NC State women's cross country is chasing a national championship
In the spring, NC State women’s cross country entered the last 1,000 meters of the 6K NCAA Championship in first place.
It came that close to tasting the school’s first national title before finishing second to BYU at the finish.
Back to its typical fall schedule, the veteran, experienced Wolfpack team traveled to Tallahassee, Fla., Thursday, site of this year’s NCAA Championship on Saturday, ranked No. 1 in the country and one of the strong favorites to take the title.
The race is scheduled to begin at 10:20 a.m. and will be televised by ESPNU.
The Pack easily took home the ACC Championship for a sixth straight year and then convincingly captured the NCAA Southeast Regional. It topped the nation’s No. 2 team, New Mexico, in the Joe Piane Invitational in South Bend, Ind., on Oct. 1.
New Mexico returned the favor in the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational on Oct. 15 in Madison, Wisc., but NC State did not race senior Hannah Steelman, who was NC State’s top finisher at the NCAAs a year ago (fifth) and ran sixth at the Joe Piane Invitational.
Steelman returned to finish fourth at the ACC Championship, one of four NC State runners in the top five.
Also, it’s noteworthy that NC State finished ahead of defending champion BYU in Wisconsin. The Cougars, ranked No. 4 nationally entering the weekend, ran third that day.
NC State women’s cross country head coach Laurie Henes however cautions that this year’s field is better than last spring’s.
“I think there’s four, or maybe five, teams that are really deep and really good,” Henes noted. “Just like we’ve had, some of those teams have held people out at some of the big meets. We didn’t have Hannah at Wisconsin or regions, and BYU, New Mexico and Colorado all held some people out.
“I think it’s still just go on that day and be consistent. We’re better, but so are other people.”
Henes will not give too much weight to NC State’s top-ranked status.
“I think we’re in a good position,” she said. “We don’t pay as much attention to the rankings. I think we’re a really good team, like we were last year.
“We’re just trying to take care of business and stay consistent and just focus on the process and let the race take care of itself.”
In addition to Steelman, NC State has been led by the one-two punch of sophomore Kelsey Chmiel and second-year freshman Katelyn Tuohy. They were one-two at both ACC and regionals, and both were All-Americans last season.
The addition of senior Columbia transfer Allie Hays has also been a boost. Hayes finished fifth at the ACC Championship and was sixth at regionals. Sophomore Samantha Bush has had a breakout campaign. She was eighth in both the ACC and regionals.
“Allie has been huge,” Henes confirmed. “She’s an Ivy League grad with maturity and great leadership. It’s been amazing to have her.
“Sam Bush has just made great strides this year. Everyone that we have lined up has gotten a lot better. That’s what we try to do, focus on development.”
The wildcard could be veteran super senior Dominique Clairmonte, who won the ACC title a year ago in the fall with a dominating performance, but was less than 100 percent at nationals. Clairmonte made her season debut at ACCs and finished 24th.
Henes noted she finds the more her team is prepared, the less nervous she tends to get before a big race.
“The women we are lining up with have had really good training and are well-prepared,” she concluded.
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