Wolfstock Preview - Technician 04/20/2023

TECHNICIAN

WOLFSTOCK PREVIEW

SEE PAGE 10

WHAT YOU MISSED:

A

College of Engineering announces new dean

Jim Pfaendtner has been named the new dean of the College of Engineering. Pfaendtner currently serves as the chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington. His research focuses on using computer simulations to understand and control molecular scale forces for biotechnology, advanced materials and more. With his extensive experience in engineering, research and administration, the college is excited to welcome him to NC State.

SOURCE: NC STATE

13-year-old NC Boy gets trapped in a Carowinds claw machine

At Carowinds, a Charlotte amusement park, on April 16, a 13-year-old boy climbed inside a giant claw machine hoping to win a prize. The child was found by Carowinds employees in the Cosmic XL Bonus Game, which contains plush prizes. Around 2 p.m., authorities were notified and arrived on the scene. Medical personnel retrieved the child from the machine. The park banned the child for one year for attempted theft.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Fox News narrowly avoids landmark anti-defamation trial

Right before the highly anticipated anti-defamation suit was set to go to trial, Fox News settled with Dominion Voting Systems for $785.5 million. Dominion originally sued Fox in early 2021 for $1.6 billion, arguing that its reputation was damaged when Fox repeatedly aired falsehoods about its voting machines. The trial was set to be a major test of the First Amendment and whether defamation law protects victims of misinformation.

SOURCE: NEW YORK TIMES

Scientists film deepest ever fish off the coast of Japan

THE RADAR

Events to keep an eye on for the week of Apr. 20

BOBA CHAT AND CRAFT

Friday, April 21, 3-4 p.m.

TOWER HALL - WOLF RIDGE BUILDING 1, MULTIPURPOSE ROOM

Free

Counseling Center and Prevention Services is holding Boba Chat and Craft to offer a space for students who identify as Asian, Pacific Islander and/ or South Asian American to cultivate community through therapeutic crafting.

LDOC FEST: STRESS RELIEVER FIELD DAY

Monday, April 24, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. THE OVAL Free

Join Campus Health, Prevention Services and Wellness and Recreation at The Oval for a stress-relieving fest with games, inflatables and more.

TEAS AND TOTES SWAG GIVEAWAY

Tuesday, April 25, 2-5 p.m.

TALLEY STUDENT UNION, 5230 Free

Join the LGBTQ Pride Center for a de-stress giveaway with goodie bags and a vintage swag giveaway by Everything Must Go.

HOWL AND CHILL: WHINE AND DESIGN

Tuesday, April 25, 7-8 p.m.

TALLEY STUDENT UNION, COASTAL BALLROOM

Scientists released footage of a young snailfish filmed at a depth of over 27,000 feet in the ocean, which is the deepest fish ever filmed by scientists. Marine biologists say this is significant because it shows how far this fish will descend in the ocean. The Pacific Ocean is especially conducive to deep-sea species because of its warm southern current.

SOURCE: CNN

Free 323 Witherspoon Student Center, NCSU Campus Box 7318, Raleigh, NC 27695 Editorial 919-515-5017 Advertising 919-515-2411 Fax 919-515-5133 Online technicianonline.com FRONT COVER BY ELLIE BRUNO

Editors-in-Chief Jameson Wolf Ethan Bakogiannis technician-editor@ncsu.edu Managing Editor Emily Vespa technician-managingeditor@ncsu.edu Copy Desk Chief Rachelle Hernandez technician-copydesk@ncsu.edu

Assistant Copy Desk Chief Elliot Johnson News Editor Kate Denning technician-news@ncsu.edu Assistant News Editors Ally Tennant Amelia Russell Culture Editors Emilia Rivadeneira Elizabeth Dull technician-features@ncsu.edu

Design Editor Ellie Bruno technician-design@ncsu.edu Assistant Design Editor Carter McDermott Opinion Editor Justin Welch technician-opinion@ncsu.edu Assistant Opinion Editor Skye Crawford Sports Editor Jenna Cuniowski technician-sports@ncsu.edu

Assistant Sports Editors Erin Ferrare Noah Teague Photo Editor Ethan Rimolt technician-photo@ncsu.edu Video Editor Isaac Hernandez technician-video@ncsu.edu Assistant Video Editor Katherine Wan BACK COVER BY ELLIE BRUNO AND ETHAN RIMOLT

JERMAINE HUDSON/TECHNICIAN

RA and University Housing discuss campus mental health crisis, postvention strategies

Editor’s Note: This article contains references to mental health issues and suicide.

If you or someone you know is having a mental health emergency, the Counseling Center can be reached 24 hours a day at 919515-2423. If you are in a crisis situation and need immediate help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 In the case of a life-threatening emergency, call 911

Abigail Ali Contributor

There have been 12 student deaths this academic year with several being firstyear students living on campus. Resident Advisor Gustavo Armas shares his thoughts on community building initiatives and how the University provided information to the NC State community. Director of Residence Life, Meghan Luzader, explains University Housing’s role within the University’s postvention protocol.

RA responds to University Housing and NC State’s response to student deaths

Gustavo Armas, a second-year studying business administration and international studies, said being a support system for individuals living in the dorms as student deaths became frequent was a lot to handle on top of his other responsibilities.

“Me personally, with everything that I had going on in my personal life, … I had

two jobs on top of my school and I have a club I’m involved in, and I want to take care of family and also have a social life, ... they’re a lot to handle,” Armas said.

Armas said the University could have handled communicating with students and RAs about the student deaths better.

“They weren’t communicating with the students that these things were happening, and they kept telling the RAs,” Armas said. “So, every time there was a student death, they would send us an email, and nobody else in the school knew. We were like, ‘What am I supposed to do with this information?’ ... I think that their approach in that sense was not the best. … They could have informed us better because we don’t know if we shouldn’t be telling people or what we should be doing.”

Armas said, although University Housing and the University as a whole has done a lot to provide new initiatives and resources to students, it doesn’t seem to be enough to meet the demands of what students need.

“They have been trying to offer a lot more events for the community for people to gather, to take a break, even if it’s just a pizza party or anything like that,” Armas said. “I know that after what happened this school year, the school in general has been implementing a lot of mental health support and multiple resources, but sometimes, as much as they said they’re trying to offer more and more, … they have not met the supply for the demand of students that need the support that they’re asking for.”

Armas said University Housing has lessened RAs’ workload to alleviate the stress from the past year, which has helped a lot.

