The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/266935
22 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK "The Wolfpack should start out 4-0, sweeping its nonconference schedule with wins over Georgia Southern, Old Dominion, at South Florida and Presbyterian. If they deliver, they will already have sur- passed their 2013 win total and started the season better than they did last fall. The bigger difference, though, should come in games against Wake Forest and Boston College. They've got bye weeks to prepare for road trips to Syracuse and rival North Carolina, and they get Geor- gia Tech at home. It's a schedule that sets up for success." — Blogger Heather Dinich on NC State's schedule next fall in football (ESPN.com) "Pete has been a great teammate and a very positive representative of NC State athletics. I have really enjoyed coaching him and want him to be successful as a player and in life. Going forward I will do anything I can to help him through his transition as a transfer. He will be missed as a teammate, player and person in our locker room." — NC State football coach Dave Doeren on the departure of fifth-year senior quarterback Pete Thomas, who is set to graduate in May (GoPack.com) "The visit in April was a game-changer and then we got him back up here again in summer, and back for a game in the fall. We had him for his official visit as part of the process. That one in April, he probably will say that it opened his eyes. The one thing kids repeatedly say that haven't been here, once they get here and see it, they say, 'I didn't know it was this great.'" — NC State running backs coach and recruiting co- ordinator Des Kitchings on signing Rivals.com No. 43-ranked overall player Kentavius Street, a defensive end from Greensville (N.C.) Rose (TheWolfpacker.com) "I made an effort to get into every high school in my area and meet the coach. I'm just starting to build the relationships and it took off. A couple of guys committed and they started to recruit each other. They were a lot more powerful than what our coaches were to be honest with you, and how they kept each other together." — NC State fullback/tight ends coach Eddie Faulkner on signing six players from the Charlotte area for the class of 2014 (TheWolfpacker.com) "It's almost like a 40-year decision versus a four-year decision, when you come here as an in-state football player. Should it be that way? I don't know, but it is. I know I'm not on the same level as Torry [Holt] and those guys, but I feel like I played hard here and I don't have any regrets here whatsoever. And I feel like if I ever need anything, this is the first place I call still. It's a 40-year decision to be an in-state player to come here." — Former NC State linebacker and current safeties/ co-special teams coordinator Clayton White on what it means to play football at an in-state college (TheWolfpacker.com) Riki Bonnema, Women's Swimming The sophomore from Orlando, Fla., had a big meet during the ACC Championships Feb. 19-22 in Greens- boro, N.C. She earned All-ACC honors in the 50 freestyle, setting a school record with a time of 22.16 seconds, and in the 200 freestyle relay, helping State's foursome win the gold with an ACC Championships meet record time of 1:28.71. Bonnema was also on the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays that set new standards at NCSU. Andrew Colley, Men's Track & Field After winning the ACC cross country championship in the fall, Colley is picking up the pace in track and field. The fifth-year senior from Williamsburg, Va., set a career best in the indoor 3,000-meter distance race at the Alex Wilson Invitational Feb. 22 in South Bend, Ind., running a 7:58.87 to take first place. He was 22 seconds ahead of the runner-up. In February, he was named the ACC Male Cross Country Scholar Athlete of the Year. Kelly Findley, Men's Soccer On Feb. 11, NC State's head coach announced a 10-player recruiting class that was ranked by TopDraw - erSoccer.com as the No. 3 collection in the country and tops in the ACC. Headlining the group is defender Conor Donovan of Fuquay-Varina, N.C. Donovan com- petes with the U18 and U20 USA Men's National Teams and has three international goals in 33 appearances. He is ranked as the No. 28 player in the 2014 class by TopDrawerSoccer. com. Overall, NCSU signed four top-50 recruits according to the service's rankings. Nick Gwiazdowski, Wrestling The redshirt sophomore heavyweight from Delanson, N.Y., proved he is ready to compete with the best when he upset the top-ranked wrestler in his weight class, Michael McMullan from Northwestern, 5-3 in overtime Feb. 22 in Durham, N.C. Gwiazdowski, ranked No. 3 nationally after his win over McMullan, entered the ACC Championships March 8 in Blacksburg, Va., undefeated at 6-0 in league duals and 35-2 overall. He had recorded 15 victories by fall, eight by major decision and one by technical fall. He was also 8-2 against ranked opponents. Eric Peterson, Baseball The junior from Bear, Del., transferred in from Tem - ple's soon-to-be defunct baseball program along with his twin brother Patrick Peterson. Both have made immedi- ate impacts. Eric Peterson, a right-handed pitcher, has helped shore up the bullpen. In his first two appearances, Peterson struck out seven batters without walking any in 5 1/3 innings, giving up just two hits and one earned run. Patrick Peterson, who is a left-handed hurler, had a good first start against North Carolina A&T Feb. 19, going 5 2/3 innings and giving up just three hits while striking out a pair in a 15-0 rout. Brittni Watkins, Gymnastics Watkins is having what gymnastics coach Mark Ste - venson described as "a phenomenal year." After earning all-conference honors on the vault and floor exercise last year during her freshman campaign, the Albany, N.Y., native has expanded to all-around competition this year and excelled. She was named Eastern Atlantic Gymnas- tics League Gymnast of the Week three of the first five weeks of the season. Through Feb. 25, she had 34 podium appearances, 21 more than anyone one else at NCSU, and 18 first-place finishes, 12 more than the next nearest Wolfpack gymnast. ■ PACK PEOPLE "We really got five guys. We got two guys that are slated to be tackles, two guards and a center. We needed that depth really bad, so I couldn't be happier with the five guys we got." ■ NC State offensive line coach Mike Uremovich on the Wolfpack's five class of 2014 offensive line signees (TheWolfpacker.com) QUOTING THE PACK PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN 18,20,22,24,26.Tracking The Pack.indd 22 2/25/14 3:48 PM