NC State roundup: Wolfpack wins rivalry contests in three different sports
Most sports fans had their eyes set on men’s basketball this weekend, but N.C. State earned multiple rivalry wins over fellow Triangle programs.
Here’s who the Wolfpack beat in its other Olympic sports this weekend.
Gymnastics tops North Carolina in ACC meet
The Wolfpack defeated the Tar Heels, 196.225-195.325, in Chapel Hill for the first ACC meet since 1984. N.C. State also posted its highest meet score of the year.
Chloe Negrete led the team with individual event titles on vault (9.875) and floor (9.925), a season high. Freshman Katie Harper added an event win and season-high on bars (9.850).
Alexis Ortega and Macy Jennings finished in a three-way tie with UNC’s Gwen Fink for the beam title (9.850).
N.C. State recorded its best floor score of the season (49.200) for the victory.
Fink won the all-around (39.275) for the Tar Heels, while Emily Shepard represented the Pack with a second-place finish (39.250).
The Heels come to Raleigh on Feb. 11 for a second meet.
Women’s basketball splits week, beats Duke at home
N.C. State fell to Miami, 73-59, on the road Thursday night. The Wolfpack, however, returned to Reynolds Coliseum with a big win over the Blue Devils on Sunday.
The Wolfpack (16-2, 4-2 ACC) defeated Duke (12-6, 4-3 ACC), 72-57, thanks to big performances from Aziaha James and Mimi Collins.
James, a junior, recorded a career-high 33 points, while graduate student Collins added a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double.
River Baldwin returned to the starting lineup against the Blue Devils. She missed the three previous games after sustaining an injury when the Wolfpack hosted Florida State. Baldwin added six points and three rebounds in 17 minutes.
Photos: No. 4-ranked N.C. State women’s basketball defeats Duke 72-57
Swimming and diving men down Carolina
N.C. State’s men’s team swept its weekend competition, beating UNC and Virginia on the road (258-93, 244-109). The women’s team defeated Carolina (196-157) but fell to the Cavaliers (265.5-87.5).
Daniel Diehl, the No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class, made his collegiate debut with a runaway win. Diehl won the 200-yard backstroke, logging a time of 1:42.64, more than three seconds faster than the rest of the competition. Teammate JT Ewing placed second, hitting the wall in 1:45.90.
The men swept the 1,000-yard freestyle, led by Ross Dant at 9:02.19.
The women defeated the Tar Heels, as well, with multiple second-place finishes. N.C. State placed second in the 400 medley and 200 free relays.
Abby Arens earned silver in the 200-yard breaststroke, recording a time of 2:11.33, and Kennedy Noble did the same in the 200 backstroke. Noble finished in 1:54.09.
The Wolfpack also won three of four diving events. Bayleigh Cranford won the women’s 3-meter dive, earning 326.55 points. Bayne Bennett won the men’s 1-meter dive (349.95) and Renato Calderaro picked up gold in the men’s 3-meter contest (372.60).
N.C. State continues its season on Friday when it hosts Texas.