“I know we’ve been going through a lot of stressful times overall this whole year, but we’ve been given a little bit of a break in the sense of all the tests we got to do and the support system that we have,” Armas said. “And overall, they’re letting us focus more on classes and finals are coming up, so as an RA, I definitely do feel like my workflow has been diminished a little bit, which I do appreciate.”

One initiative University Housing has implemented over the years is Pack Chats. This gives students living on campus several opportunities throughout the school year to check in one-on-one with their RA and talk to them about anything they’re struggling with or to just catch up. Armas said Pack Chats are a great tool for the students.

“If they want to communicate any issues or anything that they have, they can come to me for that,” Armas said. “I do think it’s a really great tool the University implemented to try to get that connection with the resident and RA to be better.”

Armas said the mental health crisis goes beyond NC State and worrying about school, and the University should consider that when looking how to best support students.

“This is not only NC State, this is happening all around the nation,” Armas said. “And it’s like there are all these things happening, … [and] as much as people don’t want to be involved in the news, people start hearing these things. … It’s not just us thinking about and stressing about school or stuff going on at home, it’s just like, in general. Everything that’s happening around the world is like, pretty f---- up right now.”

University Housing collaborates with campus partners as part of postvention protocols

The University follows a postvention protocol when a student passes. Meghan Luzader, director of Residence Life for University Housing, said University Housing is only one part of the broader postvention guidelines.

“We are one of many campus partners that are activated when it’s an on-campus resident who passes,” Luzader said. “Typically, I am one of the staff members that goes, whether it’s responding on site or responding to the residence hall, depending on the context, to help with that support, along with a few other folks typically within our broader Division of Academic and Student Affairs.”

The framework the University, including University Housing, follows as postvention protocols is based on research from nationwide organizations, Luzader said.

“We do have a broader framework that we use to help guide that is rooted in best practices from a number of broader national organizations and research around postvention response,” Luzader said. “There are several steps that really make a big difference in our response and to help ensure that we’re doing the steps that are needed and appropriate.”

Luzader said postvention protocols last beyond when an incident initially occurs and includes collaborating with campus partners like the Counseling Center.

“That framework provides structure for us in the subsequent days and months because we also know for the folks who

How club Planned Parenthood: Generation Action supports student post-Dobbs decision

Amelia Russell Assistant News Editor

At NC State’s Planned Parenthood: Generation Action club, students volunteer to help connect the Wolfpack with STI testing, family planning services and more.

Caley Kim, a second-year studying psychology and president of the club, said that Generation Action advocates for reproductive rights issues.

“We’re trying to work towards a more equitable future where, specifically in regards to reproductive rights, people don’t necessarily have to worry about [having] them,” Kim said.

Anna Hadley, a second-year in international studies and outreach co-chair of Generation Action, said the club supports Planned Parenthood’s mission by connecting students to safe sex materials and reproductive care.

“The whole idea of Planned Parenthood is partly just filling in the gaps of the things that the government isn’t providing for people with abortion services and healthcare services,” Hadley said. “So anything like condoms, dental dams, female condoms and also tampons and pads, people shouldn’t have to worry about having access to that or not being able to afford them.”

Kim said that, like Planned Parenthood, Generation Action does not just focus on abortions.

“We try to look at sexuality, gender identity and how that can all impact your access and quality of care,” Kim said. “In general, we focus on anything that relates to the reproductive system, not just abortions because Planned Parenthood is not just abortions.”

Many of the club meetings involve service projects, both related and unrelated to reproductive rights.

“We’ve done bags for homeless people that we can give out,” Hadley said. “We’ve done dorm storming where we’ve handed out candy and condoms to people in different buildings.”

Kim said one of her favorite initiatives was when club members wrote cards to abortion care providers in the area.

“The act of putting all of those cards in the envelopes being like ‘We appreciate you’ felt really nice,” Kim said.

Members from Generation Action also table in Talley Student Union once a week to provide safe sex supplies and foster discussions surrounding reproductive rights.

“Every table we try to have free condoms, female condoms, dental dams, that kind of stuff,” Kim said. “But also, we really try to work on misinformation and stigma around abortion and STDs and STIs.”

MENTAL HEALTH

Kim said tabling also provides an opportunity for students to get information on abortion services.

“Not every Planned Parenthood clinic provides abortion services, like the one in Raleigh doesn’t,” Kim said. “A lot of people don’t know that. So when people come up to the tables, and they’re like, ‘Oh, yeah, [I’ll] just go to Raleigh,’ we say, ‘You wouldn’t be able to go to the Planned Parenthood in Raleigh. You’d have to go somewhere else.’”

Following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision, which effectively overturned the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade, Generation Action’s advocacy efforts have become more rigorous, making an increased effort to work with candidates who support abortion rights during the 2022 midterm elections.

“[Our efforts have] gone from 100% to 110%,” Kim said. “When Planned Parenthood does events in the area, we help work those events. We did some phone banking for pro-abortion candidates to try to remind people to get out and vote.”

Hadley said Generation Action’s weekly meetings have also provided a place for students to air their worries following the controversial decision.

“We want to provide a safe space for anyone to come and hang out at our meetings and speak their minds,” Hadley said. “Obviously, the stuff going on gets people fired up. They’re mad about their rights being taken away. They’re scared for the future. We want people to know that there are people who are there for them.”

Occasionally, Generation Action receives some pushback on social media, but most of the student body has been

respectful of the club.

“We occasionally will get a nasty Instagram comment,” Kim said. “When we had the reproductive rights march last semester, there was a little group of anti-abortion protesters, and they did try to call us out on Instagram and start something, but we just ignored it. It’s not worth our time and energy, and you are totally entitled to your opinion.”

Since the club is affiliated with Planned Parenthood, they are obligated to take the organization’s official stance of non-interaction.

“The official stance for Planned Parenthood as a company and for us is, if someone is obviously not looking for a good faith debate or conversation where they’re willing to listen to what you’re saying, you don’t have to engage with that,” Kim said. “It’s more beneficial to go talk to the people who need your help.”

Kim said Generation Action’s most exciting initiative for next year is a proposed vending machine in Talley that would provide condoms, Plan B, tampons and more.

“We’re working on getting the vending machine since the Student Health Center isn’t always open and Talley is open a lot more often,” Kim said. “We’re also working on bringing back some free STI testing to campus.”

In the meantime, Kim wants students to know Generation Action is available to support students in all facets of reproductive care.

“Even if it seems like the government isn’t going to give them access to necessary health care, we’re not going to stop fighting for them,” Kim said. “And in the meantime, we can try to fill the gaps certain legislation is leaving.”

