Photo by Ryan Parry.
The Wolfpack celebrate a point during the second set against Clemson University September 29, 2012. N.C. State celebrated coach Bryan Bunn's 400th victory with a 3-1 win over the Tigers at Reynolds Coliseum.
Before we close the books on the 2012-2013 and begin a new “athletic calendar year,” it’s worth taking a look back at N.C. State’s overall athletic performance last year. Despite largely disappointing seasons on the part of the football and basketball teams, N.C. State Athletics as a whole enjoyed one of its most successful years in recent history.
All eight of the Wolfpack’s spring sports advanced to postseason play, highlighted by the baseball team’s run to the College World Series in June. It was the first time N.C. State reached Omaha since 1968.
In total, 18 of 23 Wolfpack teams participated in the postseason.
Both Wolfpack tennis teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The men, led by All-ACC performers Robbie Mudge and Austin Powell, knocked off Auburn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, an improvement over a first-round exit in 2012. Powell, now a senior, was also named to the All-ACC academic team along with fellow senior Sean Weber.
“Both [honors] are nice, but it’s kind of hard to say which one is better,” Powell said. “It’s always nice to be academically awarded, but at the same time there are a lot of really good players in the ACC, and it’s special to be among those guys.”
In total, the Wolfpack boasted 72 All-ACC performers across all sports; 25 of those student-athletes were named All-Americans. In addition, 61 Wolfpack student-athletes earned All-ACC academic honors, with five Academic All-Americans.
Powell said State athletics as a whole is headed in the right direction. He also embraced the camaraderie between players on different teams.
“I keep up with all the sports, and I have friends on multiple teams,” Powell said. “Wolfpack athletics have gained some momentum, which is good to see.”
Another team that broke new boundaries this past season was softball. In its first year under head coach Shawn Rychick, the Wolfpack claimed the ACC championship and won two games in NCAA Regional play, the furthest the team has advanced in program history.
A couple of players shattered school records, with junior pitcher Emily Weiman earning 33 wins on her way to being named ACC Pitcher of the Year. Junior shortstop Renada Davis hit 26 home runs and finished with a .768 slugging percentage.
“I’m honored,” Weiman said. “I’m really glad to play for Coach Rychick. [The coaching staff] really brought out the best in me. It’s been a really awesome experience to be able to contribute to this program.”
Softball was not the only sport to claim a conference championship. The gymnastics and rifle teams also took the ACC crown in their respective competitions. Volleyball, football, cross country, men’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, wrestling, men’s and women’s track and field, and men’s and women’s golf were among the other sports that earned postseason bids or sent individual participants to NCAA competition.
As a new year begins, the Wolfpack will continue athletic director Debbie Yow’s mission of refusing to accept the status quo.
“We didn’t have any mandatory workouts [over the summer.]” Weiman said. “But we’re working and lifiting and running. The coaches give us workouts they suggest.”
Powell and the tennis team scattered over the summer, all the while making sure they played as much as possible to keep in shape. Unlike most sports, tennis spans both semesters of the school year. The fall features mostly individual competition, while the spring is when team competition begins.
“Hopefully we can keep our momentum for all sports going into the fall and carry it over into spring,” Powell said.