The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546417
42 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT HERB on't even think about labeling the NC State women's cross coun- try team this year's de- fending national cham- pion. Head coach Laurie Henes isn't having it. While it may be cus- tomary to refer to the reigning NCAA title holder in any given sport as the de- fending champ, Henes considers that title to be not just illogical — no one can take away a trophy you've already won — but counterproductive. In her view, putting athletes in a defensive frame of mind is the exact opposite of what coaches should be doing when it comes time to follow up a championship sea- son. "That's the wrong attitude to be going in with," Henes said. "To me, you have to be attacking each season instead of defending it." This is not a hypothetical concern at NC State. The Wolfpack has won four of the past five national titles, including the 2025 crown, when it outdistanced BYU by placing all five of its point- scorers among the top 51 finishers. A year later, those five athletes are back, as are the two other NC State runners who competed at nationals last season. Given all that talent and expe- rience, Henes' team has every reason to approach the upcoming campaign boldly. The Pack's contingent of returnees is led by graduate students Grace Hart- man and Hannah Gapes, who placed fifth and sixth at nationals, respectively. Also back are junior Bethany Michalak (29th), senior Angelina Napoleon (40th) and sophomore Sadie Engelhardt (51st). That quintet alone would have made the Pack a formidable team this fall, but Henes and her staff are always look- ing for ways to improve. When Michi- gan State All-American Rachel Forsyth turned up in the transfer portal, they saw just such an opportunity. Forsyth, a junior from Ann Arbor, Mich., finished 16th at the NCAA Championship in 2024, earning first- team All-America honors. She followed up that performance by placing 48th last season. Prior to her arrival in East Lansing, Forsyth had been recruited by NC State, so she had a preexisting relationship with the Wolfpack. There was plenty of mutual interest when she entered the portal, and a trip to Raleigh sealed the deal. "When she came to visit, she just clicked very well," Henes said. "I think she's making a great transition so far and just fitting right into the workout groups. At this point, I would anticipate her running all of our meets." A Deep Lineup The NC State team that spectators see at the season-opening Adidas XC Chal- lenge on Sept. 18 in Cary likely won't be the same one that competes at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., come November. Gapes will be get- D RUNNING RUNNING IT BACK IT BACK Returnees Inspire Confidence Heading Into NC State's Cross Country Campaign