Are you a student or an RA living on campus and would like to make a statement? Please email technician-editor@ncsu.edu or technician-news@ncsu.edu for more information.

are here that are impacted, that grief stays for a long time,” Luzader said. “And we’ve got several internal and external resources and frameworks that exist to help guide our response and ensure that we are doing the best we can for the individual who’s passed, for their families and for the folks on campus here who’ve been impacted.”

continued from page 3 Visit

If you or someone you know is having difficulty processing grief or having a mental health emergency, the Counseling Center can be reached 24 hours a day at 919-515-2423. If you are in a crisis situation and need immediate help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 . In the case of a life-threatening emergency, call 911

The Counseling Center’s website offers free online screenings, a plethora of self-help resources regarding mental health and wellness concerns and a comprehensive list of campus services available for those who need guidance. To view an exhaustive list, visit counseling.dasa.ncsu.edu/resources

If you’re seeking professional counseling or other mental health services on campus, visit the Counseling Center’s Getting Started page at counseling.dasa.ncsu.edu/about-us/gettingstarted to complete paperwork, set up an appointment and more.

CONTRIBUTED BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD GENERATION ACTION

Letter from the editor: It’s time to say goodbye

A lot has changed since I came to NC State almost four years ago. Since August 2019, I have changed my major, developed new professional goals, lost some bad friends and gained a lot of amazing ones. In the midst of all this change, one thing has stayed the same — my love for writing and my love for Technician.

Shilpa Giri Vol. 103 Editor-in-Chief

As I love to tell people any time I talk about Technician, joining the paper is one of the first things I did when I got to NC State, finding it during Welcome Week. If you had told 19-year-old me that she would be Editor-in-Chief of this whole thing three years later, she would have told you you’re crazy. But somehow, as I worked through various sections and positions under the guidance of so many amazing editors, I found myself here, writing my last column for Technician with a byline that says Editor-in-Chief. I didn’t plan on thanking a lot of people in this letter, but once I sat down to write it, I realized there are a lot of people I wouldn’t be here without, so please bear with me.

Firstly, a big thank you to my Maa, Bapa and Bhai. Without you guys, I wouldn’t have made it to NC State, let alone work for Technician. Thank you for always being so encouraging and supporting my decision to work at a newspaper despite being a biology major. My brother posted one of the first articles I ever wrote for Technician on his socials, and while it

definitely wasn’t one of my better pieces, that small gesture made me feel so proud of my work and supported by my family. My out-of-Technician support system, Grant and Hillary, thank you for being my best friends. I’ll always appreciate your patience with me as I ranted about a bad day or talked about an idea for the paper. You were the first people I called after I got the job, and you will continue to be the first people I go to whenever anything major happens in my life, good or bad. Y’all are my rocks, and I love you so much.

Next, I have to give a big shoutout to the first editor I worked under as a first-year, Joey Rivenbark. Thank you for introducing me to opinion writing, for teaching me how to write for a newspaper and for making the opinion meetings so fun I never wanted to skip one. Your faith in me encouraged me to apply to be a section editor, and I wouldn’t have lasted this long without your guidance.

Jaylan, Tristan and Caryl (JTC!), y’all were the best managerial editors I could have ever asked for as a section editor. Jaylan, I’ll be honest, I was super intimidated by you when I first started working with you, but then I realized you were just a big goofball who loved Technician. Thank you for showing me how to be a good EIC, and while I probably wasn’t as good as you, I think I did decent, and I hope I made you proud. Caryl, thanks for being such a wonderful editor to work with, and we really missed your crazy energy in the office this year. Tristan, I will be thankful to you for the rest of my life because I never would have been Editor-in-Chief without you. Thank you

for pushing me to apply for the job, for all your help during the application process and for all your words of encouragement.

Mari, you’re the first friend I made at Technician. I think we were quite literally the dream team running Opinion together during our junior year, and I am so grateful for every moment I got to work with you. Thank you for all the memories of leading section meetings, working with writers, getting coffee, laughing about a certain someone always falling off furniture and for making the best guacamole on the planet. I think I might miss that more than anything else.

Patrick Neal and Ben McNeely, thank you for sharing all your wisdom with me and the rest of the staff throughout this year. Patrick, you made the transition from Vol. 102 to Vol. 103 so easy and enjoyable, and I’m going to miss hearing all your crazy stories working with Student Media. I will always think of you when I watch Georgia play football, and how you’d sign off your emails with “Go Dogs!” during football season. Ben, thanks for all the energy you bring into the newsroom and for helping us come up with so many ideas for the paper. Your love for the paper is unmatched, and I can’t wait to see how Technician grows under your guidance. This year hasn’t been the easiest to report on, but both of y’all’s help and encouragement got us through it.

My biggest thank you goes to my best friends, my ride-or-dies and the best managing editors I could have ever asked for, Sam and Wade. Thank you for always having my back and being so supportive and dependable. I don’t think I would

have enjoyed this role without you two, and you made every second a rewarding experience. Sam, I’m going to miss all our secret conversations and emotional heartto-hearts, bonding over how to annoy Wade and our Tuesday-night dinners. Wade, I’m going to miss your silly jokes, how you always manage to get on Sam’s nerves and your rare hugs. While I fully expect you to just drop off the face of the Earth after graduation, I hope you stay in touch. There’s no one else I would have rather had helping me run a paper, and I’m so grateful for the two of you always going over and beyond.

Lastly, to next year’s EICs, Ethan Bakogiannis and Jameson Wolf, and their managing editor Emily Vespa, I’m so proud of how far you’ve come, and I know y’all are going to do an amazing job with Vol. 104. The three of you are some of the most talented, passionate and dedicated student journalists I’ve had the pleasure of working with, and I have no doubt you’re going to do great.

To everyone else in Student Media, thank you for giving me the opportunity to grow and make so many memories here. I never thought a singular building would be so important to me, but after four amazing years, Witherspoon Student Center will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you, Technician, for everything.

Signing off as Editor-in-Chief for the last time,

Shilpa Giri

Work hard, don’t forget to play harder

Think back to your favorite memories of recess. Try to recall the things you and your classmates pretended to be. Remember the excitement of the swingset. Maybe at some point there was a class-wide game of red light, green light or capture the flag. Even if you were more of an indoor kid, I’m sure you had your favorite crafts or a toy you always made sure to grab. How long ago was that?

