The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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MAY/JUNE 2024 ■ 21 "It was phenomenal," Orrell said, "probably as good as any pregame event that I've been to, any bowl game or any- thing that I've done. I thought it was fabulous." Fulford traveled to the national semifinal with his daughter Fleming, a freshman at NC State. He was 13 years old in 1983 and did not get to experi- ence the Pack's previous Final Fours in person. He called this year's trip a "bucket list" item. During the pregame event, he reunited with old classmates and enjoyed the camaraderie that NC State's historic run had inspired. "That was one of the best Wo l f p a c k C l u b - s p o n s o re d events I've attended," Fulford said. A Memorable Return NC State's Final Four jour- ney ended with a loss to Pur- due, but that did not take away from the donors' positive feel- ings about the trip. When the Wolfpack Club's planes arrived back in Raleigh, some members of the men's basketball team were at the air- port waiting to say thank you to the fans who had cheered them on in Phoenix. The Wolfpack Club had worked with the 1Pack Collective to encourage players to greet returning NC State supporters. Junior guard Jayden Taylor was the first player Deal spoke with. The NC State standout was waving pom poms in a show of appreciation for Wolfpack Nation. That really resonated with the Wolfpack Club members. To them, mo- ments like that are what make this uni- versity unique and special. "That was a highlight of the trip," Deal said. "Teams don't do that. Players don't do that. It really, really touched everybody that they did that." Orrell was a freshman at NC State when the Pack won the 1974 national championship. He traveled to the 2024 Final Four with his daughters Kasey and Abbie, and they left Arizona with a better understanding of the joy their father got from the Wolfpack's previous deep tour- nament runs. The group's welcome back to Raleigh was "a shock" and something he had never expe- rienced before. He said it show- cased the family culture around the Wolfpack Club and NC State's athletics department. "It was just a nice touch," Or- rell said. "They make everybody feel welcome." ■ Etch your name into Wolfpack History WOLF TRACKS DONOR WALL Help fulfill the vision by leaving your legacy etched on the Wolf Tracks wall in the newly renovated Walk of Fame & History in Reynolds Coliseum. • Orders will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Orders cannot be filled after the 700 spaces are sold. • You will receive a confirmation email within 30 days of your order. Please review it carefully. If corrections are required, please notify us at majorgifts@wolfpackclub.com or 919-865-1500. • In order for the Wolfpack Club to accommodate requests for plaques to be placed next to each other, these orders must be placed together with proper instructions. Every effort will be made to accommodate these requests. • Your message must fit within the spaces provided on the plaque size. • All text will be a standard size, font, and style. Greek letters and other symbols not found on a standard keyboard may not be used. • The Wolfpack Club reserves the right to exclude orders that it deems to contain inappropriate language. • The Wolfpack Club will determine the final placement of all plaques. • Message area is 330 characters maximum, with a signature line of 75 characters. Plaques are $5,000, payable over 5 years to the Wolfpack Club. NC State Student Aid Association | PO Box 37100, Raleigh, NC 27627 | 919.865.1500 | www.wolfpackclub.com To secure your Wolf Tracks, please visit www.wolfpackclub.com/wolftracks. wolf tracks half page.indd 1 8/21/2018 10:45:16 AM NC State fans flocked to Arizona for the men's basketball team's first Final Four appearance since 1983. The Wolfpack Club chartered two planes carrying 380 fans for the trip from Raleigh to Phoenix. PHOTO COURTESY WOLFPACK CLUB