It has been a good year for the NC State Athletics department, but it hasn’t been a great year. The problem isn’t what has been accomplished, it’s what hasn’t. The good news is that with winter sports in the stretch run and spring sports just beginning, that narrative can change.
It started with the football team, which undoubtedly had a good season, but would’ve qualified for a New Year’s Six bowl game, the first major bowl game in school history, and would’ve had the second 10-win season in school history, with a win over Wake Forest. Of course that didn’t happen. Instead of a great season, the Pack had to settle for good.
Turn the page to Jan. 3 when the men’s and women’s basketball teams each won their ACC openers, were a combined 27-1 and were ranked in the top 20 and top 10 respectively. Final Four dreams weren’t unrealistic. Since, they are a combined 11-8.
It’s unfair to expect more out of the women’s team. Despite having lost more players to torn ACLs than games this year, Wes Moore should still be the favorite to win the National Coach of the Year Award. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the team is trending the wrong way and the schedule only continues to increase in difficulty.
On the other hand, the men’s team has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. A month ago, the Pack appeared to legitimately be one of the 20 best teams in the country. Now? Who knows. They should make the tournament but they aren’t on track to finish in the top half of the ACC and don’t appear likely to make a deep March Madness run. It’s a much different outlook than a month ago.
These are the three most popular sports at NC State but others have had similar seasons.
The men’s soccer team was ranked in the top five at one point, but went 2-4-2 in the ACC and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The women’s soccer team made a deeper NCAA run, advancing to the third round, but went 3-5-2 in the ACC and didn’t qualify for the ACC Tournament. The volleyball team didn’t make the NCAA Tournament a year after winning its first ever NCAA Tournament game. The wrestling team is looking to defend its 2nd-place ACC regular season title, but was just upset by Pittsburgh and has two more top-25 matchups to finish the regular season.
There’s still plenty of time for things to change. Only the soccer teams and football can’t change their fate. Would anybody be surprised to see either basketball team make a run at an ACC Tournament title or Sweet 16? The wrestling team is still in a strong position to win the ACC regular season and/or tournament title. The swimming and diving teams each have ACC championship titles to defend in March. The baseball and softball teams still have whole seasons ahead.
If things change and a couple teams on campus can win an ACC championship or make a deep NCAA run, then it’s been a great year for the Wolfpack. Even if things don’t, it’s been a good year. Literally every program on campus is trending upwards. One year of teams not reaching its ceiling doesn’t change that. But for the 2018-19 school year, it would be disappointing.
