The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1513610
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 ■ 23 "I don't really remember much of what happened in that last K," she told Citius Mag. "I remember I got to the bottom of the hill right before the finish, and I was thinking, 'I know I have like 50 people within 10 seconds behind me right now. I need to be at the front of this bubble, because every point counts.' That's what was going through my head." Tuohy willed herself to the finish line, covering the six-kilometer course in 19:23.0. She was nearly 28 seconds be- hind winner Parker Valby of Florida but ahead of several competitors who could have doomed the Pack's title bid at the outset. "I can't imagine a braver race for her to have run, to stay in there and pass those people," Henes said. "She's extremely team-oriented and knew that this prob- ably wasn't going to be her day individu- ally, but she put herself in there and did everything she could for the team." 'I Knew I Had It In Me' NC State's national title was its third in a row, a historic accomplishment. Only two previous women's teams had ever won three or more consecutive NCAA crowns, the most recent being Stanford from 2005-07. Still, it wasn't the rarity of the feat that made it such an eye-opener. It was the difficulties that the Pack had to over- come. In addition to Tuohy's illness, which waylaid her about a day and a half before the race, NC State was without one of its best runners. Senior Kelsey Chmiel had been a key part of the Pack's two previ- ous championships, finishing sixth over- all in 2021 and third last year. Described NC State claimed the national championship trophy for the third time in as many seasons, becoming only the third program in NCAA history to win the title three years in a row. The Wolfpack won its most recent NCAA crown Nov. 18 in Charlottesville, Va. PHOTO BY JOSHUA DWIGHT/NC STATE ATHLETICS