The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1513610
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 ■ 25 later prove crucial. If any of its top five finishers had placed one spot lower, the Pack wouldn't have won. That NC State did win was, to Henes, a testament both to the program's can- do culture and its insistence that every athlete has a role to play. "Everyone says they want to be an underdog," she said. "When you actu- ally are, embrace it. Fight for every spot. Every one of them did." A Gratifying Victory As to the matter of fighting for spots, there can't be much room left in the Pack's trophy case after Henes' team collected its third consecutive NCAA championship, seventh consecutive Southeast Regional title and its eighth ACC crown in a row. And then there are the individual ac- colades. Henes won National Coach of the Year honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches As- sociation, along with league accolades from the ACC. Tuohy was saluted by the conference as Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year after winning the in- dividual ACC title with a time of 19:22.8 in Tallahassee, Fla. It had seemed for a while as though NC State might not have to worry about finding a place to put another of those hulking NCAA team trophies. The Pack had virtually no margin for error after Chmiel's injury, and with Tuohy ail- ing, the NCAA Championships looked like they were very likely going to be a struggle for the defending champs. As it turned out, they were a struggle. It took a comprehensive team effort to elevate NC State to the top of the po- dium, but for Henes, Tuohy and the rest of the program, that just made for a dif- ferent kind of gratification. "I was afraid we wouldn't get her through the race today," Henes said. "I know at 5K, that was tough. She's had a lot of great performances [at the NCAA Championships], and when she found out we actually won by one point, she was overwhelmed. That's what she's here for and what her teammates do for her. "Individually, I can't imagine how tough this was. But to have this be the outcome teamwise, at least we can send her away with one more team title." ■ Katelyn Tuohy Opts To Pursue Professional Career One of the greatest careers in the history of NC State athletics came to a conclusion on Dec. 6 when senior distance runner Katelyn Tuohy announced via Citius Mag that she was forgoing her remaining eligibility to compete professionally. Tuohy, who won national titles in cross country and both indoor and outdoor track during her tenure in Raleigh, told Citius that she had been thinking since the spring about when to turn pro. She said she enjoyed cross country too much to forgo the 2023 season and miss out on NC State's bid for a third consecutive NCAA team championship. After finishing fifth individually and helping the Wolfpack claim the team crown in November, Tuohy announced that she was moving on. "It's been a dream of mine for like 10 years now, ever since I started running," she told Citius. "It's cool to see one of your dreams come true. I remember one meeting we had in high school where my coach was saying how he'd never coached a professional runner. And then he turned to me and said, 'yet.' "That was the first time I [thought], OK, someone believes that I can make it happen. It's been really cool over the past few years chasing this dream and finally having it come true." Tuohy had been a decorated high school runner coming out of Stony Point, N.Y., and she lived up to those lofty expectations at NC State. She won the 2022 outdoor 5,000-meter national champion - ship, and she followed up later that year by capturing the individual national title in cross country. After pacing NC State to its second consecutive NCAA team crown, Tuohy claimed the indoor national championships in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter races. Along the way, she set NCAA records in the 5,000 (15:03.12), the 3,000 (8:35.20) and the mile (4:24.36). Tuohy told Citius she plans to continue working with NC State coach Laurie Henes in Raleigh and may also do some altitude training in Flagstaff, Ariz., heading into the upcoming Olympic year. The U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials will take place June 21-30 in Eugene, Ore. Tuohy, who has signed to compete for Adidas, will be looking to earn a spot among the distance run - ners, with a focus on the 5,000-meter race. — Matt Herb Tuohy placed fifth at the NCAA Women's Cross Country Championships in November, her final race as a collegiate athlete. PHOTO BY JOSHUA DWIGHT/NC STATE ATHLETICS