NC State athletics made history with its 15th place finish in the Learfield Directors' Cup, the best ever at the school.
For NC State sports fans, it was a year of celebrations. Finding only 10 to rank as the best in the year is an endeavor, but here is the list we came up with, starting with No. 6-10.
No. 10: Volleyball makes history
The fact that in her second season as the head coach of NC State volleyball Linda Hampton-Keith had the Wolfpack competing in the upper echelon of the ACC and earning an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament was an accomplishment in itself, but the Pack took it further when he rallied in the fifth set to edge Oregon State for the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win.
Related link — Podcast from Amedeo's with Linda Hampton-Keith
NCSU led 2-1 in the match after taking the third set 25-21, but Oregon State evened it 2-2 with a 25-21 win of its own in the fourth, setting up the decisive fifth set. The Beavers jumped out to a 10-7 lead in the fifth, but NCSU rallied and won 15-13. The Pack’s season ended in the second round to host Texas
No. 9: Baseball wins the “Duel at the DBAP”
Playing in a college baseball playoff-like atmosphere of 6,799 fans at Durham’s famed Durham Bulls Athletic Park, the majority of whom seemed to be NC State fans, NC State got the best of its archrival UNC on this afternoon in an 8-3 win.
Related link — NC State buries North Carolina in 8-3 win at DBAP
Freshman catcher Patrick Bailey and junior first baseman Evan Edwards both homered, and senior centerfielder Josh McLain went 4 for 5 as the leadoff hitter at the plate and stole a base to lead the offense. The Pack’s six pitchers combined to hold UNC’s potent lineup to just three earned runs on seven hits.
No. 8: Football gets a breakthrough win
NC State traveled to Florida State when the Noles was ranked No. 11 and having its home opener after a two-week delay in its schedule thanks to the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The nearly 75,000 fans left Doak Campbell Stadium on a hot and humid Saturday afternoon stunned as NC State prevailed 27-21.
Redshirt sophomore receiver Jakobi Meyers, who had been benched the week before in a win over Furman, caught five passes for 112 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown capped by a somersault into the end zone. Meyers stuck the landing and gave NCSU a 17-7 lead right before halftime. Senior H-back Jaylen Samuels’ 14-yard touchdown off a shovel pass gave NC State the cushion it needed at 27-16 with 9:16 left.
Related link — Notebook: Redemption for receiver Jakobi Meyers
Although the stature of the win may have worn off some given the season FSU labored through, it still represented a signature moment for the Wolfpack under head coach Dave Doeren.
No. 7: Men’s hoops stuns No. 2 Arizona
As part of the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, NC State had the daunting task of opening up against No. 2 Arizona, yet when the game was tied at 40-40 at the break, it was a signal that NC State was not going to be a walkover for the Wildcats.
The Wolfpack built a 9-point lead early in the second half, but Arizona came back and led 75-73 with five minutes left. NC State answered authoritatively with a 13-1 run to take a 10-point lead with 1:48 left and was never threatened down the stretch in a 90-84 victory.
Related link — Quick hits from NC State's win over Arizona (for premium subscribers)
Fifth-year senior guard Allerik Freeman had 24 points and coming off the bench freshman guard Braxton Beverly had his breakthrough game with 20 points.
No. 6: Women’s hoops makes it to the Sweet 16
Playing in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 2,711 at historic Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC State faced former ACC rival Maryland in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.
NC State controlled the game almost from start to finish behind redshirt junior wing Kiara Leslie’s double-double against her former team. Leslie, who was a graduate transfer from Maryland, had 21 points, 11 rebounds and three steals while playing all 40 minutes in the Pack’s 74-60 win over the Terps.
Related link — Photo gallery: NC State women's basketball headed to the Sweet 16
NC State’s tournament ended a round later with a 71-57 loss to eventual national runner-up Mississippi State.
Numbers 1-5 on the list will come later Monday.
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