The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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are far more experienced than most of their classmates from around the country. "Obviously, the six seniors bring the lead- ership and provide direction for the team," Stevenson said. "Of the six, we know four of them have competed quite a bit with Jess, Brooke Barr, Anna Kronenfeld and Alex Williams. All of them will be needed to contribute at a high level this year for us to be as good as we want to be." However, the coaching staff is counting on a full team effort in order to reach the team's goals, which include recording a no- fall meet 80 percent of the time, finishing as one of the top two or three teams at the EAGL Championships with a chance to win the conference title going into the last event, and ending the year in the nation's top 20. "We're pretty excited about the year be- cause we have some really good kids back and we've got some kids that came in and will do a good job of filling in the other spots where we need a little more high-end depth," Stevenson explained. "We'll have Jess as an all-arounder and Brooke is an extremely high-level, three-event person. Alex will probably do two events. Then, we have Rachel Fincham in the junior class as an all-arounder and she should do a great job for us again this year. "[Sophomores] Stephanie Ouellette and Diahanna Ham will be doing three or four events; and Hannah Fallanca will do one or two events. Then, we have the freshmen that came in who will fill in the spots that are left." The Pack will also return a pair of com- Senior Jess Panza, who was named NC State's most outstanding female student-athlete last year, paced the Wolfpack with 11 first-place showings and 20 podium finishes in 2011. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS Ouellette was not the only competitor to have a memorable outing at the NCAA Athens Regional. Panza, who was named the team MVP and the school's top female athlete last year, recorded a mark that was just 25 one-thousandths of a point shy of a national bid — the second straight year that Panza missed punching her ticket to the NCAA Championships by that margin. "Jess has been right there for a couple of years now," Stevenson said. "She's one of our most talented kids, she is elegant to watch and is very, very consistent in the all-around." "I would have liked to make it as an in- dividual, but I would really love to make it with my team this year," Panza said. "I was very upset last year that I didn't make it, but it would mean so much more to me if we all went." 54 ■ THE WOLFPACKER In addition to having a pair of athletes who should compete in all four events at every meet provided they can stay healthy, Stevenson is encouraged by his large con- tingent of veterans. The Pack boasts a six- member senior class, in addition to a pair of juniors and a couple of sophomores who petitors who were expected to make an impact last year but had their seasons cut short due to injury. Sophomore Ellen Mar- ion and senior Becca Teich are both back and should help the team in its quest for the second NCAA Championships bid in program history. "I absolutely think this team can get to na- tionals," Panza said. "It's definitely possible. The potential is there, the drive is there, ev- erybody just has to be on the same page and share a common goal. Our coaches have 100 percent faith in us and I know that the entire senior class believes that we can go." ■ Three To Watch Stephanie Ouellette, Sophomore — The Columbia, Md., native became the Pack's first freshman since 1993 to qualify for the NCAA Championships as an individual and recorded the program's fourth-best NCAA score of all time. She earned All-EAGL first-team laurels on the floor and all-around while she ranked second on the team with 16 podium finishes, including four firsts. Jess Panza, Senior — Nobody on the squad won as much as Panza last year, when she earned 11 gold medals among her team-best 20 podium finishes. She finished eighth or better at every event en route to a third-place finish in the all-around at the EAGL Championships, and she was also awarded the H.C. Kennett Award last year as the school's most outstanding female student-athlete. Brooke Barr, Senior — The fourth-year from Harrisburg, Pa., has been one of the Pack's most consistent performers since arriving in 2009. As a sophomore, she tied for a team-best 28 podium finishes, including 11 firsts. She has been named All-EAGL first-team on the vault every year and has 21 career victories in individual events.