The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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24 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK Men's Basketball To Play Arizona In Battle 4 Atlantis The NC State will play Ari- zona at 7 p.m. Nov. 22 in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Baha- mas. ESPN.com had Arizona ranked No. 1 in its "Way Too Early" top 25 released May 25. The Wildcats went 32-5 overall and 16-2 in the Pac-12 a season ago, and are coached by former NCSU assistant Sean Miller, who was in Ra- leigh from 1996-2001 un- der former head coach Herb Sendek. Arizona assistant coach Mark Phelps is also a former NCSU assistant. Arizona's season came to an end in the Sweet 16 against Miller's former program, Xavier. Three starters are back from the team that fell 73-71 to the Muske- teers — senior center Dusan Ristic, sopho- more wing Rawle Alkins and star junior shooting guard Allonzo Trier. The gifted Trier led Arizona with 17.2 points per game and also pulled down 5.3 rebounds per contest, but only played 18 games. He was suspended for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug prior to the season. Alkins, who is from Brooklyn, N.Y., fin- ished up his high school career at Raleigh Word of God. He averaged 10.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, and shot 37.0 percent from three-point land. The 7-0, 245-pound Ristic took advan- tage of increased playing time and aver- aged 10.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 55.6 percent form the field. Arizona also welcomes Rivals.com's No. 3-ranked recruiting class. The prize is Phoenix Hillcrest Prep big man DeAndre Ayton, who helped Hillcrest win the John Wall Holiday Invitational title at Raleigh Broughton High last December and was rated the No. 3 overall player in the country by Rivals.com. The Wildcats landed five freshmen, four of which are top-60 pros- pects, plus have UNC Asheville redshirt sophomore transfer Dylan Smith eligible. Other matchups at Battle 4 Atlantis in- clude Villanova versus Western Kentucky, Purdue against Tennessee and SMU facing Northern Iowa. The Arizona/NC State winner plays the winner of SMU/Northern Iowa at 3 p.m. Nov. 23. The two teams that lose play at 9:30 p.m. Nov. 23. Wolfpack Swimming Assistant Gets Virginia Head Job NC State assistant coach Todd DeSorbo was hired as the new men's and women's swimming and diving coach at Virginia Aug. 7. DeSorbo had been an assistant under Pack head coach Braden Holloway during the last six years. "Todd has developed world-class student-athletes and he's played an in- strumental role in the transformation of NC State's program to a championships level," UVA athletics director Craig Lit- tlepage said. NC State's men swimming and diving have won the last three ACC titles and the Wolfpack women captured the 2017 league crown. Both NC State programs produced their highest finishes at the NCAA Championships this past season. The Wolfpack men placed fourth overall while the women's team finished seventh. DeSorbo worked primarily with the Wolfpack sprinters and was a develop- mental specialist. He oversaw the pro- grams' recruiting, training and day-to-day operations. Wolfpack Hires New Public Address Announcer Travis Quinn will be the new voice of NC State football at Carter-Finley Sta- dium. Quinn will take the spot behind the microphone as the new public address announcer, starting with the home opener against Marshall Sept. 9. Quinn replaces longtime PA announcer Dr. Ed Funkhouser, who served in that role from 1999-2016. Funkhouser, a member of NC State's faculty since 1977, will be recognized for his years of service during on-field ceremonies at the Mar- shall game. Quinn was chosen from a pool of more than 90 applicants who submitted résumés and voice samples. The finalists came to Carter-Finley earlier this summer and went through an in-person audition. The Goldsboro, N.C., native has served as a PA announcer for high school football and basketball, as well as youth baseball. "I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity," Quinn said. "NC State is fortunate to have had two legendary voices in the booth over the past 46 years in C.A. Dillon and Ed Funkhouser. "Having the chance to follow those two acts will be an exciting ride. I can't wait to get into the booth and be a part of one of the best game-day atmospheres in col- lege football." ■ Red And White Notebook