The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1519757
TRACKING THE PACK 14 ■ THE WOLFPACKER River Baldwin grew up in what she described as the "small town" of Andalusia, Ala. She was a five-star recruit and a McDon- ald's All-American who devel- oped into the starting center of NC State's Final Four team. She's used to receiving less praise and accolades than some of her peers, but she learned early in her basketball career that she can compete with the best. That confidence has not wavered in the years since. Thanks to elite AAU tourna- ments, Team USA trials and a collegiate career that began at Florida State before bringing her to Raleigh, she was ready for whatever challenges the Wolf- pack's extended postseason threw at her. Baldwin competed against Ka- milla Cardoso from South Caro- lina, Aaliyah Edwards from Con- necticut, Elizabeth Kitley from Virginia Tech and Cameron Brink from Stanford. All of those play- ers received All-America recog- nition this spring and heard their names called in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Throughout her college career, Bald- win took a straightforward, selfless approach to her matchups with other skilled centers, and it all started with a feeling of confidence in herself and her Wolfpack teammates. Baldwin would al- ways focus on defense first, because, as she noted, "I know the offense will come. I don't have to force shots, because I have teammates who are going to generate of- fense." Brink fouled out against the Wolfpack in the Sweet 16, and Baldwin played a significant role in keeping the Cardi- nal All-American out of her rhythm. To those who had watched NC State's 6-foot-5 center previously, it was not surprising that she was effective against one of the country's top post players. Baldwin had realized even before she joined the Wolfpack in 2022 that she could hang with the best players in the country. While playing on the AAU cir- cuit, she matched up against Tennessee post player Tamari Key, and she went on to compete with Brink and former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston during Team USA training camp. Baldwin averaged 10.6 points per game for the Wolfpack, tied for the third- highest mark on the team. There were games in which she embraced a limited role and locked in on defense. And there were other contests in which the offense ran through her. She was able to score through consistent post-ups and a team- leading 81.5 percent mark from the free throw line — a career-high by 7.8 per- centage points. Graduate forward Mimi Collins had complete faith in her frontcourt peer throughout the tournament run. They transferred to NC State the same year, emerged into starting roles and immedi- ately clicked this season. All it took was a look between the two graduate students for them to be on the same page during a game, keeping the Wolfpack post duo multiple steps ahead of their op- ponents. Collins called Baldwin her " b i g ge s t h e l p e r." S h e 's t h e "mother on the team," and the Wolfpack forward stressed how easy it was to share the court with the center. Baldwin's 6.9 rebounds per game led the team. She also paced NC State with 1.3 blocks per game. Her 2.3 offensive boards per contest created ex- tra chances for the Wolfpack, and her defensive IQ resulted in plenty of charges drawn. Wolfpack backup center Lizzy Williamson said she admires Baldwin's strength and patience with the ball in her hands. She hit 53.6 percent of her shots from the field, but her play at the other end of the court also stood out during her two seasons with the Wolfpack. "Her ability to move her feet on defense and take charges as a 6-5 post [player] is crazy," Wil- liamson said. "I've never met a 6-5 post who takes charges as much as she does." Baldwin's presence in the paint calmed the Pack on both ends of the court. If the guards' shots weren't fall- ing from deep, NC State knew it could take an inside-out approach to gener- ate offense. Against Texas in the Elite Eight, Baldwin battled foul trouble be- fore scoring 16 points in the second half. The center played with an edge over the final two quarters against the Long- horns. People tell Baldwin she's too nice. Her mother, Gabrielle, said she plays better when she's a little angry. She didn't need to be in the spotlight to play at a high level for NC State; the graduate student was used to that. But she embraced her role and rediscovered her love for the sport during the Pack's journey to the Final Four. Said Baldwin, "Having the run that we had, not only have I fallen in love with basketball again, but we made history at NC State." — Ethan McDowell STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE MONTH GRADUATE CENTER RIVER BALDWIN Baldwin scored a career-best 10.6 points per game this season while pacing the Wolfpack with an average of 6.9 rebounds per contest. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS