The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/699450
88 ■ THE WOLFPACKER FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2016 Being consistent about going over there is how I can help make a difference." Cole is motivated by what he's seen and appreciates the advantages he has educationally. "There are people who would do any- thing to be in my shoes. That is the per- spective it has given me to provide inspira- tion in the classroom," Cole said. The children aren't impressed that he plays college football because they don't know much about the sport. However, be- ing from the United States is a big deal. Cole said the children treated Lacy as if he was a rock star when he came last March. "To them, he was their super star and they all want to be Nicolas Lacy," Cole said. "That was a cool thing for him." Some new NC State teammates might join him in the future. Tight end Cole Cook, linebacker Airius Moore, left tackle Emanuel McGirt, and wide receiver Ste- phen Morrison, have peppered Cole with questions. "It will change the lives of whoever wants to go," Cole said. ■ Top Five NC State Punters 1. Johnny Evans, 1974‑77: The punter and quarterback not only had the best single-season punting aver- age in NC State history, but also still holds the career mark by more than 1.4 yards. Evans punted 185 times for 8,143 yards and a 44.0-yard average. His best year was in 1975, when he set a school record, averaging 46.1 yards on 47 punts. Evans holds three of the top five seasons in NC State history —and all led the ACC. Evans' best performance was when he averaged 53.7 yards on three punts against North Carolina in 1975. 2. Kelly Hollodick, 1985‑86: Hollodick produced two of the 10 best punting seasons in Wolfpack history. He punted 28 times for 43.2 yards in 1985, which is the seventh best single-season mark. Hollodick then averaged 42.4 yards on 55 punts in 1986, which led the ACC and helped him earn first-team all- league honors. For his career, he tallied 83 punts for an average of 42.6 yards, which is second all time at NC State. 3. Craig Salmon, 1984‑85, 1987: Salmon saved his best for last when he averaged 45.0 yards on 64 punts in 1987, which ranks third in NCSU history and was the best in the ACC, earning him first-team all-league honors. Salmon averaged 41.4 yards on 124 career punts, which ranks fourth in school history. He averaged 43.3 yards on 12 punts against South Carolina in 1987, which gave him a NC State single-game high of 519 yards. 4. Leslie Palmer, 1946‑47: Palmer held the career punting average for 30 years until Evans came along. Palmer averaged 42.1 yards on 96 punts, and also holds the sixth-best season mark in school history with 43.3 yards on 65 punts in 1947. 5. Wil Baumann, 2011‑14: Baumann averaged a career-best 45.4 yards on 60 punts his senior year in 2014 to lead the ACC and earn all-conference honors. He finished his Wolfpack career with 266 punts for 10,868 yards and an average of 40.9 yards per punt. The punts and yards are far away the most in NCSU history, and his average is ranked sixth. Baumann also holds the single-game record, averaging 55.2 yards on four punts against Presbyterian in 2014. — Jacey Zembal Johnny Evans averaged a school-record 44.0 yards per punt for the Wolfpack from 1974-77. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS Cole has been involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and makes annual trips to Nakuru, Kenya, to do missionary work. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN