Friday, September 20
Cary, N.C. (WakeMed Soccer Park XC Course)
6 PM
NC State
vs
adidas XC Challenge
Photo by: Cheryl Treworgy
Henes Takes Home Individual Title, Wolfpack Women Crowned Team Champions at adidas XC Challenge
9/20/2019 9:13:00 PM | Cross Country
CARY, N.C. – NC State's women kicked off the 2019 season in dominant fashion as the squad took home the adidas XC Challenge women's 5K team title, led by a first-place individual finish for senior Elly Henes.
The Wolfpack women tallied 18 points on their way to picking up the victory at the WakeMed Soccer Park XC Course, with just one runner from South Carolina getting in the way of a clean sweep for NC State.
The Pack took second place on the men's side with 58 points, led by a ninth-place individual performance from Joe Bistritz.
WOMEN'S 5K RECAP:
NC State's victory in the women's 5K marked its fifth in a row since its home meet was renamed to the adidas XC Challenge in 2015. Eleven of the top 12 finishers were members of the Wolfpack roster, with eight of those runners competing in Wolfpack uniform.
The Wolfpack women took control of the race from the start. Running in a tight pack, the first four runners to reach the 2K mark were representing NC State. The spread amongst the final group of Pack scorers was just over 30 seconds as the team cruised to the win.
After finishing as runner-up at the last edition of the meet in 2017, Henes earned the first individual cross country win of her career. She led the field with a 16:46.9 5K time as she managed to move herself into the top spot over the final half of the race.
True freshman Kelsey Chmiel made an impressive Wolfpack debut, coming in as the runner-up in 16:57.0 in her first collegiate race.
Redshirt freshman Mariah Howlett (sixth, 17:15.1) also raced in an NC State uniform for the first time, as she, Rafaella Gibbons (seventh, 17:15.8) and Savannah Shaw (eighth, 17:20.0) rounded out the Pack's top five at its home meet.
Ryen Frazier (ninth, 17:20.9) made her return to the course to also secure a top-10 finish. Heather Holt (17:33.7), Anna Vess (17:42.3) and Beth Taye (18:45.8) also represented the Wolfpack, with all nine of those attached runners finishing in the top 35 of a field of almost 100.
Members of NC State's roster also added solid finishes as unattached runners. Junior Julia Zachgo (third, 17:03.2) and freshman Sam Bush (fourth, 17:07.3) finished just behind Henes and Chmiel. Isabel Zimmermann (17:28.0) and Sarah LaTour (17:42.6) also ran unattached.
MEN'S 6K RECAP:
The Pack men also managed to form a tight group in usual fashion, and all five scorers finished in the top 20.
Bistritz was the first to cross the finish line in what was a career-best 6K mark, with his 18:09.4 good for ninth place.
Redshirt freshman Ares Epps placed 12th in 18:19.0. He was followed closely by the group of Gavin Gaynor (15th, 18:25.1), Yared Mekonnen (16th, 18:29.7) and Tim Bason (17th, 18:34.3). The race marked the first in Wolfpack uniform for Epps and Mekonnen, while Bason's mark was a personal best.
Tanis Baldwin (19:08.6) and Peyton Barish (19:18.3) also raced in uniform, while Kyle Durham (18:59.7) ran unattached.
UP NEXT:
NC State hits the road for the first time in 2019 as it heads to South Bend, Ind., for the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational on Friday, Oct. 4. That meet is set for a 1 p.m. start time, and it will be held at the Notre Dame Golf Course.
#GoPack | @PackXC
The Wolfpack women tallied 18 points on their way to picking up the victory at the WakeMed Soccer Park XC Course, with just one runner from South Carolina getting in the way of a clean sweep for NC State.
The Pack took second place on the men's side with 58 points, led by a ninth-place individual performance from Joe Bistritz.
WOMEN'S 5K RECAP:
NC State's victory in the women's 5K marked its fifth in a row since its home meet was renamed to the adidas XC Challenge in 2015. Eleven of the top 12 finishers were members of the Wolfpack roster, with eight of those runners competing in Wolfpack uniform.
The Wolfpack women took control of the race from the start. Running in a tight pack, the first four runners to reach the 2K mark were representing NC State. The spread amongst the final group of Pack scorers was just over 30 seconds as the team cruised to the win.
After finishing as runner-up at the last edition of the meet in 2017, Henes earned the first individual cross country win of her career. She led the field with a 16:46.9 5K time as she managed to move herself into the top spot over the final half of the race.
True freshman Kelsey Chmiel made an impressive Wolfpack debut, coming in as the runner-up in 16:57.0 in her first collegiate race.
Redshirt freshman Mariah Howlett (sixth, 17:15.1) also raced in an NC State uniform for the first time, as she, Rafaella Gibbons (seventh, 17:15.8) and Savannah Shaw (eighth, 17:20.0) rounded out the Pack's top five at its home meet.
Ryen Frazier (ninth, 17:20.9) made her return to the course to also secure a top-10 finish. Heather Holt (17:33.7), Anna Vess (17:42.3) and Beth Taye (18:45.8) also represented the Wolfpack, with all nine of those attached runners finishing in the top 35 of a field of almost 100.
Members of NC State's roster also added solid finishes as unattached runners. Junior Julia Zachgo (third, 17:03.2) and freshman Sam Bush (fourth, 17:07.3) finished just behind Henes and Chmiel. Isabel Zimmermann (17:28.0) and Sarah LaTour (17:42.6) also ran unattached.
MEN'S 6K RECAP:
The Pack men also managed to form a tight group in usual fashion, and all five scorers finished in the top 20.
Bistritz was the first to cross the finish line in what was a career-best 6K mark, with his 18:09.4 good for ninth place.
Redshirt freshman Ares Epps placed 12th in 18:19.0. He was followed closely by the group of Gavin Gaynor (15th, 18:25.1), Yared Mekonnen (16th, 18:29.7) and Tim Bason (17th, 18:34.3). The race marked the first in Wolfpack uniform for Epps and Mekonnen, while Bason's mark was a personal best.
Tanis Baldwin (19:08.6) and Peyton Barish (19:18.3) also raced in uniform, while Kyle Durham (18:59.7) ran unattached.
UP NEXT:
NC State hits the road for the first time in 2019 as it heads to South Bend, Ind., for the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational on Friday, Oct. 4. That meet is set for a 1 p.m. start time, and it will be held at the Notre Dame Golf Course.
#GoPack | @PackXC
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