North Carolina State University Athletics
The Pack Mentality
11/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Nov. 22, 2002
All it takes is a quick glance and a look down the hallway outside of the coaches' offices in Weisiger-Brown to see the success that the cross country program has had over the years. A deeper look behind the scenes will reveal the hard work, determination and competitive spirit it has taken to get there. To quantify the magnificence of the program, consider these numbers: two national championships, five individual national titles, and an astounding 31 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships. All this while accruing at least one All-American in 23 of the last 25 years.
Rollie Geiger and the Wolfpack added two conference championships to its tally less than a month ago in Atlanta, Georgia with a landslide victory by the men, and the first tie in conference history for the women. This year, they share the honors with a steadily improving Wake Forest team.
Each season the squad lays down three tasks it intends to achieve. Number one being to win the ACC Championship. From that point, it looks to have a great run at districts in order to qualify for the NCAA Championships. And there, the Wolfpack sets its sights on a top-10 performance
"Each year it is our goal to defend the ACC championship," says the master architect behind the program, Geiger. "Once we achieve that goal, it gives us the opportunity to compete on the district level and reach our next goal."
Both teams found success at the conference level. The men's squad donned the individual winner in senior David Patterson.
Patterson joined the squad in 1998. As a true freshman, he finished in the top 10 of the conference and earned All-ACC honors. Finishing as the top freshman in the league, he was also named the Freshman of the Year. Later that year, the Cary, N.C. native won the 10,000 meters at the ACC Outdoor Championships.
Patterson credits his success in cross country to the rest of his team, and the "Pack Mentality" that Coach Geiger uses in practice and training.
"Since I've been here the whole program has been oriented around team goals," he says. "We pride ourselves on the ability to work together. We do it in practice and it shows in races. Our success at ACCs is credited with our ability to run as a pack."
 Dean Bowker came up big for NC State at Districts. Despite finishing as the sixth or seventh runner most of the season, the senior finished fourth in the pack, and took 21st overall.  |
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Junior Kristin Price, a two-time all-conference nod and cross country and track All-American agrees that sticking together on the course leads to great accomplishments and great relationships.
"As a team, we are really tight," says Price, the 2002 Outdoor Track 10,000 meters National Champion. "We like running together and we like hanging out together. We push each other and keep one another motivated; on the course, in the classroom and in everyday situations. It's a great atmosphere to be a part of."
Geiger was named the ACC Men's Coach of the Year after his teams performance at the conference level this season, marking the 26th time he has received the honor since coaching at NC State.
The guru has put together 27 conference championship teams, coached 17 individual ACC Champions, produced 123 All-ACC runners, and instructed 43 All-Americans in cross country during his tenure at NC State. Geiger's teams have finished in the top 10 at nationals a remarkable 20 times, and three Wolfpack runners -- Julie Shea, Betty Springs and Suzie Tuffy -- have won five individual national titles. With over 20 years of service to the Wolfpack, the coach says it never gets old.
"Each year you have a different squad, different athletes with different strengths," Geiger proclaims. "It's a payoff for the hard work that they have put in since June. It's a reward to see them do well."
 Josi Lauber finished sixth at the conference and district meets this season. |
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On Monday, November 25, both teams will make their 17th appearance in the national race, and mark their seventh consecutive trip. The goal -- a top-10 finish, the plan -- run as a pack.
The men's squad enters the race a little underrated at No. 22, while the women rank No. 6, as they have a majority of the season.
"I feel we proved to our competition that NC State is still a force on the national scene," says Devin Swann, the men's top finisher in the District III Championships. "Hopefully we will be able to prove again that we are better than our ranking. We have improved so much over the season, thanks to the work effort that Coach Geiger has instilled in all of us."
Thus far, the work ethic has paid off in the 2002 season. NC State will take to the course for its final run of the year Monday in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The Wolfpack aims to put together its best race of the year on Monday, and perhaps better its performance from a year ago. A tough act to follow, the men finished ninth overall and produced two All-Americans in Chad Pearson and Andy Smith. The women had their best performance since 1987 finishing second in the nation with strong performances from Price and junior Megan Coombs. Price put together an excellent peroformance to finish fourth overall, while Coombs crossed the line 15th.
Geiger stresses that patience and relaxation will be the keys to success in the team's final race of the season.
"Our teams have run very well these past few weeks," he says. "They stayed together and ran as a pack. That's what we ask for. The race of the season will be in Terre Haute on Monday. A 'Pack Mentality' will help us achieve our third goal. We can then look at this special season and appreciate its worth."
