Women’s BasketballWolfpack joins rankingsN.C. State’s women’s basketball team earned 183 votes in this week’s Associated Press poll, making it good enough for the No. 24 ranking in the country. Monday’s poll marked the first time the Wolfpack (21 – 8, 10 – 4 ACC) has appeared in the national top 25 this season – the first appearance in the poll since Jan. 30, 2006, when the Pack was ranked No. 24.
Last week, State was on the outside looking in, sitting with 66 votes – the most among other teams receiving votes.
State also finds itself the No. 4 seed in this weekend’s ACC Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum, scheduled to start Thursday. With a first-round bye in the tournament, on Friday the Pack will play the winner of Thursday’s first-round tilt between Florida State and Wake Forest.
– Compiled by Brian Grossman
State player named All-ACCThe ACC on Monday named N.C. State junior forward Khadijah Whittington to the All-ACC third team.
Whittington has averaged 10.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this season. With Whittington garnering All-ACC honors, the Wolfpack has had a player earn All-ACC recognition 18 years in a row.
Also, the ACC named senior center Gillian Goring All-ACC honorable mention. In 23 games this season, the 6-foot-7-inch second-year transfer averaged 9.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.
Duke’s Lindsey Harding and Alison Bales, UNC’s Ivory Latta and Erlana Larkins and Maryland’s Crystal Langhorne comprised the All-ACC first team.
– Compiled by Brian Grossman
Men’s BasketballHoops recruit named All-AmericanMen’s basketball recruit J.J. Hickson on Saturday was named to the 2007 McDonald’s All-American team. Hickson is coach Sidney Lowe’s first recruit to play in the all-star game.
Hickson, a 6-foot-10-inch, 240-pound senior from Marietta, Ga., is the No. 3-rated center in the nation for the 2007 class, according to Scout.com.
This season for Wheeler High School, Hickson has averaged almost 26 points per game, almost 14 rebounds per game, three blocks per game and two assists per game.
Hickson signed with State in November after considering defending national champion Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgetown and Arizona.
Other Wolfpack players who have played in the game include redshirt freshman Brandon Costner (2005), Julius Hodge (2001) and Scooter Sherrill (2000).
– Compiled by Brian Grossman
BaseballBrackman tabbed ACC pitcher of the weekThe ACC on Monday named junior pitcher Andrew Brackman its conference pitcher of the week.
Brackman on Saturday held off No. 30 Coastal Carolina with more than seven shutout innings, allowing six hits, walking one and striking out seven batters. N.C. State won the game 4-0, and Brackman improved to 3-0 on the season while lowering his ERA to 0.52.
– Compiled by Brian Grossman
