Wolfpack Women Hungry for More Success in 2016
8/25/2016 2:32:00 PM | Cross Country
RALEIGH, N.C. - After an impressive 2015 campaign, the NC State women's cross country team is aiming to take another step forward in 2016. The Pack returns an impressive core from its fifth-place national squad, has developed its talent within and adds four newcomers with impressive resumes.
Head coach Laurie Henes begins her 10th season at the helm and is optimistic for the upcoming season.
"I think the experience last year for the upperclassmen and returners is huge," said Henes. "They learned a lot from their races last year and will be more prepared. We have three seniors in the lineup and we haven't had that in a while. I think that will be beneficial for the athletes along with the breakthroughs they had last season."
In 2015, the squad extended its NCAA record to 32 total national championship appearances and capped off its season with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. It was the highest team finish since the 2001 team finished as national runner ups.
The 2016 team will feature six returnees from the NCAA meet – all but Samantha George, who scored for the team in three meets and finished a team-leading 13th at Wisconsin and 71st at NCAAs.
The Pack's returning scorers at NCAAs all finished within the top-110 at the national championship race.
"Lining up at that level and being solid is huge," said Henes. "You look at the results and there are always people who just don't handle that situation very well. We had people not run their best races [at NCAAs], but all seven handled it well as a team, which is important."
Erika Kemp, who was the first Wolfpack runner across the line at the national championship race, will hold an important leadership and scoring role. In addition to finishing 57th at NCAAs, Kemp added top-10 finishes at Notre Dame and the NCAA Southeast Regional.
Kemp also had a stellar indoor track season, earning All-America honors in the 3,000m and 5,000m. She set the indoor 5,000m school record of 15:45.46 and was named the USTFCCCA Southeast Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. She enters the season with a solid base after redshirting the 2016 outdoor season.
Fellow seniors Megan Moye and Kaitlyn Kramer will also play a key role in the team. Both are All-ACC selections and had vital roles in securing the fifth-place finish at NCAAs.
Kramer missed the track season due to injury, but returns for her final season of eligibility with a wealth of cross country experience. Moye followed up her cross country season with an impressive track season, setting school records in the mile (4:37.40) and 1,500m (4:11.91). She also concluded the indoor season as an ACC silver medalist and First-Team All-American in the mile. During outdoor season, Moye claimed the ACC title, meet record and FSU facility record in the 1,500m (4:11.91). She also added an ACC silver medal in the 5,000m and concluded the season with the second-fastest 1,500m time in the NCAA.
Along with the returning upperclassmen, redshirt sophomore Rachel Koon and sophomore Ryen Frazier will be back as key runners for the team.
Koon burst onto the scene in 2015, finishing top-three among the team four times, including all three of the team's post-season races. She was the team's top runner at the NCAA Southeast Regional and finished 59th at NCAAs. During track season, she posted PRs of 16:31.69 at 5,000m and 35:46.61 at 10,000m.
Ryen led the team three times throughout the year and scored in all six meets. She also garnered ACC and USTFCCCA Athlete of the Week honors after big wins at the adidas XC challenge and Notre Dame Invite.
After redshirting the 2015-16 track seasons, Ryen will look to resume competition during the 2016 cross country season.
Her sister, Wesley Frazier, will also look to resume competition in her first full season with the Wolfpack. Wesley sat out last cross country season due to transfer rules and competed during indoor track, setting the school record of 9:01.26 in the 3,000m.
Alyssa Rudawsky also returns to the team, and was the seventh runner at NCAAs last year. She made huge strides forward throughout the year. She earned All-ACC honors and qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary in the 5,000m.
Along with the talented and experienced returning core, the team has a deep roster, which could also make the lineup. The Pack will use its depth to fill out the lineup with a host of options.
Rachel Bartolomeo and Bianca Bishop both return from the 2015 squad. Bartolomeo qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary in the steeplechase. Bishop lined up three times during the 2015 cross country season and has a year of NCAA XC experience from 2014.
Additionally, Mary Grace Doggett, Bethany Neeley and Megan Rempel provide more options for the team. All three did not compete for the Pack during cross country season last year, but have a strong base of talent and experience.
All six runners are options for the Wolfpack women that could factor throughout the season.
"It's nice to have a lot of options, but at the end of the day, you have to have options that can win ACCs or help you get on that podium. I feel like we have those. We'll make very careful decisions about eligibility."
In addition to the current depth, the women bring in a very strong class of 2016. Elly Henes, Dominique Clairmonte, Anna Vess and Beth Taye make up the four-athlete class. Combined the group has won 22 state titles.
The Wolfpack will begin the season at home Sep. 16 then travel to the Notre Dame Invitational and Wisconsin Invitational. The Pack will then host the ACC Championships in Cary, N.C., before the NCAA season starts with the NCAA Southeast Regional at Virginia's Panorama Farms and concludes in Terra Haute, Ind., with the NCAA Championships.
"Last year we felt like we had the personnel to have a great year, and feel like we have the personnel this year as well. Losing ACCs by that amount was tough, and winning the conference is one of the team's major goals this year."
