North Carolina State University Athletics
Henes Promoted to Head Women’s Track and Field Coach
1/7/2019 1:00:00 PM | Track
Laurie Henes has been promoted to the position of head coach for the NC State women's track and field program, while long-time head coach Rollie Geiger assumes the role of Director of Track and Field, Director of Athletics Debbie Yow announced on Monday.
"We're grateful for Laurie's continued contributions to the NC State track and field program and that we can expand the scope of her role," said Yow. "This promotion reflects our gratitude and commitment, and we're thrilled that she will lead our women's program."
"Additionally, Rollie Geiger will assume the role of Director of Track and Field, a natural fit for his leadership and track record of success at NC State. Coach Geiger is our longest-tenured head coach, and we're grateful for all he has done for the Wolfpack and all he will continue to do."
Henes is currently in her 27th year as a member of the NC State track and field staff, and she has served as the associate head coach (distance) for the track and field programs since the fall of 2016. A former Wolfpack student-athlete, she has spent her entire career as both an athlete and a coach at NC State.
"I'm so thankful to Debbie and the administration for their continued confidence and support, and I look forward to the opportunity to lead our women's program," said Henes. "I'm grateful to Coach Geiger for giving me the chance to start my coaching career as a graduate assistant here at NC State and for his leadership throughout my career here. I feel incredibly fortunate to be at such an amazing university surrounded by outstanding coaches, student-athletes and support staff, and I am excited to continue to help the program reach its goals."
Since joining the staff in 1992, Henes has helped to guide NC State's female distance runners to 37 All-America certificates, a national title and 30 ACC titles on the track. The Wolfpack's female distance runners have garnered 10 All-America certificates and four conference titles since her promotion to the associate head coach position in 2016.
Geiger is in the midst of his 34th season at the helm of the track and field programs after being elevated from distance coach to head coach at the start of the 1984-85 school year. Since the start of his reign as head coach, Geiger has guided 87 Wolfpack student-athletes to 172 track and field All-America citations. Geiger has been named ACC Track and Field Coach of the Year six times and has led the Wolfpack men to six ACC team titles during the course of his head coaching career.
Henes recently coached her daughter and current NC State junior Elly to a breakout sophomore campaign during the 2017-18 track and field season. Under her guidance, Elly collected ACC titles in the indoor 3,000m and the outdoor 5,000m, All-America certificates in the indoor and outdoor 5,000m and ACC Women's Indoor Track Performer of the Year honors.
Henes also serves as the head coach for the NC State women's cross country program, a role that she has held since 2006. A four-time ACC Coach of the Year, she guided the Wolfpack to ACC Championship titles in 2006, 2016, 2017 and most recently in 2018. Henes also earned NCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors after the Pack claimed regional titles in 2007, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
During her illustrious collegiate career, the former Laurie Gomez earned eight All-America citations – six in track and two in cross country. In 1991, she became a national champion on the track as she took first place in the 5,000m at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Henes was also an All-ACC performer during each of her four years of competition, earning the honors three times in track and four times in cross country. She won the H.C. Kennett Award as NC State's most outstanding female athlete for the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons, the only female athlete to win the award in back-to-back seasons.
"We're grateful for Laurie's continued contributions to the NC State track and field program and that we can expand the scope of her role," said Yow. "This promotion reflects our gratitude and commitment, and we're thrilled that she will lead our women's program."
"Additionally, Rollie Geiger will assume the role of Director of Track and Field, a natural fit for his leadership and track record of success at NC State. Coach Geiger is our longest-tenured head coach, and we're grateful for all he has done for the Wolfpack and all he will continue to do."
Henes is currently in her 27th year as a member of the NC State track and field staff, and she has served as the associate head coach (distance) for the track and field programs since the fall of 2016. A former Wolfpack student-athlete, she has spent her entire career as both an athlete and a coach at NC State.
"I'm so thankful to Debbie and the administration for their continued confidence and support, and I look forward to the opportunity to lead our women's program," said Henes. "I'm grateful to Coach Geiger for giving me the chance to start my coaching career as a graduate assistant here at NC State and for his leadership throughout my career here. I feel incredibly fortunate to be at such an amazing university surrounded by outstanding coaches, student-athletes and support staff, and I am excited to continue to help the program reach its goals."
Since joining the staff in 1992, Henes has helped to guide NC State's female distance runners to 37 All-America certificates, a national title and 30 ACC titles on the track. The Wolfpack's female distance runners have garnered 10 All-America certificates and four conference titles since her promotion to the associate head coach position in 2016.
Geiger is in the midst of his 34th season at the helm of the track and field programs after being elevated from distance coach to head coach at the start of the 1984-85 school year. Since the start of his reign as head coach, Geiger has guided 87 Wolfpack student-athletes to 172 track and field All-America citations. Geiger has been named ACC Track and Field Coach of the Year six times and has led the Wolfpack men to six ACC team titles during the course of his head coaching career.
Henes recently coached her daughter and current NC State junior Elly to a breakout sophomore campaign during the 2017-18 track and field season. Under her guidance, Elly collected ACC titles in the indoor 3,000m and the outdoor 5,000m, All-America certificates in the indoor and outdoor 5,000m and ACC Women's Indoor Track Performer of the Year honors.
Henes also serves as the head coach for the NC State women's cross country program, a role that she has held since 2006. A four-time ACC Coach of the Year, she guided the Wolfpack to ACC Championship titles in 2006, 2016, 2017 and most recently in 2018. Henes also earned NCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors after the Pack claimed regional titles in 2007, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
During her illustrious collegiate career, the former Laurie Gomez earned eight All-America citations – six in track and two in cross country. In 1991, she became a national champion on the track as she took first place in the 5,000m at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Henes was also an All-ACC performer during each of her four years of competition, earning the honors three times in track and four times in cross country. She won the H.C. Kennett Award as NC State's most outstanding female athlete for the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons, the only female athlete to win the award in back-to-back seasons.
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