The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1525890
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 ■ 41 BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN a r c H u b b a r d i s n o stranger to rebuilding men's college soccer programs. He inherited a 5-8-5 tea m a t D iv i s i o n I I Southern New Hamp- shire in 2008 and turned the Penmen into 12-game winners in every season with no more than four losses in any campaign during a seven-year stint. Hubbard then took over a 6-10-1 squad at New Hampshire and guided the Wildcats to seven NCAA Tournament appearances with four America East Tournament titles in a nine-season run. Now, Hubbard is looking to do the same at NC State. The 16-year head coaching veteran was hired to help propel the Wolfpack men's soccer program to success after a 6-9-3 showing in 2023 that included only one ACC victory. The Wolfpack has not won the league tournament since George Tarantini's 1990 team went 17-4-2. NC State's most recent trip to the NCAA Tourna- ment came in 2019. It was the Pack's third consecutive appearance in the na- tional tourney and the last campaign in which it finished above .500. NC State is looking for more on the pitch, and Hubbard, who has a track record as a turnaround specialist, is confident that he can improve the Pack's outlook. Still, the scenario in Raleigh is different from his previous stops. For the first time, he isn't coaching in New Hampshire. His roots are in the Northeast, but the Col- gate graduate looked at NC State as an opportunity to grow as a coach. "You have to be comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. That's where you're going to find growth and really push your limits," Hubbard said, recall- ing his decision to leave UNH after help- ing it earn the No. 8 national seed last fall. "It was time to put myself out there again, start from ground zero and rebuild something in an uncomfortable scenario. Hopefully it can reach higher-end poten- tial on a yearly basis down the road." The ACC, which is widely regarded as the top Division I soccer conference in the country, could provide Hubbard with an opportunity to recruit higher-end tal- ent, thus helping make deeper runs into the NCAA Tournament. The Wolfpack has advanced past the first round just once since the turn of the millennium — a 4-1 win over Campbell in 2018 before losing at Maryland in the second round. For Hubbard to turn NC State around — which he wants to do quickly — this offseason was a crucial period of his tenure. The Wolfpack released 11 players from last year's roster, while it brought in 15 newcomers. Finding a way to get a new team to jell together seems like a daunting task, but Hubbard attacked it head-on. One new face he brought in was junior midfielder Taig Healy, who scored 4 goals (all as a sophomore) in two seasons at New Hampshire. Healy followed Hubbard to Raleigh because he knew the Wolfpack had hired a winning coach, and he witnessed it firsthand through the early stages of his collegiate career. "You know what he wants from you," Healy said. "He does a good job making sure teams mesh quickly together. He has a style he wants to play. It takes a lot for him to change. He knows what he wants, and he'll do anything to make sure we execute." Implementing Hubbard's style of play — an aggressive defense that leads to offensive production — is a part of the rebuilding stage. While he wants his teams to create offense through holding the ball away from the opponent, the key is the preparation process. Hubbard's teams are known for being more tactically prepared than the op- ponent. That advantage stems from an emphasis on film study leading up to the match. In all, Hubbard's goal is to never be outworked by the other team — both on and off the field. At NC State, his goal is to return the Wolfpack to its winning ways as quickly as possible. Season-opening victories over High Point (3-2, Aug. 22) and Florida Gulf Coast (1-0, Aug. 25) were encourag- ing. The ultimate aim is not just to turn the program around but to enjoy sustained success. Hubbard was drawn to NC State by its investment in athletics as a whole. When he looks at his peers in the Weisiger-Brown Building, he sees a win- ning mindset everywhere. In the past 12 months, the Pack has won a third consec- utive women's cross country national title, been to the Final Four in both men's and women's basketball and seen the baseball team make the College World Series. "You don't have to look far within the department to see other sports and their success," Hubbard said, "so there's good reason to believe that soccer could do it as well." In the meantime, Hubbard is looking forward to the support that the Wolfpack fan base gives to each of its programs on campus. "The home fans and the way the stu- dents and community support NC State athletics, it's just something I've never been a part of or seen before," Hubbard said. "It doesn't matter what the sport is here, the support is great. People have a real passion and care for it. I'm looking forward to seeing that in action this fall for us." ■ UPWARD MOBILITY First-Year Coach Marc Hubbard Aims To Revitalize The NC State Men's Soccer Program M