With all its talent and depth, the women's team will look to find a winning combination in its search for an ACC title and national success.
Head coach Laurie Henes begins her 10th season at the helm and is optimistic for the upcoming season.
"I think the experience last year for the upperclassmen and returners is huge," said Henes. "They learned a lot from their races last year and will be more prepared. We have three seniors in the lineup and we haven't had that in a while. I think that will be beneficial for the athletes along with the breakthroughs they had last season."
In 2015, the squad extended its NCAA record to 32 total national championship appearances and capped off its season with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. It was the highest team finish since the 2001 team finished as national runner ups.
The 2016 team will feature six returnees from the NCAA meet – all but Samantha George, who scored for the team in three meets and finished a team-leading 13th at Wisconsin and 71st at NCAAs.
The Pack's returning scorers at NCAAs all finished within the top-110 at the national championship race.
"Lining up at that level and being solid is huge," said Henes. "You look at the results and there are always people who just don't handle that situation very well. We had people not run their best races [at NCAAs], but all seven handled it well as a team, which is important."
Erika Kemp, who was the first Wolfpack runner across the line at the national championship race, will hold an important leadership and scoring role. In addition to finishing 57th at NCAAs, Kemp added top-10 finishes at Notre Dame and the NCAA Southeast Regional.
Kemp also had a stellar indoor track season, earning All-America honors in the 3,000m and 5,000m. She set the indoor 5,000m school record of 15:45.46 and was named the USTFCCCA Southeast Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. She enters the season with a solid base after redshirting the 2016 outdoor season.
Fellow seniors Megan Moye and Kaitlyn Kramer will also play a key role in the team. Both are All-ACC selections and had vital roles in securing the fifth-place finish at NCAAs.
Kramer missed the track season due to injury, but returns for her final season of eligibility with a wealth of cross country experience. Moye followed up her cross country season with an impressive track season, setting school records in the mile (4:37.40) and 1,500m (4:11.91). She also concluded the indoor season as an ACC silver medalist and First-Team All-American in the mile. During outdoor season, Moye claimed the ACC title, meet record and FSU facility record in the 1,500m (4:11.91). She also added an ACC silver medal in the 5,000m and concluded the season with the second-fastest 1,500m time in the NCAA.
Along with the returning upperclassmen, redshirt sophomore Rachel Koon and sophomore Ryen Frazier will be back as key runners for the team.
Koon burst onto the scene in 2015, finishing top-three among the team four times, including all three of the team's post-season races. She was the team's top runner at the NCAA Southeast Regional and finished 59th at NCAAs. During track season, she posted PRs of 16:31.69 at 5,000m and 35:46.61 at 10,000m.
Ryen led the team three times throughout the year and scored in all six meets. She also garnered ACC and USTFCCCA Athlete of the Week honors after big wins at the adidas XC challenge and Notre Dame Invite.
After redshirting the 2015-16 track seasons, Ryen will look to resume competition during the 2016 cross country season.
Her sister, Wesley Frazier, will also look to resume competition in her first full season with the Wolfpack. Wesley sat out last cross country season due to transfer rules and competed during indoor track, setting the school record of 9:01.26 in the 3,000m.
Alyssa Rudawsky also returns to the team, and was the seventh runner at NCAAs last year. She made huge strides forward throughout the year. She earned All-ACC honors and qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary in the 5,000m.
Along with the talented and experienced returning core, the team has a deep roster, which could also make the lineup. The Pack will use its depth to fill out the lineup with a host of options.
Rachel Bartolomeo and Bianca Bishop both return from the 2015 squad. Bartolomeo qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary in the steeplechase. Bishop lined up three times during the 2015 cross country season and has a year of NCAA XC experience from 2014.
Additionally, Mary Grace Doggett, Bethany Neeley and Megan Rempel provide more options for the team. All three did not compete for the Pack during cross country season last year, but have a strong base of talent and experience.
All six runners are options for the Wolfpack women that could factor throughout the season.
"It's nice to have a lot of options, but at the end of the day, you have to have options that can win ACCs or help you get on that podium. I feel like we have those. We'll make very careful decisions about eligibility."
In addition to the current depth, the women bring in a very strong class of 2016. Elly Henes, Dominique Clairmonte, Anna Vess and Beth Taye make up the four-athlete class. Combined the group has won 22 state titles.
The Wolfpack will begin the season at home Sep. 16 then travel to the Notre Dame Invitational and Wisconsin Invitational. The Pack will then host the ACC Championships in Cary, N.C., before the NCAA season starts with the NCAA Southeast Regional at Virginia's Panorama Farms and concludes in Terra Haute, Ind., with the NCAA Championships.
"Last year we felt like we had the personnel to have a great year, and feel like we have the personnel this year as well. Losing ACCs by that amount was tough, and winning the conference is one of the team's major goals this year."
With all its talent and depth, the women's team will look to find a winning combination in its search for an ACC title and national success.
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