Probable Top Five:

JR Erika Kemp (15:57 5K; 33:13 10K; 76th NCAA XC '14)

FR Ryen Frazier (4:38 Mile; 10:02 2 Mile; 16:12 5K; 2nd FL '14)
JR Bethany Neeley (10:19 3K Steeple; 23rd Big Ten XC '14)

JR Megan Moye (2:08 800; 4:22 1500; 134th NCAA XC '14)

FR Rachel Koon (9:49 3K)

 

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Ryen Frazier via Raleigh, NC (4:38 Mile; 10:02 2 Mile; 16:12 5K; 2nd FL '14)
Bethany Neeley via Indiana University (10:19 3K Steeple; 23rd Big Ten XC '14)
Sarah Kanney via Ohio (4:53 1600; 10:49 3200)

 

Analysis:

With a solid pack of returners who boast impressive spring track seasons plus the addition of the most decorated high school runner of 2015, the No. 12 Wolfpack squad is poised to make a statement this fall. 

 

Ryen Frazier comes to N.C. State as a freshman with a 16:12 5K personal best. The younger Frazier sister also finished runner-up at Footlocker Nationals and sixth at the Great Edinburgh Run in January, as well as completing the NBN Outdoor triple in June (5K, 1 Mile, 2 Mile Champion). Her decent amount of elite experience on the cross country course should help her make an immediate impact on the Wolfpack squad. Her older sister, Wesley, transferred to N.C. State from Duke last year but must sit out the fall season due to ACC transfer rules. We don't even want to think about how good this 1-2 punch could be in the spring.

 

The remainder of the returning squad boasts impressive spring track seasons that should carry over well into the fall. Erika Kemp is returning from an outdoor season that included a personal best in the 5K (15:57), a 22nd-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, and her first ever 10K performance (33:13) at Stanford Invite. Megan Moye enters the fall with new personal bests in the 800m (2:08), 1500m (4:22) and the mile (4:42). Rachel Koon competed at the APA Pan-American Cup where she finished second for Team USA. Koon enters the fall after redshirting all of 2014 and the 2015 outdoor track season, but ran impressively on the cross country course despite being unattached. Indiana transfer Bethany Neeley should make an immediate impact on the grass, as she was 23rd in the competitive Big Ten conference last fall.

 

With positive additions and more experienced veterans, the N.C. State Wolfpack has more depth than ever before and should easily improve upon their 2014 cross country season.