The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1527657
TRACKING THE PACK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024 ■ 13 Davin Vann Helps Lead Hurricane Relief Effort In NC State's game against Northern Illinois on Sept. 28, Davin Vann recorded career highs with 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles. In the days after the game, though, the graduate defensive lineman was focused on making an impact far beyond the football field. Vann organized a relief ef- fort aimed at providing needed supplies to residents of western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Helene left catastrophic damage in its wake, with The Asheville Citizen Times reporting a death toll of 72 in Buncombe County. Communities were dealing with severe flood damage that led to widespread power outages, disrupted communications and impassable roadways. Vann and his mother, Joy Hall-Haley, sent trucks full of sanitary products, water, food and much more. Their family, which owns the moving company Joyful Mov - ers, worked with Durham Rescue Mission to get the supplies where they needed to go. They reached out to NC State head coach Dave Do- eren about parking a truck near the Wolfpack football facility to gather supplies. Before leaving Raleigh, the truck was parked outside NC State's Close-King indoor practice facility next to Carter-Finley Stadium. Doeren used his weekly news conference on Sept. 30 to help solicit donations. "Anything that anybody wants to bring over, we would love to fill this moving truck to take over to those folks, and [I am] really proud of and thankful for Davin and his family," Doeren said. "Davin probably just came off the best game of his career, and for that to be what's on his mind today, I think it says a lot about that young man and his family." After the call went out for help, the NC State com - munity ended up filling six trucks with supplies, and additional contributions were still being accepted from fans attending the Pack's game against Wake Forest on Oct. 5. In addition, NC State's main NIL collective, One Pack NIL, raised $4,635 in relief funds from 48 athletes. Four-Star Forward Joins 2025 Basketball Class NC State landed a commitment from four-star power forward Mikey Wilkins, a top-100 player in the 2025 class, on Sept. 21. Wilkins officially visited NC State the previous week- end, the second trip of his recruitment after he spent time at Georgetown earlier in September. He chose the Wolfpack over the Hoyas, as well as offers from Clemson, LSU, Michigan, Virginia Commonwealth and Virginia Tech, among others. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward has shades of NC State great DJ Burns in his own game, a resemblance that was helpful to the Wolfpack in its pursuit. "I saw how they used DJ Burns there — he was a force inside," Wilkins said earlier this year. "When he got the ball inside and drew two, he would just kick it out and move it around. I can do all that." Wilkins is listed as the No. 4 player in North Caro - lina as well as the No. 77 overall prospect and No. 14 power forward nationally, per the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average of the top four recruiting services. He helped Christ School in Arden win the in- dependent schools' 4A state championship last season. "Mikey has a high basketball IQ and elite feel for the game," Christ School coach Josh Coley told On3's Jamie Shaw. "He is a worker, and he holds his teammates to a standard. No environment has been too big for him yet. The more competitive the situation, the more competitive he becomes. He is a winner." The Rutherfordton, N.C., native averaged 13.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks in his first season at Christ School, according to HighSchoolOT. Wilkins is the second player to join the Wolfpack's 2025 recruiting class. Three-star guard RJ Greer com - mitted in June. DJ Burns Set To Play For Korean Pro Team NC State forward DJ Burns took the world by storm during the Wolfpack's miraculous sprint to the Final Four last season. Now, he's off to South Korea to begin his professional career. Burns inked a deal in Septem- ber with the Goyang Sono Skygunners, a team in the KBL, Korea's top professional league. The 6-foot-9, 275-pound center averaged 12.9 points and 4 rebounds in his final season with the Wolfpack. He was a key part of the Pack's Final Four run, including a 29-point outburst in an Elite Eight win over Duke. — Noah Fleischman ■ RED AND WHITE NOTEBOOK Vann and his mother, Joy Hall-Haley, collected supplies for residents of western North Carolina after the devastation brought on by the remnants of Hurricane Helene. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS A PERCENTAGE OF EVERY HOME SALE GOES TO SUPPORT ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH AND CARE. McKeeHomesNC.com | 910-672-7296 PROUD TO SUPPORT THE NC STATE WOLFPACK Faye eville | Raleigh | Pinehurst | Wilmington