The NC State track team did not perform up to its very high expectations coming into the year, but still had a decent season overall as a team.
The Pack started off the outdoor track season with the Carolina Relays and won four events on the first day to open up the year. On the first day of the Carolina Relays, three student-athletes came in second place or better in their individual events.
The second day of the Carolina Relays was even more impressive for State, as the Pack won five events with a dominant performance by the women’s 4×400-meter relay team, which finished first in the event. The impressive performance was continued by junior Javonne Antoine, who set her personal best on the triple jump with a distance of 41’2.5”, landing her in first place.
The Pack’s second meet was the annual Raleigh Relays, where the Pack continued its early season success. All-American senior Erika Kemp led the way for the Pack, finishing her long-distance event of 10,000-meters with a time of 33:36.26.
The following meets were the Florida Relays and the Stanford Invite, where the Pack had strong performances all around. A school record was shattered by redshirt junior Joshua Davis in the hammer throw and senior Sam Parsons finished with the second-fastest time in school history in the 10,000m at the Stanford Invite. At the conclusion of these two events, NC State had 16 marks that ranked in the top five in the ACC.
The season continued to progress for the Pack as it had strong performances in the Bill Carson Invite, Charlotte Invitational and the Gamecock Invitational. Standout freshman Cravont Charleston won the 100-meter dash in the Bill Carson Invite and the Pack finished with five event wins in the meet. The Pack slowed its pace and struggled in the last few events of the year.
Standout members of the women’s team this season were redshirt sophomore Rachel Koon, Kemp, Antoine and redshirt sophomore Lauren Evans. For the men’s team, Charleston and Davis led the way. Other standouts were freshman Dylan Peebles, Parsons and two-sport sophomore Nyheim Hines, who is also a member of the Wolfpack football team.
The ACC Outdoor Championships proved to be a good showing by the Wolfpack. Parsons finished second in the 5,000-meter. Charleston, the men’s ACC Championships MVP, displayed complete dominance by sweeping both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash. Charleston ran a blazing time in the 100m dash finishing in 10.7”. Grabbing bronze was Hines with a time of 10.34”. NC State also took the gold in the men’s 4×100-meter relay for the second year in a row with an impressive time of 39.14”.
NC State had a decline in participants at the NCAA Championships. However, with many student-athletes returning next year for both the men’s and women’s track team, NC State could see a breakout season as a program.