Will LaMarche Staff Writer

meet people and socialize. In this way, play can become the basis for future relationships. It helps that everyone is usually working towards the same goal, unless you’re ‘it’ or the shark. And, with games especially, there is an easily-achievable objective. In the case of these games, it’s to not be tagged. But outside of a handful of playground games, what does it mean to play? Anne McLaughlin, a professor from the University’s department of psychology, said play is voluntary.

cess is not procrastination — it’s self-care. Recess itself is a break from one’s responsibilities. It’s a way for you to do something you enjoy and focus on just one thing, even if it’s by yourself.

That’s the other thing about play: it’s completely subjective.

We need to play more; it’s good for us physically, socially and mentally, and as college students, we are presented with no better opportunity than now.

Think about it — recess was a means for us to run around, make friends and take a break from work. Games like tag or sharks and minnows make exercise fun, and forming the groups to play them encourages us to

“I would define play as activities that give you a feeling of accomplishment or reward, that don’t necessarily have an end goal that feeds one of your basic needs, like making money, eating, drinking,” McLaughlin said. That feeling of accomplishment or reward is especially important in an environment like college where so much can seem unfamiliar. Taking a break from reading a dense textbook or trying to make sense of your notes to play with Legos or color a mandala is still productive. Allowing yourself a re-

“It’s interesting to look at what play means to individuals, because I think that a lot more things constitute as play than people would necessarily admit,” McLaughlin said. “For example, a relative who’s fairly grouchy would say that he does not play. But then he would never miss his weekly poker game.”

Simply put, play is about having fun. This applies to activities you might not be great at as well. Even if you’re not the best table tennis player or painter, you can still enjoy doing those activities. It could be because you like seeing the improvement in your skill, or because the process itself is relaxing. And, again, play provides an opportunity to socialize or be alone.

I’m sure some of this seems awkward. The

thought of your roommate watching you play with Play-Doh or passersby staring at your freeze tag game in the Court of North Carolina might be mortifying. But I would argue a college campus is the best place for us to play. It’s a place where we can enjoy the last strands of our youth together and take what we love most into adulthood. After all, play never really leaves us. It may change, but we always do it.

“I think that it’s a fairly basic human drive,” McLaughlin said. “I think that you would be hard-pressed to find any culture that doesn’t have play. If it’s that universal, there must be something pretty basic about it.”

Ultimately, play is the chance to have fun. Maybe play for you is writing short stories or maybe it’s spikeball. It could be in your artist group or clubs. But never feel embarrassed to seek it out in a game of hide-andseek or Connect Four. Just go have fun — I promise you, everyone else wants to play too.

Letter from the editor: thanks, Mom and Dad

Sam Overton

Vol. 103 Managing Editor

If you’ve heard me say it once, you’ve heard me say it a hundred times: my parents met at Technician. My mom was a photographer with a penchant for partying on the weekends, my dad was a straight-laced sports writer — a ladies’ man, even if he won’t admit it now — and the rest is history.

They filled our house with light and literature, giving me that slightly crunchy, granola-esque upbringing marked by trips to the mountains, issues of “Highlights” and homemade dinners almost every night. After years of rooting for the red-and-white at every opportunity and (lovingly) hearing my dad drone on and on about his college years, I finally committed to NC State — in the midst of a pandemic, mind you. It was a blind leap of faith into very comfortable waters, but I had no idea what I was getting into.

That being said, I don’t think my parents expected I would join their college paper.

To be fair, they warned me about getting into journalism. Their low-salaried jobs at a newspaper in the middle of Georgia didn’t exactly bode well for financial stability, and my mom didn’t want to see her eldest daughter follow in her footsteps that closely.

So, I made the decision to study biology. I strayed away from pursuing journalism full-time and, instead, sought a happy balance between the sciences and communication. I notched technical writing internships and worked my tuchus off to graduate in three years.

My parents would’ve been proud of me no matter what route I took, but their endless confidence in my ability to make it through the good, bad and ugly led me to where I am today. More importantly, they supported my love for writing and journalism, which led me up the two (steep) flights of stairs at Witherspoon Student Center and into the Technician office where they’d met so many years before.

Throughout the last three years, I’ve laughed, cried and fallen off furniture in that office. I met my best friends, complained about poorly written articles and

watched editors and writers come and go. There aren’t enough thank-yous in the world for the people who’ve stepped into my life thanks to Technician, but I’ll do my best with the limited space I have.

Mari Fabian and Allie Remhof, thank you both for your endless support. There’s something to be said about friends you can chat with for hours — and lord knows we do — but I’d be just as happy to sit in comfortable silence with the two of you. I love you guys.

Ethan Bakogiannis, I’m endlessly proud of you. You morphed from a budding sports correspondent to a leader in every sense of the word, and I’m so excited for who you’ve become and everything you will be. You’ve got this, kid. And if you need me, I’ll be there in 15 or less.

Wade Bowman, even if you drop off the face of the Earth after we graduate, you made life worth living for a good chunk of my senior year. You kept me tethered to this job, reminded me that even bad things happen for a reason and introduced me to some really, really good music. No matter where you end up, I hope the people you meet in my absence treat you well. You deserve it.

Shilpa, darling, we did it. Between you and Wade, I couldn’t have asked for a better duo to run this paper with. You’re a beam of warm sunlight in the slightly dingy, window-less newsroom, and I wish we could work together forever. Who knows — since we’re applying for the same jobs, maybe we’ll con some recruiter into hiring the both of us so we can ride into the sunset together. You’re my rock, my cheerleader and my best friend.

Finally — Mom, Dad, thanks for everything. Thank you, Mom, for taking my calls and welcoming me home twice a week, sometimes more. You’re truly everything I am and everything I hope to be. Dad, I know there’ll be countless Hurricanes and Yankees (and Phillies, perhaps?) games in our future. Thanks for pushing me to new heights and persuading me to attend NC State. You were right — it’s where I belong.

Anyway, this won’t be the last time y’all hear from me. There’s still playoff hockey, after all.

All my love — Sam

ETHAN RIMOLT/TECHNICIAN

Ugly Duckling

Harrison Burstion, Staff Cartoonist

A second-year studying art and design

Nova and Comet: Cartoonists of the Future

Pearl Knight, Staff Cartoonist

A fourth-year studying art and design

Season’s Pickin’s: Dandelion Tea

Wylie Phu, Staff Cartoonist

A second-year studying art and design

Pool Party

Avery Szakacs, Staff Cartoonist

A second-year studying art and design

Tunes Sophie Gabriel, Staff Cartoonist

A second-year studying art and design

Helping Hand Lucy Osborn, Staff Cartoonist

A second-year studying art and design

Culture Arts wrapup: A look back on spring 2023

Emilia Rivadeneira Culture Editor

From plays at Stewart Theatre to live concerts and arts exhibitions at the Gregg Museum, NC State’s arts scene offered a lot this semester.

