The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547338
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 ■ 15 TRACKING THE PACK PACK PERFORMERS Jerry Fox, Swimming The senior from Raleigh was tabbed as the ACC Men's Swimmer of the Week twice dur- ing the first month of the 2026-27 season. Fox notched first-place finishes in the 50- and 100- yard freestyle in the College Swimming League (CSL) Match 2 at Westmont, Ill. His perfor- mances set CSL records in both events, while his time in the 100 freestyle also established a pool record. Fox then earned CSL MVP honors for Match 5 at Mt. SAC Aquatics Center Oct. 16 in Walnut, Calif. He won the 50 freestyle skins compe- tition and contributed to victories in the 200 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay skins competition. Hannah Gapes, Cross Country The fifth-year from New Zealand began the season in impressive fashion. Gapes captured the individual title in the women's 5K at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational Oct. 2 in South Bend, Ind., crossing the finish line in 15:22.6 to set a personal best and record the fastest women's 5K time ever run on the course. She then won the individual title at the Pre-National Invitational Oct. 16 in Terre Haute, Ind., finishing in 18:57.6 in the women's 6K to set a course record while becoming the first woman to break the 19-min- ute barrier on the course. Gapes was tabbed as the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week and ACC Performer of the Week after both races. Aidan Payne, Soccer The fifth-year forward from Wilmington, N.C., was named the ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week Oct. 20. Payne recorded his second career brace (two goals) in NC State's 2-2 draw against Cal Oct. 18 in Berkely, Calif. He also recorded his first career hat trick to lead the Wolfpack to a 3-0 triumph over No. 4 UMKC Oct. 11. The suc- cessful week helped NC State even its record at 5-5-4. With two games remaining in the regular season, Payne was put- ting together a career-best year. He led the Pack with 7 goals and 15 points on the season, after tallying just 5 goals and 17 points in 41 games over the three prior years. Lavinia Tanasie, Tennis The sophomore from Romania captured the first singles regional title in program history at the ITA Carolina Regional Championships Oct. 15-20 in Columbia, S.C. The No. 33-ranked Tanasie opened the tour- nament with a pair of straight-set wins in the rounds of 64 and 32 to advance to the round of 16, where she defeated Lillie Murphy of Furman 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. She then earned a ranked victory over fifth-seeded and No. 58 Alexis Nguyen of North Carolina 6-1, 6-0 in the quarterfinals. Tanasie advanced to the championship match with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win against No. 23 Kaitlyn Carnicella of host South Carolina, securing a berth in the NCAA singles championships. — Steve Downey 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 updated logo 8/30/2024 10:02:16 AM