. A player of uncertain standing can cycle through multiple schools in less time than it might take a recent college graduate to find her first job in the real world. No longer do programs and coaches have a four-year cycle in which to build and improve. That's the position in which Wes Moore finds himself while he be- gins preparing for his 10th season as the head women's basketball coach at NC State. Moore is looking to maintain the unprecedented success of the past four seasons, in which the Wolfpack has competed at the highest level in the program's history. In doing so, he's aim- ing to continue entertaining an NC State community that has embraced his pro- gram for its sustained glory. "The engine is going," said dynamic guard Diamond Johnson, who just com- pleted her second college season and her first with the Wolfpack after transfer- ring from Rutgers. "We just have to keep it moving, keep it rolling." Moore's most recent team — built pyr- amid-sturdy on the backs of seniors/ super seniors/graduate students Raina Perez, Kai Crutchfield, Kayla Jones and All-America center Elissa Cunane — was his most successful to date and one of the best in school history, compiling 32 victories and just four losses. T h e Wo l f pa c k wo m e n wo n t h e school's first ACC regular-season championship in 32 years and their third consecutive ACC Tournament crown, an unprecedented stretch even for one of the most successful programs in league history. "One of the reasons I came to NC State was to make a difference," said Cunane, who was the 17th pick in the recent WNBA draft. "It was already a great program, but I wanted to help take T HAVING A MOMENT The NC State Women's Basketball Team Looks To Extend Its Time In The National Spotlight Rising junior guard Diamond Johnson made an immediate impact following her transfer from Rutgers. In her first season with the Wolfpack, she won ACC Sixth Player of the Year honors. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS