North Carolina State University Athletics
PREVIEW: 2015 Wolfpack Track & Field
1/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track
NC State track and field enters 2015 ready to compete. The team opens its 2015 portion of the indoor season on Friday, Jan. 9 in Chapel Hill, N.C., at the Gene Anderson Invitational. After two meets in December with a few select competitors, this is the first meet of the season that will feature a full slate of student-athletes from the Wolfpack.
The Pack track and field program is coming off a successful 2014 season that featured strong individual performances. These student-athletes have excelled in past seasons and captured numerous All-American and All-ACC honors. This year should be no different as this experienced core looks to build off past successes. Returners to Remember - Women
Taylor has had an impressive career with the Pack so far. She is a two-time All-American, ACC Champion, and a six-time All-ACC selection. She is also the school record holder in the shot put and discus. This season will mark the final track and field campaign for this decorated senior.
Last indoor season, Chavis dominated in the weight throw. Along her journey to All-American status, she set seven of the top eight all-time top marks in program history in the weight throw, broke the school record in the weight throw and became first-team All-ACC. Chavis is the first All-American in the weight throw in school history. Chavis is poised to continue her strong performances. According to the first USTFCCCA poll, Chavis is No. 8 in the country in the weight throw. During the 2014 portion of the indoor season, she earned two first-place finishes in the women's weight throw.
Watkins is in search of a third-straight NCAA Championship appearance. After qualifying for the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the discus, she had another strong season in 2014. The Asheville, N.C., native broke the school record for discus, earned All-ACC honors for her second time and captured All-American status with a top-10 finish at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Watkins has already competed at two meets for the indoor portion of the season, and she is off to a strong start with a first-place finish in the shot put and two top-three finishes in the weight throw.
Thompson is looking to lead the distance runners in 2015. The senior is coming off the 2014 cross country season in which she earned her 2nd straight All-American accolade. Thompson also holds a third acknowledgement in the 10,000m that she earned during the 2013 outdoor track and field season. The Knoxville, Tenn., native enters the final track season of her standout career at NC State with an opportunity to win multiple All-American honors in two sports.
Perry is looking to repeat her 2014 All-ACC success. During the indoor season, Perry finished third in the long jump and the 60m hurdles to earn her first two All-ACC honors. She followed up her success during the indoor season with a second place finish in both the long jump and the 100m hurdles to get two more All-ACC honors. Going into 2015, Perry is ranked 20th in the long jump by USTFCCCA. In addition to excelling on the track, Perry also excels in the classroom. In her first two years, the junior has made the All-ACC Academic team for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
After qualifying for two-straight NCAA East Regionals, Shuman enters her senior season as a high jump specialist. During her career she has earned six of the top-ten best spots in the high jump. Currently, the USTFCCCA 2015 preseason polls have Shuman ranked No. 20 in the high jump.
Last year as a true freshman, Simmons captured two All-ACC honors. Her first was in the 200m during the ACC Indoor Championships. The second All-ACC honor came in the 100m at the ACC Outdoor Championships after a third-place finish in the event with a team and personal-best time of 11.72. Simmons should continue to develop and is poised for a strong sophomore season.
In the 2014 outdoor season, Iyevbele qualified for the NCAA Regional in 800m for the third time in her career. At the ACC Outdoor Championships, the Charlotte, N.C., native placed first in her qualifying heat and fourth overall. In 2011, Iyevbele had a strong season. She set the school record and obtained All-American status in the 800m.
We Ready @ACCTrackField. #wolves pic.twitter.com/Bs5btcW7Qw
-- Parsons (@par_sam_sons) January 6, 2015
Athletes to Watch - Women
Doggett had a strong rookie cross country season. The Raleigh, N.C., native was a solid contributor for the women's team who made an NCAA-record 28th appearance at the NCAA Championships. Doggett is currently in Scotland representing Team USA at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country Challenge. When she returns, she will look to channel her previous success to the track. Her high school accolades include numerous state titles in track and cross country.
Antoine is a true freshman that will compete in jumps for NC State track and field. She has 14 All-American honors from various organizations including USATF and Milesplit. She is also the 2014 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year in girl's track and field.
Returners to Remember - Men
Last season was a breakout year for Addison. During the 2014 outdoor season, He became the ACC Champion in the long jump with a leap of 25'0.00". He earned indoor and outdoor All-ACC honors in the long jump and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
He also had a strong year in the classroom, earning ACC All-Academic and USTFCCCA All-Academic recognitions. Going into 2015, Addison is ranked No. 12 in the long jump.
For the past two seasons Crawford has excelled in mid-distance running. Crawford has earned All-ACC honors in the 1500m in 2013 and 2014. He is also a two time NCAA Outdoor East Regional Qualifier in both the 1,500m and the 5,000m. In 2014, he was the only student-athlete on the men's side to qualify for multiple events at NCAA Regionals. Crawford is ranked 25th in the mile according to the USTFCCCA 2015 preseason polls.
Coach Geiger's talk at tonight's team meal has the squad fired up for the 2015 season - which starts THIS FRIDAY. #STATEment
-- Pack Track & Field (@Wolfpack_TF) January 6, 2015
Athletes to Watch - Men
After redshirting last season, Rivers is off to a strong start as a multi-event specialist for the Pack. He has competed in 11 different events at the Darius Dixion Memorial Invitational. During the event Rivers placed in the top-three in a multitude of events, including a first-place finish in the men's 1000m run, with a time of 3:02.57.
Parsons is coming off of a strong 2014 cross country season and is showing vast improvements from last year. His 6K career-best time of 20:25.10 at the ACC Cross Country Championships earned him All-ACC honors. He also had a strong showing at regionals to earn All-Region honors and qualify as an individual for the NCAA tournament. Parsons should contribute for Pack Track and Field in distance events.
Last season, Thomson ran unattached in five events. He won the Olympic Development Men's 5,000m at the Penn Relays and he won the in the mile run with a time of 4:14.14 at the Carolina Relays. The Louisville, Ky., native is a 12-time state champion, a two-time Footlocker finalist and a two-time Kentucky Gatorade Runner of the year.
Cunningham is a true freshman with a decorated high school career. He is a four-time state champion, New Balance Nationals All-American in three events, a World Juniors Trials Alternate and a member of the 2013 North Carolina 4A football state champion team.
