NC State Cross Country at Top of ACC Preseason Rankings

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The NC State women’s cross country team has been selected to repeat its ACC title in 2017 in a vote of the league’s head coaches, the conference office announced Wednesday morning. On the men’s side, the Wolfpack was voted third in the preseason poll.

The women’s team returns all five of its scorers from the 2016 ACC Championship squad. Redshirt-junior Rachel Koon led the way last year as she placed fourth individually, while returning letterwinners Wesley Frazier (10th), Alyssa Rudawsky (11th), Elly Henes (12th) and Ryen Frazier (14th) also scored for NC State at the conference meet. Earlier this week, the Pack was selected as the No. 6 team in the country in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason National Rankings.

For the men, All-ACC returners Patrick Sheehan and Ben Barrett are poised to lead the Wolfpack. Junior Philip Hall was one spot away from being named all-conference last season as he placed 22nd at the 2016 ACC Championships. Redshirt-senior Aubrey Myjer missed last year’s conference meet, but went on to earn All-Region honors in 2016 as he placed 10th at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships. The Pack will enter the 2017 season as the No. 28 team in the nation, according to the USTFCCCA Preseason National Rankings.

The 2017 ACC Cross Country predicted order of finish by the league head coaches is as follows:

MEN
1. Syracuse
2. Virginia
3. NC State
4. Virginia Tech
5. Florida State
6. Notre Dame
7. Louisville
8.-t North Carolina
8-t. Pitt
10. Wake Forest
11. Georgia Tech
12. Duke
13. Boston College
14. Clemson
15. Miami

WOMEN
1. NC State
2. Notre Dame
3. Syracuse
4. Virginia Tech
5. Louisville
6. Virginia
7. Wake Forest
8. Pitt
9. Duke
10. Florida State
11. North Carolina
12. Boston College
13. Clemson
14. Georgia Tech
15. Miami

Both Wolfpack teams have a great tradition of excellence within the ACC. Last year’s conference title was the 22nd for the NC State women since the program’s inception in 1978. The Pack men have hoisted 16 ACC trophies overall and have finished top-3 in the conference 26 of the last 28 seasons.

The Wolfpack opens the 2017 campaign at home as NC State hosts the adidas XC Challenge. The meet will take place on Friday, Sept. 15 at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. For the most up-to-date information on NC State cross country, follow @PackXC on Twitter.