Let’s start off with “Urinetown,” the musical production that poked fun at capitalism and brought artful satire to life. This production, the first to be staged in Stewart Theater since spring of 2020, was a huge success.

Joshua Reaves, program director with University Theatre, said performing at Stewart was fun yet challenging.

“It was great being back and, you know, we had to relearn a lot of things,” Reaves said. “There was a lot of ‘Oh, yeah, I forgot about that,’ ... but it’s been a while since we’ve had a cast and crew that was so excited to be there and so excited to perform and just be part of something that brought in a large community of students together.”

The Gregg Museum also had several exhibitions throughout the semester, such as “True Likeness,” brought by the Van Every/Smith Galleries at Davidson College and “This is Not: Aldwyth in Retrospect,” curated by Mark Sloan.

In a previous Technician article, Editor-In-Chief Jameson Wolf said showcasing both exhibits together served to explore the artists’ ideas about identity from different angles.

Both exhibits are still on display, “True Likeness” in the Black/Sanderson gallery through July 22 and “This is Not: Aldwyth in Retrospect” in the Adams and Woodson galleries through Oct. 7. Mark Tulbert, director of arts marketing at NC State, said even though these exhibitions will eventually close, the Gregg Museum will still have them available virtually on its website.

QuickSCRIPTS, a one-night event that

showcases four 10-minute plays written, cast and produced in 72 hours, was also a popular event this semester.

“We started [QuickSCRIPTS] last summer actually, so it’s not even a year old yet,” Reaves said. “We did one in the summer and then we did three this academic year: two in the fall, one in the spring.”

Reaves also mentioned that this event is open to all community members, not only students, thus enhancing collabora-

tion between local actors working in the area and students interested in the arts.

The popularity for QuickSCRIPTS has increased, as it promotes freedom since the idea of the plays are not focused on the final product but rather the process of creating it.

“I have a sense or feeling that students don’t want to fail, like, ‘No, I’m going to work my butt off and do what I have to do to make sure this is exactly perfect,’ and QuickSCRIPTS doesn’t allow you

to do that,” Reaves said. “It forces you to make a choice, right or wrong, and just go with it, go with your gut. Don’t research, don’t take your time thinking about it. If it’s wrong, who cares.”

As the semester comes to an end, it’s important to highlight the contribution of the arts to our community, as each event fosters mutual support and collaboration that creates an impact on students’ lives and will continue to in the future.

PHOTOS BY JEREMY BYRNE, JERMAINE HUDSON AND CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN

Wolfstock expands reach, invites familiar artists to campus

Matthew Burkhart Staff Writer

Nearing the end of the semester, University Activities Board is preparing to host Wolfstock, their annual, festivalstyle, end-of-year event and concert on campus. With a scavenger hunt, the board revealed Ross Lynch’s band, The Driver Era, as the headliner act, joined by Triangle-based band Weston Estate as the opening act.

Wolfstock will take place Saturday, April 22, and is a two-part event: a daytime festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in different locations on main campus and a concert in Stafford Commons at 8 p.m.

Colby McSwain, a third-year studying mechanical engineering and the board’s entertainment committee chair, said Wolfstock is the board’s biggest event of the year, attracting more than 6,000 attendees last year.

Tara Spencer, a third-year studying psychology and the board’s spirit committee chair, said they are hoping to boost attendance through the expansion of the daytime festival, where carnival games, giveaways and other activities will be held. Previously, the festival was held at Miller Fields, but will now take place at six locations on main campus.

In addition to the main concert, 10 NC State-based bands will perform in the Brickyard from 1:30-6:15 p.m. in the Wolfstock Student Showcase.

Morgan Carden, a second-year studying chemical engineering, is on the board’s entertainment committee and had a role in organizing the artist reveal in Stafford Commons.

The reveal had students following cryptic hints from the board’s social media accounts and looking for clues throughout the area. Carden said this was the first time they took an interactive approach for revealing the main artists.

“We wanted to definitely have something more interactive with students with a scavenger hunt, just to make it more fun than just looking at and seeing what it says right off the bat,” Carden said.

McSwain said a form was used to find which artists students were most interested in, and The Driver’s Era was chosen for its popularity and nostalgia from Ross Lynch’s role in Disney Channel’s “Austin & Ally.”

Weston Estate, the opening act, has two members who are NC State students, Srikar Nanduri and Abhishek Manhass. McSwain said since they are both fourthyears, the board is envisioning their performance as being a sendoff from the University following their booming success, as the band now boasts over one million monthly listeners on Spotify.

“They’re actually graduating this year,

so we wanted to try to get them kind of like a cool graduation recognition from us to them,” McSwain said. “There’s starting to be a huge following for them.”

Carden said Wolfstock has become so loved due to its proximity to the last day of class.

“I would say it’s also one of the largest

just because so many students come out and so many students look forward to it,” Carden said. “It’s kind of like the last hurrah of the year before finals.”

SARAH COCHRAN/TECHNICIAN

The student crowd sings along with The Backseat Lovers during Wolfstock at Stafford Commons on Monday, April 25, 2022. Wolfstock is an annual festival event hosted by the University Activities Board that celebrates the end of the school year.

NATALIE FOLSOM/TECHNICIAN

Students battle each other in bubble soccer during the Wolfstock Festival on Miller Field on Monday, April 25, 2022. Wolfstock is an allday festival and concert hosted at the end of the school year.

Local nonprofit Art for All cultivates community through creative expression

Elizabeth Dull Culture Editor

Art for All is a nonprofit, mobile art studio based in Raleigh that promotes arts education and making through community-oriented workshops.

Jennifer Seaver, the founder and executive director of Art for All, aims to make artistic endeavors accessible throughout the Triangle.

“Our mission is to cultivate community through art by providing arts education and experience to all regardless of means,” Seaver said. “We do that through different programs, including pop-up mobile art studios and paywhat-you-can art classes.”

Seaver graduated from NC State with a bachelor’s in leadership in the public sector and noted that her coursework helped her to create the idea of the organization.

“I used my coursework to develop the business plan and feasibility study for the organization,” Seaver said. “There were a lot of NC State students who helped and professors who helped me kind of create this idea and move forward with making it real.”

Many of Seaver’s classmates at NC State have helped cultivate the image of Art for All.

