The Wolfpacker

18 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK JAYLEN SAMUELS, JOE THUNEY NAMED FIRST-TEAM ALL-ACC NC State placed fifth-year senior left tackle Joe Thuney and sophomore fullback/tight end Jaylen Samu- els on the media's first-team All-ACC squad. Thuney was the Pack's first offensive lineman se- lected to the top team since Sean Locklear in 2003, and the Pack boasts just five such selections over the last 30 years. Samuels made the team as a tight end, making him the first player at that position to earn a first-team spot since George Bryan in 2010. The pair marked NCSU's first positional players to earn the honor under head coach Dave Doeren — punter Wil Baumann was a first-team pick last year. "We are extremely proud of these young men for this well-deserved honor," Doeren said. "They have not only raised the bar with their performance on the field, but have shown great leadership for our team all season." Thuney started every game at left tackle during his final year of eligibility and was twice named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week. He did not allow a sack in league play and played every conference snap, except for a kneel-down at the end of the Wake For - est contest. Samuels did a little bit of everything for the Wolfpack, including taking some reps at running back after junior teammate Matthew Dayes was lost for the year due to a toe injury. Samuels totaled 53 rushes for 315 yards (5.9 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns, to go along with a team-high 64 receptions for 599 yards and seven scores. His 14 total touchdowns ranked third in the ACC this year and are tied for the fourth-highest single-season output in program history. He leads all tight ends in the country for catches. Fifth-year senior defensive end Mike Rose was listed on the media's second team. He finished the regular season with 10.5 sacks, which ranked tied for second in the ACC and tied for ninth nationally, and 15 tackles for loss, which tied for eighth in the league and was 36th nationally. His single-season sack total is tied for the third highest in NCSU history, while 15 tackles for loss is tied for 11th. The team also boasted several honorable mentions, including Dayes, senior center Quinton Schooley, plus specialists Nyheim Hines, a freshman, and Bra'Lon Cherry, a junior. DEBBIE YOW EARNS SPOT ON FORBES LIST NC State athletics director Debbie Yow was named to the Forbes list of Most Powerful Women in Sports Dec. 2. Yow was ranked 16th and was one of five women in collegiate athletics to make the list. NC State athletics have made significant strides ath- letically and academically since her hiring five-plus years ago. NC State finished 89th in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings the year prior to her arrival and posted a 27th-place finish nationally in 2015, the best showing in program history. Additionally, Wolfpack student-athletes have posted their three highest Graduation Success Rate and Fed- eral Graduation Rate marks over the last three years. Yow's impact can also be felt in major projects on campus such as the Close-King Indoor Practice Facility, completed last summer and the ongoing renovation of historic Reynolds Coliseum. NC STATE AND ADIDAS AGREE TO SIX-YEAR EXTENSION NC State and adidas reached an agreement Nov. 10 on a six-year extension of their partnership that provides uniforms, footwear, apparel and equipment to the Wolfpack's 23 varsity programs. The new agreement will run from July 2016 through June 2022 and makes the Wolfpack one of the premier global athletic brand's top U.S. collegiate partners. The extension represents a significantly increased commitment by adidas to NC State, and the average annual value of the deal will be among the highest in the nation. Additionally, the new agreement will also guarantee an increased annual minimum royalty payment to the university from the sale of officially licensed NC State merchandise. Net revenues from NC State trademark licensing royalties are used to fund scholarships and student support activities for the university. "We are pleased and appreciative that our enhanced partnership with adidas will allow us to better provide for our 550 student-athletes participating in 23 varsity sports," NC State athletics director Debbie Yow said. "That is our most important goal, and we will now have additional resources to meet those needs, as well as provide additional value to campus for support of student activities and scholarships." NC State's previous department-wide deal with adidas started in April 2012. "We are always looking for great partners that bring value to our brand," adidas Group North America President Mark King said. "We want to work with programs like NC State that are forward-thinking and challenge the status quo, bringing a new level of excite - ment to college athletics." NC STATE FOOTBALL LOSES TWO DEFENSIVE BACKS NC State has parted ways with defensive backs Malcolm Means and Kalen McCain. The 6-1, 195-pound Means played on special teams in three games this season, and he logged 10 snaps in three games last year while also playing on special teams in 12 out of 13 games. Means had his recruitment blow up late his senior year at Lewisville (S.C.) High. NC State aoffered him after the Rivals.com two-star prospect enjoyed a good week of practice at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. The 6-2, 195-pound McCain logged eight snaps against South Alabama and played on special teams in the season opener against Troy. McCain originally committed to Virginia Tech, but the Durham (N.C.) Hillside product eventually switched to NC State in June going into his senior year. Louisville, Georgia Tech, East Carolina and Appalachian State also offered him. Rivals.com ranked McCain as a three-star prospect and the No. 30 player in North Carolina in the class of 2014. ■ Red And White Notebook Fifth-year senior left tackle Joe Thuney is the first Wolfpack offensive lineman to earn first- team All-ACC accolades since Sean Locklear in 2003. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN

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