Pack Cross Country Squads Each Ranked in Top 30 of USTFCCCA Preseason Coaches Poll
8/31/2021 3:09:00 PM | Cross Country
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The NC State men's and women's cross country programs checked into the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason National Rankings both in the top 30, as announced by the organization on Tuesday. The women's program tabbed the No. 2 spot while the men checked in at T-No. 28
The No. 2 ranking for the women comes on the heels of a standout season for the Wolfpack in which the squad finished in second place at the 2020 NCAA Championships. All three of the 2020 All-Americans, Kelsey Chmiel, Hannah Steelman and Katelyn Tuohy, return for the upcoming season as does ACC individual champion Dominique Clairmonte and All-ACC selection Mariah Howlett.
NC State was one of two programs to have two top-10 finishers at the 2020 NCAA Cross Country Championships with Steelman finishing fifth overall and Chmiel placing ninth. Tuohy was the only freshman All-American in 2020, placing 24th in the Nationals race that was additionally her career debut.
On the men's side, the team returns 2019 All-American Ian Shanklin in addition to 2020 All-ACC honorees Hannes Burger, JP Flavin and Gavin Gaynor. Shanklin posted a second-place finish at the 2020 ACC Championships, also good to garner All-ACC status.
Each program welcomes a Gatorade State Track & Field Player of the Year as Brooke Rauber (New York) and Miles Ally (Tennessee) join the Wolfpack squads. Rauber additionally garnered the Gatorade State Cross Country Player of the Year honors for New York in 2020.
The Wolfpack begins its season Friday, Sept. 17 by hosting the adidas XC Challenge at the WakeMed Cross Country Course in Cary, N.C.
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