North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Proudly Announces Launch of Wolfpack Women Initiative
10/26/2021 12:00:00 PM | Pack Athletics
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RALEIGH – The NC State Athletic Department proudly announces the launch of Wolfpack Women, an initiative designed to strengthen women student-athletes and the women's varsity teams at NC State.
As the 50th Anniversary of Title IX approaches, the Wolfpack Women initiative will further provide women student-athletes at NC State with experiences, opportunities, exposure and resources through Wolfpack community engagement. The three pillars and focuses of Wolfpack Women are: storytelling, student-athlete engagement and fundraising.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) is strengthening its commitment to women through sports and serving as a champion for increased opportunity for women everywhere. In partnership with NC State Athletics, Blue Cross NC will collaborate with Wolfpack Women to celebrate the importance of gender equity with a focus on inspiring future leaders.
"From the beginning, our women student-athletes have competed and achieved at the highest levels on and off the fields of competition," said Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan. "Their contributions to athletics and the university community are part of the fabric of NC State. The spirit of our women student-athletes, past and present, is a shining example of strength, resilience, determination and leadership for our future. Wolfpack Women is an opportunity to strengthen our Pack by celebrating and investing in our women student-athletes and programs."
Fundraising is a top priority for Wolfpack Women. All donations to the initiative will go to support the Wolfpack Women Leadership Fund created by the Wolfpack Club, and will also address sport-specific needs.
"During my relatively short time at NC State, the evolution of women's sports and the impact of women in general on this campus has become increasingly significant and visible," said eighth-year head women's tennis coach Simon Earnshaw. "Being able to witness this progress has empowered our student-athletes to represent the Wolfpack with newfound standards of excellence. With the support of the Wolfpack Club and our generous donors, our women's tennis program has been transformed to where our student-athletes are playing for NCAA and ACC Championships, and this is an experience being seen across many of our women's sports at NC State, both academically and athletically. With the 50th Anniversary of Title IX approaching, we are in a unique moment to sustain, support and further lay the foundation for the future of our Wolfpack Women. With this new initiative, I'm hopeful that every generation of Wolfpack Women gets to experience newly-enhanced opportunities and expanded resources whereby all of our student-athletes can continue to have the most successful time and experience imaginable while having the privilege of representing NC State."
Part of the initiative includes a focus on equipping over 200 Wolfpack Women during their time at NC State and beyond. The department is enhancing its opportunities for student-athlete engagement by providing community opportunities, career development and access to resources both before and after graduation. NC State will also host a multitude of events in the spring centered around select home games for its women's teams.
"I couldn't be more excited about the launch of Wolfpack Women," said Tonya Washington, Assistant AD for Student Engagement and Leadership. "It will provide invaluable resources to our current and future women student-athletes. Through this initiative, these women will have the opportunity to elevate their leadership capabilities during their time at NC State and as they prepare for their professional careers."
Wolfpack Women will also continue to honor the past accomplishments and celebrate the future successes of its student-athletes both in and out of competition. This maintained focus on storytelling comes in the midst of an incredibly fruitful time for the department's women's athletic teams. In 2020-21 alone, seven of the women's teams at NC State finished in Top 25 of their respective national rankings, with that number including a Final Four appearance by women's tennis and national runner-up finishes by women's swimming and diving and women's cross country. Both of those latter two squads and the women's basketball team also earned conference championship wins. On an individual level, six NC State women won NCAA titles last season, 24 were honored as All-Americans, 11 were individual conference champions and three were conference Athletes of the Year.
"I have been a witness to the tremendous growth and success of women's athletics at NC State, from my time here as a student-athlete to seeing my daughter win an NCAA title 30 years later," said Laurie Henes, head coach of the women's track and field and cross country program. "We have come a long way, but we are not close to being done. To elevate our teams, win more championships and develop the leaders of tomorrow, we need an intentional investment in our women's sports. Wolfpack Women has been created to do just that, and I'm excited for what the future holds."
For more information about the Wolfpack Women initiative or to join us in giving today, visit WolfpackWomen.org.
Wolfpack Women: Strengthening the Pack is headed up by an advisory group of alumna and leaders within the NC State Athletics Department and the NC State/Raleigh community . The advisory committee members include:
- Emmie Barnhill (Swimming & Diving, Class of 2019)
- JoAnn Barnhill (Swimming & Diving, Class of 1990)
- Trudi Lacey (Basketball, Class of 1981)
- Stacey Schaeffer (Volleyball, Class of 1982)
- Julia Zachgo (Cross Country and Track & Field, Class of 2021)
- Stephanie Menio (NC State Athletics, Deputy Athletics Director)
- Michelle Lee (NC State Athletics, Chief of Staff/Senior Woman Administrator)
- Tonya Washington (NC State Athletics, Assistant AD for Student Engagement and Leadership)
- Justin Lisk (NC State Athletics, Director of Fan Experience & Marketing)
- Mike Sage (Wolfpack Sports Properties, Director of Business Development)
- Meredith Turner (Wolfpack Club, Major Gifts Officer)
- Michelle Christie (NC State Athletics, Account Executive - Ticket Sales & Services)
- Matti Smith (NC State Athletics, Assistant Director of Communications)
- Ashley Correah (NC State Athletics, Student-Athlete Leadership & Engagement Assistant)
- Kristin Corrigan (Wolfpack Women in Philanthropy)
- Anna Sullivan (Wolfpack Women in Philanthropy, Class of 1983)
- Adama Washington (Wolfpack Women in Philanthropy, Class of 1997)
- Christina Walker (NC State University Advancement, Executive Director/Chief of Staff)
- Anne Gary (Blue Cross NC, Sponsorship Program Manager)
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