The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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102 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER L ast season, NC State notched a second straight podium finish (top four) at the NCAA Championships with a fourth-place overall standing. Unlike the spring of 2016 when NCSU broke through on the podium by also fin- ishing fourth, this time could be fairly de- scribed as a disappointment, head coach Braden Holloway noted. It's a true sign for how far the program has come. Despite winning the NCAA meet's opening relay — the 800-yard free- style in a national-record time — NC State believed it could have done much more. "We felt like we had the tools to be bet- ter, and we didn't perform the way we probably should have," Holloway reflected. "After starting the meet with a huge relay win, it kind of got away from us for the most part." Last year's team didn't deal well with adversity at the national meet, Holloway said. Thus the objective this season will be simpler: have fun and improve. "Last year they put a lot of pressure on themselves, and certain things didn't go their way," Holloway explained. "They didn't handle it the way they could have, but this year they are com- ing in with a better viewpoint — we can't control other teams, we can only control what we do. "We just need to focus on being better, and wherever that puts us, that puts us. There's obviously high expectations, and they are trying each and every day to get to that expectation." Leading the way for the team will con- tinue to be senior star Ryan Held, an Olym- pic gold medalist in the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Held was the 2017 ACC Male Swimmer of the Year and is an eight-time individual All-American. He also participated on both of the NC State relay national titles (the Pack won the 400 free relay in 2016). "He is focusing on making sure he just ■ PREVIEW MEN'S SWIMMING Senior Ryan Held is an eight-time individual All-American, was part of a pair of national title-winning relays and was tabbed as the 2017 ACC Male Swimmer of the Year. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS HAVING FUN The Wolfpack Shifts Its Focus After A Second Straight NCAA Podium Finish ■ Key Meets • Vs. Texas in Raleigh, Nov. 10: The Longhorns are a swimming powerhouse and have won the last three national titles and an NCAA-record 13 overall. • ACC Men's Swimming Championship at Greens- boro, N.C., Feb. 21-24: NC State will be seeking its fourth straight conference title. • NCAA Swimming And Diving Championships at Minneapolis, March 21-24: The Pack will by vying for a third straight top-four finish.