Tripartisan: Olympic sports continue to thrive at NC State
Posted February 14, 2020 2:04 p.m. EST
Updated February 14, 2020 8:40 p.m. EST
There are multiple ways to build an athletics department, and a lot of it boils down to how an athletics director looks to spread the wealth. Some programs place additional value on the revenue sports with the majority of funds distributed to the "Big Two" – basketball and football. Non-revenue (or Olympic) sports are cut to justify the spending in hopes of allowing football and basketball to reach full potential.
Which has to be a goal, right? Most college fans focus on football and men's basketball relative to their favorite school. If you're elite in those two, you're often happy as a fan.
However, a lot of fans value those non-revenue sports just as much, and one of the biggest positives of the Debbie Yow era as AD at NC State was her insistence to help the non-revenue sports excel. Under Yow, NC State consistently improved in the Director's Cup standings, a rankings system created to thoroughly evaluate all sports within an athletics department.
With Boo Coorigan in place, those sports continue to thrive.
Let's start with women's basketball, where Wes Moore has it rolling in Raleigh. The Wolfpack women are currently ranked No. 4 nationally, its highest ranking in over 20 years, and is tied for first place in the ACC despite Thursday night's disappointing loss to Louisville. State hasn't won or shared the ACC regular season title since the 1989-1990 season, but with five games remaining is in position to do so.
With just one senior in the starting lineup and a strong recruiting class, Moore's program isn't going anywhere as the Pack continues to sell out Reynolds Coliseum and interest is at an all-time high.
Women's basketball isn't the only sport packing Reynolds, because Pat Popolizio has Wolfpack Wrestling operating on an elite level. Currently ranked No. 3 in the country, NC State can clinch a share of the ACC regular season title tonight with a win over No. 7 Virginia Tech, which would be the program's third straight title. NC State hasn't won three straight regular season titles since 2000-02.
NC State is off to a 13-0 start this season, and that is the second-best start in school history (21-0 in 2015-16). So far this season NC State has outscored its foes 398-102 (30.6-7.8) in its 13-0 start. The Pack has won 101 of its 130 individual matches (77.7%) and 50 of those 101 wins have been for bonus points (49.5%).
That's dominance.
Popolizio is easily one of the top wrestling coaches in the country and has turned NC State into a national power. NC State has been ranked in the Top 10 in the Coaches Poll for 71 straight cycles dating back over five seasons, and that is after having not been ranked in the Top 10 at all since 1993.
Maybe the best coaching job at NC State has been Braden Holloway with NC State's swimming and diving teams. They are currently ranked No. 3 (women's) and No. 7 (men's) in the country. Lacking facilities relative to his peers, all Holloway has done is win. Since Holloway was hired in 2011, NC State has won five men's ACC titles and two women's ACC titles. He has been named ACC Men's Coach of the Year SIX times and won the ACC Women's Coach of the Year in 2017.
Both tennis programs are crushing it right now with the men's undefeated at 8-0 and ranked No. 10 in the Oracle/ITA rankings. The spot marks the highest team ranking in program history. The women's squad is ranked No. 5 in the Oracle/ITA rankings; this is also the highest mark in program history.
Finally, Elliott Avent's baseball team hits the diamond for the first time this season today with expectations high. NC State is nationally ranked in all six major polls including No. 16 by Collegiate Baseball.
Do most fans primarily follow football and men's basketball? Yes, but that doesn't negate the importance of the non-revenue sports on the collegiate level, and NC State's willingness to invest in those programs has certainly enhanced the fan experience for Wolfpack Nation.
Tonight's home wrestling match against Virginia Tech will be televised on the ACC Network. Tune in and check out that atmosphere. It's going to be electric.
