North Carolina State University Athletics
Photo by: Mary Schwalm, theACC.com
#PackXC Women Ranked No. 1 in ACC Preseason Poll, Men Selected Third
8/29/2019 2:01:00 PM | Cross Country
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The NC State women's cross country team, which is the three-time defending ACC champion, was once again picked as the preseason favorite to win the conference title. The Wolfpack men's cross country squad was voted to finish third in the conference, as announced by the league office on Thursday.
The ACC preseason standings, which are determined by a vote of the league's head coaches, put the Wolfpack women at the top of the conference at the start of the season for the fourth season in a row. The squad will look to win another team title in 2019 after picking up victories at the ACC Championships in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Last season, the Pack edged out Notre Dame to claim the program's third-straight and 24th-overall ACC Championship title. NC State saw three of its women finish inside the top 10 as individuals, including All-American Elly Henes (2nd place) and Dominique Clairmonte (8th place), who both garnered All-ACC status and return to the team in 2019.
Head coach Laurie Henes was named ACC Women's Coach of the Year for the third season in a row and the fourth time in her career following the Wolfpack's 2019 campaign. NC State closed out the postseason with a victory at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships and finished in the top 15 at the NCAA Championships for the fourth year in a row at 13th.
On the men's side, NC State returns three of its All-ACC honorees from a squad that took third place at the conference meet in 2018. Four of five scorers for the Pack men finished inside the top 18 at the ACC Championships, including 2019 roster members Ian Shanklin (7th), Edwin Rutto (14th) and Gavin Gaynor (18th).
NC State's third-place finish marked the 28th time in the last 30 conference meets that the Pack men have placed inside the top three at the ACC Championships. The squad went on to claim the NCAA Southeast Regional team title and ended its season with an 11th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, the team's best national result since the 2011 season.
As announced Tuesday, both NC State squads will enter the 2019 campaign ranked in the top 15 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason National Rankings. The Wolfpack women were selected as the No. 10 team in the country, and the Pack men checked in at No. 13 in the nation.
2019 ACC Cross Country Women's Preseason Coaches Poll
1. NC State
2. Notre Dame
3. Florida State
4. Syracuse
5. Duke
6. Georgia Tech
7. Virginia Tech
8. Wake Forest
9. Virginia
10. North Carolina
11. Boston College
12. Louisville
13. Clemson
14. Pittsburgh
15. Miami
2019 ACC Cross Country Men's Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Notre Dame
2. Syracuse
3. NC State
4. Virginia
T5. Florida State
T5. Wake Forest
7. Virginia Tech
8. Duke
9. North Carolina
10. Georgia Tech
11. Louisville
12. Pittsburgh
13. Boston College
14. Clemson
15. Miami
The Wolfpack will open its 2019 season at home as it hosts the adidas XC Challenge. The meet is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20 at the WakeMed Soccer Park XC Course in Cary, N.C.
#GoPack | @PackXC
The ACC preseason standings, which are determined by a vote of the league's head coaches, put the Wolfpack women at the top of the conference at the start of the season for the fourth season in a row. The squad will look to win another team title in 2019 after picking up victories at the ACC Championships in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Last season, the Pack edged out Notre Dame to claim the program's third-straight and 24th-overall ACC Championship title. NC State saw three of its women finish inside the top 10 as individuals, including All-American Elly Henes (2nd place) and Dominique Clairmonte (8th place), who both garnered All-ACC status and return to the team in 2019.
Head coach Laurie Henes was named ACC Women's Coach of the Year for the third season in a row and the fourth time in her career following the Wolfpack's 2019 campaign. NC State closed out the postseason with a victory at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships and finished in the top 15 at the NCAA Championships for the fourth year in a row at 13th.
On the men's side, NC State returns three of its All-ACC honorees from a squad that took third place at the conference meet in 2018. Four of five scorers for the Pack men finished inside the top 18 at the ACC Championships, including 2019 roster members Ian Shanklin (7th), Edwin Rutto (14th) and Gavin Gaynor (18th).
NC State's third-place finish marked the 28th time in the last 30 conference meets that the Pack men have placed inside the top three at the ACC Championships. The squad went on to claim the NCAA Southeast Regional team title and ended its season with an 11th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, the team's best national result since the 2011 season.
As announced Tuesday, both NC State squads will enter the 2019 campaign ranked in the top 15 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason National Rankings. The Wolfpack women were selected as the No. 10 team in the country, and the Pack men checked in at No. 13 in the nation.
2019 ACC Cross Country Women's Preseason Coaches Poll
1. NC State
2. Notre Dame
3. Florida State
4. Syracuse
5. Duke
6. Georgia Tech
7. Virginia Tech
8. Wake Forest
9. Virginia
10. North Carolina
11. Boston College
12. Louisville
13. Clemson
14. Pittsburgh
15. Miami
2019 ACC Cross Country Men's Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Notre Dame
2. Syracuse
3. NC State
4. Virginia
T5. Florida State
T5. Wake Forest
7. Virginia Tech
8. Duke
9. North Carolina
10. Georgia Tech
11. Louisville
12. Pittsburgh
13. Boston College
14. Clemson
15. Miami
The Wolfpack will open its 2019 season at home as it hosts the adidas XC Challenge. The meet is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20 at the WakeMed Soccer Park XC Course in Cary, N.C.
#GoPack | @PackXC
Players Mentioned
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