The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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22 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK DUO LEADS WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TO FOURTH-PLACE FINISH AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS Senior Erika Kemp and sophomore Rachel Koon were named NCAA All-Americans for their perfor- mances at the NCAA Championships Nov. 19. The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association selected the duo Nov. 21. Kemp finished 17th (20 minutes, 10.6 seconds) and Koon placed 25th (20:15.0) while leading the Wolfpack to a fourth- place team finish with 223 points. Oregon won the meet with 125 points, followed by Michigan (126) and Colorado (134). Kemp was the top runner for NC State in all but the ACC Championships this fall. She finished runner-up at the NCAA Southeast Regional to help the Wolfpack win the regional title and an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships. Koon finished in NC State's top three at every race this season. She was NC State's top runner at the ACC Championships, earning All-ACC honors with a fourth-place showing. Koon followed by placing 11th at regionals. The performances capped another strong season overall for the NCSU cross country programs. The men's team finished 22nd at the NCAA Champion - ships, which was the first top-25 finish for the Wolfpack men since 2011. The final standings of the women's and men's cross country teams helped NC State collect 132 points in the 2016-17 Learfield Directors' Cup Division I fall standings, which is good for a tie for seventh place. LEARFIELD DIRECTOR'S CUP DIVISION I FALL STANDINGS As of Dec. 1, 2016 1. Stanford 190.0 2. Oregon 169.0 3. Colorado 158.5 4. Syracuse 145.0 5. Michigan 141.0 6. Brigham Young 139.5 7. NC State 132.0 7. Wisconsin 132.0 9. Ole Miss 131.0 10. Arkansas 130.0 NEW MEN'S SOCCER COACH NAMED George Kiefer has been entrusted to jump-start the NC State men's soccer program. Kiefer was the head coach the last 15 years at South Florida, where he earned 10 NCAA Tournament appear - ances and went 162-86-51. He helped USF qualify for the postseason in nine of his final 10 seasons. Kiefer took over the reigns Nov. 3 and replaced former coach Kelly Findley, who went 45-51-13 in six years, including 9-33-9 in ACC action. The Wolfpack went 5-12 last fall. "George has had considerable success on every level, building a perennial power at USF, while winning national championships as a player and as an assistant coach," NC State athletics director Debbie Yow said. "NC State has hired one of the best respected college soccer coaches in the nation. I would like to thank senior associate athletics director Raymond Harrison and the search committee for their diligent work." Kiefer's background includes serving as an assistant on two national championship squads, with his alma mater Southern Con - necticut State in the Division II ranks in 1995 and Connecti- cut in 2000. He also won two Division II national titles as a player (1990 and 1992). "I first would like to personally thank Debbie Yow for trust - ing me to be the next men's soccer coach at NC State," Kiefer said. "I really enjoyed the process with Raymond Harrison learning about the in- ner workings of NC State both academi- cally and athletically. "I have been very fortunate over the past 15 years to coach a diverse population of student-athletes at USF and each and every one of them has played a role in the opportunity opening up for me. "I look forward to the journey with the new group of players at NC State and the added excitement of ACC soccer." WOMEN'S SOCCER COACHES HONORED The NC State women's soccer team broke through to reach the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament this fall, and picked up some impressive honors as a result. The Wolfpack coaching staff was recognized by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America as the Southeast Staff of the Year. Head coach Tim San - toro, associate head coach Mike Barroqueiro and assis- tant coach Tom Anagnost guided NC State to an 11-9-2 overall record and a 7-4-1 mark in the ACC. The wins were the most in 21 years and ended a 20-year NCAA Tournament drought. The Wolfpack topped Minnesota and Pepperdine in the postseason, before falling 3-0 against Santa Clara Nov. 20. The staff will be honored at the College Coaches Awards Reception Jan. 12 in Los Angeles. WIDE RECEIVER BRIAN SESSOMS DEPARTS FOOTBALL TEAM NC State redshirt freshman wide receiver Brian Sessoms has left the football program before he could even play a game. The 5-8, 170-pounder from Winston- Salem, N.C., redshirted his freshman year, and then tore his Achilles to end his 2016 campaign before it could even start. Sessoms was expected to be one of the fastest players on the team coming out of Carver High. He clocked 4.36 seconds in the 40-yard dash at a Shrine Bowl combine prior to his senior year. Sessoms won the 100-meter dash (10.85 seconds) and 200-meter dash (21.88), plus anchored the winning 800 relay, his junior year at the NCHSAA 2-A state track meet. He followed up by finishing third in the 100 (10.97) and winning the 200 (21.73) as a senior. The former Rivals.com three-star prospect caught 55 passes for 1,075 yards and 12 touchdowns, plus returned three kickoffs for scores, his senior year. He was ranked No. 35 in his home state's class of 2015. Sessoms picked NC State over an offer from Wake Forest and interest from North Carolina. ■ Red And White Notebook George Kiefer compiled a 162-86-51 record and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in his 15 years as the head men's soccer coach at South Florida. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS The Wolfpack women's cross country team placed fourth for its highest NCAA finish since taking second in 2001 and gave the squad back-to- back top-five showings for the first time since 1983-88. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS