Coming off of a record-breaking few months of competition, NC State’s track & field teams are gearing up for a fiery slate of post-season meets. Let’s take a look at five figures that shaped the track & field teams in preparation for ACCs and NCAAs.
1 indoor ACC team title
NC State track & field’s sole indoor conference title comes from the 1988 men’s team who went on to finish sixth at NCAAs. In the 35 years since then, the Wolfpack has never quite reached the top of the scoreboard at ACCs — however, the women’s team has a good chance of ending that drought in 2023.
Just last weekend, graduate students Savannah Shaw and Timara Chapman, senior Sam Bush and junior Katelyn Tuohy set a new school and facility record in the distance medley relay. Their converted time of 10:48.55 sits at second in the nation, a sure sign of good things to come at ACCs and NCAAs.
3 national records Katelyn Tuohy broke this season
Tuohy shattered barriers last season by becoming NC State’s first indoor track & field athlete to place higher than third at NCAAs, and she’s only picked up the pace since then. In the span of a few weeks, Tuohy broke collegiate records in the mile, 1500m and 3000m events. She eclipsed the program record in the 5000m on Jan. 28, 2022, where her time of 15:14.61 was a little over two seconds off the current NCAA record.
Widely regarded to be one of the best collegiate athletes on campus, Tuohy looks to add multiple ACC titles to her resume in Louisville.
No. 5 – Women’s team’s national ranking
Although No. 9 Virginia Tech has claimed the last two indoor conference titles, NC State currently sits above the Hokies at No. 5 this season. The Wolfpack is primed to give Virginia Tech a run for its money this year given NC State’s overall performance throughout the season.
The Hokies are likely to dominate the pole vault at ACCs — Virginia Tech has three athletes with top-10 marks this season. That being said, No. 22 Duke and No. 24 Notre Dame currently sit in the top-25, and some of their athletes will definitely pose a threat to NC State’s wishes at claiming its first ever indoor conference title.
10 individual records set by current athletes
Although this year’s conference championships will be undoubtedly tight for both teams, NC State’s indoor track & field performance thus far is nothing short of impressive. As it stands, 10 athletes have already broken program records this season. Senior Kyle Durham and junior Zach Hughes lead the men’s middle distance team with the Wolfpack’s top times in the men’s 600m and 800m, respectively — something that’ll boost NC State’s performance at ACCs this year.
For the women’s team, and Tuohy in particular, the sky’s the limit. Alongside Tuohy’s program records, senior Sam Bush set a new top time in the women’s 1000m this season, as did Timara Chapman in the pentathlon.
12 men’s team’s placement at ACCs in 2022
The men’s indoor team hasn’t finished higher than third at ACCs since 1996, and last year’s meet saw a disappointing 12th-place finish — their lowest to date. This year, although not ranked nationally, the men’s team is looking to improve upon last season’s mark.
The men’s 5000m seems to be one of the Wolfpack’s best bets to rack up some points at ACCs, especially after graduate student Ian Shanklin, junior Ian Harrison and freshman David Vorbach all broke NC State’s program record in the event at the Valentine Invitational this season. Shanklin’s time of 13:29.61 sits at 18th-best in the country this season, and third-best in the ACC.
Furthermore, graduate student Cameron Murray’s time in the men’s 60m hurdles is tied with Clemson’s Giano Roberts for the best in the ACC this season.
ACC indoor track & field championships will kick off on Thursday, Feb. 23 in Louisville, Kentucky. Events begin at 11 a.m.