Elizabeth Chen, a board member and

design committee chair for Art for All, met Seaver at NC State and helped design visuals for the organization, which she said has been a rewarding experience.

“I’m currently getting my master’s in graphic and experience design at NC State, and [Seaver] was looking for someone to help her out with social media,” Chen said. “It’s been pretty rewarding to help bring art into communities who may not typically be exposed to art.”

A main priority for Art for All is accessibility. It has diverse program offerings to make sure there is something of interest for everyone.

“[Art for All] wants to make art accessible to people who say they’re not creative or don’t make art,” Seaver said. “Art is very relative to the individual. … I’m trying to get people to access that creative part within themselves that they don’t necessarily tap into normally.”

Pay-what-you-can class offerings are a large part of the work Art for All offers in the Triangle, which is consistent with its dedication to accessibility.

“Anybody can come in and donate any amount,” Seaver said. “Fifty percent of our participants pay less than half the suggested donation to nothing at all. We do allow people to come in and do art

activities with us at no cost.”

Recently, Art for All has been introducing its programs to NC State. A poster design competition will be held in Talley Student Union Thursday, April 20, from 3-6 p.m., where participants design posters based on Art for All’s core values.

The competition came about during Art for All’s project cycle with 180 Degrees Consulting at NC State, an on-campus organization where undergraduates provide high-level, pro-bono consulting services to local and international non-profits. Students receive training and support from a global team as well as large consulting firms such as McKinsey and Deloitte.

“We have three posters being printed for the poster fundraiser on Thursday, April 20,” said Sharon George, a project lead at 180 Degrees Consulting. “We will also have Art for All T-shirts, tote bags and things like that.”

Art for All has collaborated with

various businesses in the Triangle to reach multiple audiences. Maggie Kane, founder and executive director of A Place at the Table, said she having another pay-what-you-can organization to collaborate with in the area.

“Art for All has run a couple of art classes at A Place at the Table that are pay-what-you-can and community art,” Kane said. “She’s worked with our community to create art pieces where everyone has a hand in it.”

With a volunteer staff that is growing, Art for All encourages those passionate about its mission to consider volunteer work with the organization. Volunteer tasks may include setting up tables and helping with registration.

“We are 100% volunteer based, so we’re looking for generous people willing to give their time and talents to make this run,” Seaver said. “It’s quite fun [to volunteer] because it’s very social and engaging.”

Relentless positivity: How graduate student Alana Smith dealt with adversity as an athlete

Ethan Bakogiannis Editor-in-Chief

No matter how hard anyone may try, there’s no escaping the unexpected challenges and adversity we all face in life — especially in sports. No matter how inevitable those challenges may be, oftentimes they still come as a complete surprise when they happen.

Needless to say, when graduate student Alana Smith of the NC State women’s tennis team was told she’d have to forgo her senior season in 2022 due to injury, she was shocked.

However, nearly a year and a half later, Smith’s experience with adversity has become a part of her journey as an athlete, a part that she wouldn’t take back no matter how tough it was.

Smith has been crucial to NC State’s success in her time here. A pillar of the team in all aspects, the three-time All-American has helped the Wolfpack become a mainstay in the top 10 nationallyranked teams in the past few seasons. But when a seemingly rolled ankle sustained in an offseason practice turned into a season-ending injury, Smith was forced to take a step back.

“I don’t think it really hit me until a couple of doctor’s appointments later,” Smith said. “They were like ‘Yeah, you’re definitely going to have to get surgery, and you’re going to be out the whole year,’ and I was like ‘What do you mean, it’s my senior season.’ That was definitely a tough pill to swallow.”

Being sidelined for her senior season and the team’s most-anticipated year of tennis yet was something Smith and head coach, Simon Earnshaw, were understandably not prepared for. Injuries, or lifealtering obstacles in general, are never in anyone’s plans, making it all the more difficult to deal with them once they occur.

“I don’t think there’s any guidebook on how to handle situations like that,” Earnshaw said. “For the most part, that was the first time I’ve ever had a season-ending injury where it gets somebody out for the whole year. It’s just one of those things, whether being out in that way, or somebody just doesn’t pan out or you don’t get a recruit … What are you going to do? You’ve got to keep going and figure out how best to play the players you do have.”

The only thing you can do is persevere. As a coach, Earnshaw had to adapt to losing one of his best players, if not his best player, for the 2022 season — a season that actually ended up as the best in program history, even without Smith in the lineup.

However, it was a different story for Smith. While she had to persevere, she was forced to do it while cheering on her teammates from the sidelines and learning how to live without playing the sport she loves. While it wasn’t easy, a determined mindset and a dedication to staying positive kept Smith afloat throughout the time that she was injured.

“So I feel like last year for me, I tried to stay positive,” Smith said. “I don’t think I was my normal self last year because I was down at certain times, but I think that by staying positive … now I’m getting to where I want to be.”

No matter how forced it was, that relentless positivity and a strong support system — two key elements to overcoming adversity — got Smith through an experi-

ence that ultimately became just another step in her journey as a person and an athlete.

“It just matured me a little bit to see the higher problems or situations that could potentially be a lot worse,” Smith said.

Besides offering perspective, these moments can be a teaching experience to everyone on how to deal with adversity, no matter the situation.

Fast forward through many months of rehab, hard work and countless hours spent waiting until she could get back on the courts in her final season, Smith is back and better than ever.

Throughout the regular season, she looked like she didn’t miss a beat, and added even more to her already impressive resume to secure her place as one of the best players in program history. Smith reached the 100win mark in singles with her straight-sets win against Virginia Tech, on senior day, no less, making her the second player in program history with 100 singles and 100 doubles wins.

You couldn’t write a better senior day script if you tried. Smith’s family watched from the stands as she

captured her 100th singles win and finally received the senior day ceremony she missed in 2022, making for a special moment.

“It’s really special,” Smith said. “For me, I’ve been waiting a year for this moment … obviously with the injury and everything it got postponed, so I think this year was even bigger for me, and my whole family got to come out and see.”

That day encapsulated and celebrated Smith’s time at NC State — the ups, downs and everything in between, including the injury.

“I’ve had an amazing five years,” Smith said. “I wouldn’t change it at all — even my injury because I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have that. My five years here have been amazing.”

In the end, Smith’s experience mimics life — as sports often do. Adversity like her injury offers perspective, grants opportunities for growth and makes the eventual triumph over all of it that much sweeter, and, like Smith, all you need is a bit of relentless positivity to overcome whatever challenges you may face.

STEFANIE HARPER/TECHNICIAN

Graduate Alana Smith shows off her new plaque before the match at Dail Outdoor Tennis Stadium on Sunday, April 16, 2023. Smith won her doubles and singles match. NC State beat Virginia Tech 7-0.

NC State Athletics’ 2022-2023 superlatives

TechSports Staff

As the 2022-23 school year comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on some of the great individual performances in NC State Athletics over the last year.

From breakout stars to champions doing their thing, our staff has composed a list of awards for the best athletic performances NC State had to offer.

MVP - Katelyn Tuohy, Cross Country/Track and Field

Over the course of the 2022-23 school year, junior Katelyn Tuohy has captured three national titles — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Tuohy started the year off strong, finishing the 2022 cross country season as an ACC champion, Southeast Regional champion and national champion, leading her team to a second straight national title. She was recognized as the USTFCCCA Women’s Athlete of the Year, ACC Women’s Runner of the Year and Honda Award winner for her efforts.

Indoors for Tuohy was no different — she went on to win an ACC title in the 3000m and a national title in both the 3000m and the 5000m. As impressive as that all sounds, this list isn’t exhaustive, and the year isn’t over yet.

Most Improved - Aydan White, Football

Entering the 2022 campaign, NC State football was already expected to have a strong defensive unit, but sophomore cornerback Aydan White’s emergence helped create one of the top defenses in the country. White made his presence known in the season opener at ECU, where he broke up three passes, and weeks later, he ran back an 84-yard picksix against Texas Tech. White appeared in all 13 games this season and racked up a team-high four interceptions and nine pass breakups.

Freshman of the year - Diana Shnaider, Women’s Tennis

While there are many great freshman athletes on campus, there’s only one that can claim a spot within the top-100 players in the world of their respective sport — Diana Shnaider of NC State women’s tennis.

Shnaider is a three-time Junior Grand Slam champion and is used to competing on a worldwide level against the best of the best. But this season, Shnaider — the No. 88 player in the world — joined the Wolfpack to take on college tennis, and the superstar has done nothing but shine since arriving on campus. She

immediately assumed the first spot in a talented NC State lineup and made the red-and-white even more dangerous with her thunderous forehand and relentless drive.

State gymnastics this season. The East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) named Rutherford to the 2023 secondteam floor squad — her third time as an All-EAGL honoree. In addition to an impressive collegiate resume that only continues to grow, Rutherford demonstrates great poise at a young age, making her one of the most underrated athletes on campus.

Rising Star - Aziaha James, Women’s Basketball

Sophomore guard Aziaha James flew under the radar for the better part of the 2022-23 season, but when the lineup thinned out due to injury and the Pack needed someone to step up, she made herself known.

James’ most memorable performance of the year was undoubtedly her 18-point effort against UNC when she led her team to an overtime victory. After her breakout, James earned the starting nod in the last six games of the season. She notched a career-high 20 points against Virginia Tech and went on to score in the double digits in two of the Pack’s three postseason games. With many players graduating or entering the transfer portal, James is shaping up to be a key part of the Wolfpack’s lineup for the upcoming 2023-24 season.

Transfer of the year - Jarkel Joiner, Men’s Basketball

While graduate guard Jarkel Joiner was only with NC State men’s basketball for one season, he made an immediate impact as soon as he stepped foot on campus. Joiner was a key part in leading the Wolfpack back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018, averaging 17 points per game along with 3.6 assists per game.

After joining the team in 2022, Joiner quickly became the leader of the Pack, creating bonds with his teammates in a short amount of time. He won’t be soon forgotten by Wolfpack fans for his clutch performances and killer mentality on the court.

Most Underrated - Lauren Rutherford, Gymnastics

Often overshadowed by a dominant group of seniors, sophomore Lauren Rutherford was a key contributor for NC

Graduate guard Jarkel Joiner celebrates after scoring during the quarterfinal round of the ACC Tournament against Clemson in Greensboro Coliseum on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Joiner scored 10 points, made three assists and had two steals for the Pack. The Wolfpack lost to the Tigers 80-54.

People’s Choice - DJ Burns, Men’s Basketball

NC State Athletics benefitted across the board when it came to transfers finding success this year, but no athlete captured the hearts of Wolfpack nation quite like graduate forward DJ Burns.

Fans got up and rowdy practically every time Burns touched the ball once he got going halfway through the season. Burns reciprocated all of the love throughout a year where the Wolfpack greatly exceeded expectations, and fans would love nothing more than to see number 30 suit up once again for his last year of eligibility.

Leadership award - Kristen McDaniel, Volleyball

Graduate setter Kristen McDaniel is one of the most reliable athletes on campus. Throughout her four — and soon to be five — years with the Pack, McDaniel has racked up 313 sets played, and during the 2022 season she never missed a match.

Right now in college athletics, it’s normal to see transfers coming and going, but one thing that hasn’t changed in Reynolds Coliseum in recent seasons is McDaniel’s talent. In October, she reached the coveted 2,000 assist mark, which goes to show that McDaniel has been instrumental in leading the Pack on and off the court.

CATE HUMPHREYS/TECHNICIAN Freshman Diana Shnaider smiles in celebration during the match against Texas at Dail Outdoor Tennis Stadium on Monday, April 10, 2023. NC State beat Texas 5-2.

EMILY PEEDIN/TECHNICIAN

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN Sophomore guard Aziaha James celebrates making a shot and being fouled during the game against Duke inside Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. James scored 11 points and made three rebounds for the Wolfpack. NC State lost to Duke 72-58.

Year in Review: Ranking the best games of the 2022-23 athletic season

TechSports Editors

The 2022-23 school year has been a wild ride for NC State Athletics — but we wouldn’t want it any other way. Just in case you missed anything, our editors have compiled a ranked list of the Pack’s best games this year.

1. Men’s basketball knocks off UNC behind electric, late-game surge

It had been 10 long years since NC State beat North Carolina in front of fans at PNC Arena, and the roof nearly exploded during the Pack’s electric 77-69 win on Feb. 19. Graduate guard Jarkel Joiner made sure NC State fans went home happy, leading the Pack on an exhilarating surge down the stretch and doing his part in ensuring the preseason No. 1 Tar Heels missed the NCAA Tournament.

by its backcourt, the Pack took a sizable lead into halftime before Miami clawed back in the game, but sophomore forward Ernest Ross saved the day with his clutch overtime performance.

5. Football shocks Seminoles in rollercoaster

game

An ugly win, a lucky last play — whatever you want to call it, NC State football’s 1917 win over FSU was one to remember, for better or for worse. While many remember it as the game redshirt junior quarterback Devin Leary went down with a seasonending injury, many others remember it for sophomore defensive back Devan Boykin’s miraculous game-winning interception to steal a near-guaranteed win from the Seminoles.

6. Women’s basketball defeats topranked Notre Dame

2. Ben Finley

leads football to improbable win over UNC in CarterFinley West

While the 2022 NC State football season didn’t go nearly the way many had hoped, the Pack managed to salvage the season and end on a high note with its thrilling double overtime win over North Carolina. The win came in the unlikeliest fashion: on the road against the No. 17 team in the country, and it was a fourth-string quarterback — redshirt freshman Ben Finley — who outdueled UNC’s Heisman-hopeful Drake Maye in the renamed “Carter-Finley West.”

3. Women’s basketball wins overtime thriller against UNC in “small gym”

In a primetime rematch between NC State’s and UNC’s women’s basketball teams, the Wolfpack came back from a 10-point deficit in order to take down the rival Tar Heels. Senior wing Jakia BrownTurner and sophomore guard Aziaha James both racked up points in the double digits, with James leading the team on a furious comeback down the stretch. Reynolds Coliseum was lit up by a sold-out crowd of Wolfpack faithful, and their energy helped the Pack outscore UNC 15-4 in OT.

4. Men’s basketball stuns Miami in overtime thriller

Out for revenge after an early season loss, NC State won a 83-81 dogfight over the future Final Four-bound Hurricanes. Fueled

In front of a sold-out crowd at Reynolds Coliseum, the Pack took down the then No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish to extend its win streak to three games. After a rocky start to the new year, the red-and-white restored its fan’s faith with a thrilling 6965 victory.

7. Wrestling wins fifth consecutive ACC title

NC State wrestling continued its dominant reign over the ACC this year, earning five individual conference champions and a team score of 101.5, the highest at the ACC Championships since 2007. The championship was head coach Pat Poplizio’s sixth at NC State, an extra-special victory considering the Pack hosted the ACC Championships in Reynolds Coliseum.

8.

Joseph’s buzzer-beating goal gifts women’s soccer win over Campbell

While all signs pointed to a less-thanexciting 0-0 draw, senior forward Jameese Joseph made this one an instant classic with her walk-off goal against Campbell. With less than 10 seconds in the game, Joseph called game with a buzzer-beating goal to send the Camels home shocked, and Dail Soccer Field into a frenzy.

9. Men’s basketball destroys No. 16 Duke at PNC Arena

In a contest where many expected the Pack to be defeated by a talented Duke

GRIFFIN BRYANT/TECHNICIAN

Graduate cornerback Derrek Pitts Jr. waves an NC State flag after the Wolfpack’s last regular season football game against the UNC-Chapel Hill Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022. The Wolfpack beat the Tar Heels in double overtime 30-27.

SARAH COCHRAN/TECHNICIAN

Senior forward Jameese Joseph celebrates her late game goal to clinch the victory over the Campbell Camels on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022 on Dail Soccer Field. This was Joseph’s second goal of the season for the Wolfpack. NC State beat Campbell 1-0.

Sports

squad, the red-and-white flipped the script and defeated the Blue Devils 88-66. Sophomore guard Terquavion Smith and graduate guard Jarkel Joiner each put on stellar performances, scoring 24 and 21 points, respectively.

10. Football knocks off rival Wake Forest to tie record for consecutive home wins

In his first career start, MJ Morris dazzled Wolfpack fans, throwing for 210 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, NC State’s defense locked down the Demon Deacons, allowing just 17 rushing yards the whole game. The end result was a 30-21 victory that tied a school record for 16 consecutive home wins.

11.

LuJames Groover saves baseball’s season with walk-off against Louisville

If NC State ends up making the NCAA Tournament and going on a significant run, the team could very well look back on its series-opening win over Louisville as the moment that saved the season. Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth, junior third baseman LuJames Groover came through clutch with the bases loaded, nailing a base hit that scored the winning two runs and earned the Pack the first of two huge wins over the No. 11 Cardinals.

12.

Men’s tennis turns Chapel Hill into home match, upsets Heels 4-1

The NC State-UNC rivalry never seems to disappoint, no matter the sport. This go-round, NC State men’s tennis upset the Heels 4-1 for one of its biggest wins of the season. By the end, Carolina fans were dwarfed by the Wolfpack faithful who journeyed to Chapel Hill, making for an electric atmosphere.

13. Volleyball sweeps Indiana in non-conference match

An early-season matchup in Reynolds Coliseum saw NC State volleyball sweep the Indiana Hoosiers 3-0, with multiple players hitting the double digits in kills. Graduate student opposite hitter Vanja Bukilic racked up 13 kills throughout the three sets, followed close behind by sophomore outside hitter Martyna Leoniak with 12. The court was buzzing with anticipation for the new season, and the team looked like one well-oiled machine as it served up aces and dominated at the net.

14. Softball takes down No. 8 Clemson at Dail

After dropping the first two games in the series, NC State softball defeated No. 8 Clemson in a 7-5 victory. Led by a three-run homer from Amanda Hasler in the first inning, the momentum in the Wolfpack batter’s box did not slow down as the game progressed. Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Aisha Weixlmann recorded five strikeouts against the Tigers and pitched three no-run innings.

15. Football rallies to overcome 18-point deficit against Virginia Tech

Following a dismal 24-9 loss to Syracuse, NC State football was in desperate need of someone to fill the shoes of redshirt junior quarterback Devin Leary, who was injured in the game prior. Against the Hokies, freshman quarterback MJ Morris stepped up to throw three touchdowns in twenty minutes of play to lift the Wolfpack to victory despite being down 21-3 in the third quarter.

JON WILLIAMS/TECHNICIAN

Sophomore guard Terquavion Smith hugs graduate guard Jarkel Joiner after Joiner scored during the game against UNCChapel Hill in PNC Arena on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023. Smith had 12 points for NC State. The Wolfpack beat the Tar Heels 7769.

KAELA BELINGON/TECHNICIAN

Redshirt junior Trent Hidlay celebrates winning the finals round of the tournament during the ACC Wrestling Championship in Reynolds Coliseum on Sunday, March 5, 2023. Hidlay took home the championship in the 184 weight class for NC State. NC State placed first with a score of 101.5.

ETHAN RIMOLT/TECHNICIAN Junior Luca Staeheli celebrates a point during the away tennis match against UNC-Chapel Hill at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center on Friday, March 31, 2023. Staeheli won his singles match. NC State beat UNC 4-1.