In what was an incredibly action-packed year of athletics for NC State during the 2021-22 school year, members of the TechSports staff break down some of their fondest memories of the student-athletes representing the Pack well last year.

Wade Bowman, Managing Editor – MBB vs Nebraska

From the outside looking in, I’m sure this pick seems insane. In such a successful year for NC State athletics, from national championships to unforgettable experiences, going with a memorable moment from an otherwise forgettable season for men’s basketball may seem like a stretch. For me, however, NC State’s 4OT win against Nebraska inside PNC Arena may take the cake.

Coming into the game, I originally had no interest in going as a fan, but was convinced at the last second by a friend to tag along and see what was supposed to be an easy win for NC State, something at that point in the season was hard to come by, to say the least. We rolled into the arena about 10 minutes before tipoff and still managed to find front-row seating. 

From that point on, the energy was incredible — even in an emptier-than-usual PNC Arena. Seeing Dereon Seabron tear the Cornhuskers up for a season-high 39 points was as fun as it gets for a fan of college basketball. I’d also like to think my yelling from the baseline contributed to Nebraska’s free-throw percentage falling off a cliff in the clutch. (You’re welcome, Coach Keatts.)

When it comes to moments I could live in forever, a courtside seat for an extremely competitive basketball game for a team I love has to be in contention for the best of the best. Also, massive shoutout to the one Nebraska fan keeping his guys in it with his deafening “Come on, Huskers” chant every five minutes, you’re a real one.

Bryan Pyrtle, Sports Editor – Omaha 2021

Watching Trea Turner’s long fly ball fall just short of a go-ahead home run against UCLA in the 2013 College World Series was one of my earliest memories of the heartbreak that often accompanies being an NC State fan. So needless to say, being in Omaha, Nebraska and experiencing the Wolfpack’s run in the 2021 College World Series in the flesh was an experience I’ll never forget.

Outside of the excitement of that postseason run, making the trip out there was special in its own right. I traveled on an airplane for the first time in my life, making the journey itself super neat for a small-town kid. 

Once I arrived, the atmosphere was more electric than I could’ve imagined. Seeing so many passionate fan bases show up in droves to support their schools, walking around the shops nearby the stadium and spending off days with TechSports alumni Alec Sawyer, Camden Speight and Jaylan Harrington are still fond memories on their own.

Of course, I was there to cover the Wolfpack, and boy did they have stories to be told. Of course, the most prominent moments in the Pack’s performance came at the end with the events surrounding the “Pack13” game. But for me, the memory that sticks out the most is watching over 23,000 people rise to their feet as Terrell Tatum smacked a go-ahead homer off Vanderbilt’s Jack Leiter in the only run of the game.

That whole trip will remain one of the coolest experiences of my life for many years to come. I am so incredibly thankful for every moment and the friends I made along the way.

Ethan Bakogiannis, Assistant Sports Editor – NC State Football’s amazing 2OT win over Clemson

My favorite moment of the year came when the NC State football team upset Clemson in double overtime early on in the 2021 season. As a freshman, this was my first real taste of a true college football matchup, and it didn’t disappoint in the least. 

From the electric atmosphere, crazy plays, three heartbreaking missed kicks and two overtime touchdowns, my favorite moment wasn’t just the amazing game I just witnessed. My favorite moment was standing in the student section with my friends, overwhelmed with emotions, trying to process the amazing victory as we watched the rest of our school rush the field. 

Ever since enrolling at NC State six months earlier, my friends from high school and I were all excited to continue our journey with the Wolfpack and had this game marked from the start. Ecstatic to finally experience the atmosphere of a college football game watching the Pack, we were finally there and it finally happened. 

While I’ve had plenty of other amazing moments over the past year, such as watching NC State baseball, women’s basketball and both tennis squads, I’ll never forget when me and my friends, too stunned to even speak, watched the rest of the student body rush the field after beating Clemson, taking in every ounce of that magical moment that was everything we could’ve ever hoped for and more. 

As we stood there, I realized that those amazing experiences in college that me and my friends had been working and waiting for finally happened, we were finally there, we made it and it felt better than I ever could have imagined. While there will be many more amazing moments, I’ll never forget the sights, scenes and emotions from that night’s win over Clemson.

Ben Ellis, Assistant Sports Editor – NC State football’s unforgettable comeback win over UNC

I didn’t think anything could top the NC State football team’s double overtime win over Clemson in the 2021 season, but sure enough, lightning struck twice when the Pack pulled off one of the craziest comebacks in school history, and probably the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in person with its 34-30 win over UNC on Nov. 26 in Carter-Finley Stadium.

With two minutes left in the game, UNC was up 30-21 with a 99.9% chance to win the game, and its players were waving the fans goodbye. But just when all hope seemed to be gone, redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Emeka Emezie, and after an improbable onside kick recovery, Leary threw another strike to Emezie just 26 seconds after the first to put the Pack on top for good.

This game wasn’t just special to me for what happened on the field, but for who I got to share the moment with. I was lucky enough to go to the game with former Technician managing editor Tristan Tucker, former editor-in-chief Jaylan Harrington and current managing editor Wade Bowman, and while I was at the game, I saw two of my high school friends, Katherine and Genevieve Fortier, who I ran onto the field with after the game. 

I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the season, and not only was this my favorite NC State athletics memory, it was the happiest moment of my life.     

Logan Bolduc, Staff Writer – Christopher Dunn’s Onside Kick vs Carolina 

The Wolfpack’s 2021 come-from-behind thriller versus Carolina could be my favorite moment in its own right, but I think no other play is nearly as iconic as the play that led to the game-winning touchdown. Sure, the Devin Leary to Emeka Emezie touchdown that won the game is one of the most amazing plays in Wolfpack history, but I think the onside kick recovered by the kicker that happened one minute and 35 seconds prior is even more spectacular. 

As someone who enjoys special teams more than most, Christopher Dunn’s onside kick to give the Wolfpack possession is one of the greatest and most statistically improbable plays in NC State history. The odds of recovering an onside kick are exponentially low, and I don’t think the odds of a kicker recovering his own onside kick when the opposing team is expecting it even exists. Needless to say, what Christopher Dunn did that night is nothing short of a miracle. His outstanding technique and fight to recover the ball that he just kicked away was the reason why the Wolfpack were able to have such great field position and ultimately come away with the immaculate victory. 

I remember standing in the crowd unsure of who received the kick when Dunn came flying out of the pile, the game ball in his right hand held proudly above his head. Everything had to go just right, and it did. Much of that game came down to resilience, but in the end, it came down to a small dribble pass to himself by who else but NC State’s all-time leading scorer.  

When fans look back at this game they will probably remember the two touchdown passes that came in the last two minutes, the interception that sealed the game or the fans storming the field after the win. Ultimately, the onside kick might be overlooked in the grand scheme of things, but I personally will do my best to help Christopher Dunn’s legacy live on.