With thousands of new faces in the Wolfpack family, and NC State Athletics kicking off in the next few weeks, we felt it was important to recognize some of the Pack’s top performers for the upcoming fall season. Here are the athletes you need to know.
Football: Devin Leary
For the first time in his NC State career, redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary enters the season as the undisputed QB1, having taken over at the end of the 2019 season and suffering an injury in 2020. It’s well deserved for the third-year signal caller, who put up 890 passing yards with 60% accuracy in just four games last year. Leary went 3-1 to start the year, lifting the Pack to a huge win over Pittsburgh after going for 336 words in the air and four touchdowns to zero interceptions. With a plethora of weapons at his disposal, Leary is primed for a huge season and should be able to build on the success he saw in limited games last season.
Men’s cross country: Ian Shanklin
For the second year in a row, graduate Ian Shanklin lands on Technician’s need-to-know list. Shanklin had a phenomenal 2020 season, finishing in third at the 8K Virginia Tech Invitational, fourth at the Wolfpack Invitational, second in the ACC Cross Country Championships and 54th at the NCAA Championships, which led the team. Shanklin is a three-time All-American, earning honors with the cross country team in 2019. Shanklin is also a three-time All-Region Cross Country Team member and was named an All-ACC performer for the cross country team in 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Women’s cross country: Hannah Steelman
Graduate Hannah Steelman is one of the most decorated current NC State athletes and worked her way to the USA Track and Field Olympic Trial qualifiers for the 3,000m steeplechase. Steelman is a nine-time All-American, including for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. At the Virginia Tech Invitational, Steelman placed first in the 6K run, finishing in 20:36.2. Steelman also placed third in the ACC Cross Country Championships, second in the 5K Wolfpack Invitational and fifth in the 6K NCAA Championships.
Men’s soccer: Kuda Muskwe
Senior forward Kuda Muskwe had a strong 2020 season, scoring two goals and playing in 13 contests with 12 starts. Muskwe finished tied with senior forward Ivy Brisma for the most points on the team last season, accounting for five. Muskwe took 16 total shots, with 50% of those landing on goal and ended the year with an assist.
Women’s soccer: Leyah Hall-Robinson
After a promising freshman season in 2019, sophomore forward Leyah Hall-Robinson broke out last season, starting in all nine matches for the Wolfpack. Hall-Robinson accounted for five points, which ranked second on the team, had nine shots on goal with a 33.3% success rate and helped lead the team to a 5-3-1 record.
Volleyball: Melissa Evans
Graduate opposite hitter Melissa Evans is one of the greatest NC State athletes of all time, dominating in all prior seasons with the Pack. In her career, Evans has amassed 1,189 kills, which ranks second in the rally-scoring era of the program. Evans has also accumulated 1,331 points in 92 matches played in her career. She also ranks second in program history in kills per set with 3.97.
Evans’ accolades speak for themselves, as she was named to the All-ACC First Team in 2020, the second team in 2018 and 2019, the AVCA East All-Region team in 2020. Because of COVID-19, Evans was afforded an extra year of eligibility, which she will use to help further the development of the program. Under head coach Luka Slabe, the Pack has turned around its outlook, with Evans among those leading the way.
