The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2014 ■ 61 tion. Her arrival could allow for some of last year's forwards to shift to the midfield this fall. "Jackie Stengel could find herself play- ing more in an attacking midfield role," Santoro said. "Caroline Gentry and Brit- tany Stanko both have flexibility of playing wide in the midfield or up front. We have a few more options. "Stengel is a great player for us. She can do a lot of things for us, and she works on her game in her free time a lot. She will be marked and draw a lot of attention, and will have to learn how to deal with that." Two transfers and seven freshmen will energize the roster. Redshirt sophomore forward Alexa Allen had three goals and nine points at Auburn in 2012, and junior midfielder Jenna Kalwa played in 12 games in two years at Penn State. "They both came from programs that reached the NCAA Tournament," Santoro said. "That is a very valuable experience considering where this program has been." Junior defender Dayna Tomayko will help lead the defense in front of the Pack's goalies. Santoro expects freshmen Mack- enzie Graybill and Franziska Jaser of Bur- gau, Germany, to assist the defense. Jaser played with the German national team at the 2014 FIFA under-20 Women's World Cup in Canada Aug. 5-24. NC State's recruiting class was ranked in the top 20 by a pair of recruiting services. "I expect the freshman to all have an impact, or at least a large portion of them," Santoro said. "It could be starting or com- ing off the bench and playing 15 minutes a game." ■ ■ By The Numbers 13 National ranking for NCSU's class of 2014 recruiting haul by BigSoccer. All White Kit ranked the recruiting class No. 19 overall. 1,063 Fans attending the Georgia Southern at NC State game on Aug. 30, 2013, which was the highest attendance figure last year. 4,500 Dollars raised from the camp "Wolf‑ pack Backs Pinkerton" to help for‑ mer NC State assistant coach Ben Pinkerton (2005‑08) last April 26. Pinkerton was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer Jan. 29. Noting The Pack • Charmaine Hoooper will represent the NC State women's soccer program Oct. 10 in this year's Hall of Fame class. Hooper played for NC State from 1987‑90 and accumulated 58 goals and 145 points in her Wolf‑ pack career, which are both program highs. She still holds single‑season records in goals (26 in 1989) and points scored (57 in 1989), and once scored four goals against Maryland in 1989. • NC State junior forward Caroline Gentry and former defensive standout Meagan Proper repre‑ sented the Wolfpack on the 2013 ACC women's soccer all‑academic team. Gentry and Proper earned the honor for the second straight year. Gentry, who is majoring in nutrition science, had a 3.856 grade‑point average in the fall of 2013, while Proper had a 3.889 GPA in liberal studies. • The Wolfpack has players from eight differ‑ ent states and two countries. The state of North Carolina leads the way with 12 players, and four NCSU players are from Virginia. Sophomore goalie Greta Akerlind, who has battled injuries, is from Ljusdal, Sweden, and prized freshman defensive player Franziska Jaser hails from Burgau, Germany. Players To Watch Sophomore forward Jackie Stengel She lived up to her prep billing by being named third‑team All‑ACC and to the league all‑freshman squad last year. The 5‑9 product of Melbourne, Fla., led NC State in goals (nine), points (19), shots on goal (23) and shots (45). Her nine goals ranked 10th in the ACC. She had a pair of game‑winning goals — versus Longwood and at Pittsburgh — and started her collegiate career with five goals in her first four matches. Junior forward Brittany Stanko She finished second behind Jackie Stengel in points (12) last year, after tallying five goals and two assists. The 5‑5 Stanko, who is from Glenmoore, Pa., had game‑winning goals against UNC Wilmington and in the 2‑1 upset victory over No. 23‑ranked Wake Forest. She also had a pair of goals against UNCW. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Mackenzie Stelljes The Iona transfer from Charlotte Ardrey Kell High started 15 out of 19 games in her first year at NC State. She had a 1.69 goals‑against average with a .761 save percentage en route to a 5‑10 record. The 5‑9 goalie had 83 saves in a little more than 1,385 minutes of playing time. Stelljes had shutouts against Georgia Southern, East Tennessee State and Pittsburgh last year. Newcomer To Watch Freshman forward Kayla Saager — The 5‑10 Saager played prep soc‑ cer for East Islip (N.Y.) High, which is on Long Island, and for the Albertson SC club squad. She scored 27 goals and had 12 assists in her high school career in helping her team go 34‑7‑2 in three years. Saager earned all‑county, all‑conference and all‑ league honors in 2013. She credited NCSU associ‑ ate head coach Mike Barroqueiro in her recruit‑ ment, after knowing him when he was the head coach at Iona. TopDrawerSoccer.com rated her as a four‑star prospect and the No. 14 overall player in the New York region. Junior forward Brittany Stanko notched five goals — including a pair of game-winners — and two assists to finish second on the team in scoring with 12 points last year. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS