North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Aims To Defend Conference Titles On Saturday
10/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Oct. 30, 2003
What: ACC Cross Country Championships When: November 1, 2003 Men's 8K Race - 10 a.m. Women's 6K Race - 11 a.m. Where: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C.
The Wolfpack heads to Winston-Salem on Saturday with hopes of successfully defending its cross country conference championships. The women enter the race ranked No. 3 in the latest national poll, and the men raised their stock to No. 17 in the country after a solid finish in the Pre-NCAA meet. Since 1987, the Wolfpack has literally dominated its competition at the conference level, with the men's and women's teams combining to claim 23 ACC Championships. More impressive, though, NC State has swept the men's and women's conference championships eight times in the last 12 years. No other ACC school has ever had both teams claim the conference crown in the same year.
"This weekend we will take our first step in accomplishing one of our three goals, "says Geiger. "Each year we aim to win the conference title, qualify for nationals, and finish in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships."
It's no secret that the women's race is one of the most competitive in the country. The Atlantic Coast Conference boasts five teams currently listed in the FinishLynx top 30, three of which are ranked in the top 13. Rollie Geiger's Wolfpack squad will compete for its fourth consecutive title this weekend.
For the first time in conference history, the championship was split in 2002. NC State shared the title with upstart Wake Forest, which is again a contender and ranked No. 13 in the nation.
The Pack's lineup will look similar to what was seen at the Pre-NCAA meet, meaning NC State will run without two-time All-American Kristin Price. The Pack still looks strong. Julia Lucas has run well for the Pack all season and will contend for all-conference honors. She finished fifth at the Great American and led the team at the Pre-National race with a sixth-place finish. Seniors Renee Gunning and Lucinda Hull are running strongly entering the race. Gunning has finished in the top 11 in the last two races. Hull, a transfer in her final year of eligibility, has gained momentum on the course since suiting up for the Pack in August. The Pack's Josianne Lauber and Kristina Roth, two of last season's all-conference honorees, add solid depth to the group. Lauber finished 15th and 16th in the last two races, and Roth suited up for the first time this season in the Pre-Nationals race. She finished 40th, crossing the finish line as the squad's final scorer.
Kara Price will enter the lineup after a sensational run in the "B and Open" race at the Pre-NCAA meet. She won the race, and led the B squad to a strong second-place finish. The team will also use the services of Sara Powell and Amy Arnold. Powell, a true freshman, earned a spot with the Pack's "A" team after a solid performance in the "Open" race at the Great American Championships, where she finished fourth running as an individual. Arnold, a redshirt freshman, used her first year on campus to train and adapt to collegiate competition and is now performing well with the squad.
The Wolfpack is favored in the men's race on Saturday, after finishing sixth in a strong field at the Pre-NCAA meet. Returning All-Americans Chad Pearson and Andy Smith will be ready for NC State. Pearson sat out during the early-season races nursing illnesses, but is 100 percent heading into the weekend. Smith has been stellar for the Pack all season and led the Pack at the Pre-NCAA meet with a 16th-place finish. True freshmen Wesley Smith and Bobby Mack will run on Saturday. The pair scored in the second and third positions for the Wolfpack in the Pre-NCAA race. They earned spots with the "A" team after finishing one and three in the "Open" race at the Great American. W. Smith is the younger brother of Andy Smith.
Seniors Devin Swann and David Christian, and junior Ricky Brookshire were a part of the Wolfpack's title squad last season. Swann took second to teammate and champion David Patterson, and Brookshire took third, earning All-ACC honors. Christian will have an opportunity to become only the sixth NC State man to earn all-conference honors in three consecutive years. Allen Bader will also be in uniform when the Pack takes the course on Saturday.
The men's 8K race will begin at 10 a.m., with the women's to follow at 11. The top 10 performers in each race will earn all-conference honors.
NC State Stat Facts: Conference Championships - Men - 11, Women - 20 Championships Under Geiger - Men - 10, Women - 19 Individual Champions at NC State - Men - 8, Women - 9 Current Consecutive Titles - Men - 2, Women - 3 Longest Title Streak - Men - 5 (1995-99), Women - 7 (1987-1993) Lowest Championship Point Total - Men - 16 (1999 - 1,2,3,4,6), Women 22 - (1, 2, 4, 7, 8) Men's and Women's Sweeps - 8 (1991, '92, '95, '96, '97, '98, '01, '02)
