CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Extending a win streak over the Heels that dates back to 2023, No. 21 NC State came up clutch late versus No. 13 North Carolina to win after being tied at 147.350 heading into the final event.
“We’re just together,” said head coach Kim Landrus. “We have one heartbeat. We are locked in. And I think it’s not about our opponent, of course, that fires them up, but it’s more about just we gotta do what we do, and we talk about that. We gotta do what we do.”
Finishing the meet on one of its weaker events, the Pack (4-2, 4-1 ACC) came through on the season-high 49.275-point beam performance to surpass the Tar Heels (3-5, 1-4 ACC) 196.625-196.325. Before the beam, the Pack showed out in the final two events despite weaker bars and vault showings. Blocking out the noise from the home crowd, the Pack took their seventh-straight win over the Heels, including six-straight dual-meet wins.
Reigning ACC Gymnast of the Week sophomore Syniya Thomas continued her successful second-year campaign with a strong score on the floor, posting 9.825 to help the Pack stay tied with the Heels, who were on the verge of taking the lead. Carolina’s top beam artist, JoJo Valahovic, posted a 9.950, but the Pack’s top performers stayed strong. When Thomas headed to the beam as the final Wolfpack contestant, the meet was all but won.
The meet began with NC State on the bars, where it got off to a rocky start. In total, the team achieved a 49.025 on the rotation after a fall from sophomore Jenna Rusk, whose meet was cut short due to a corresponding leg injury. Before that, sophomore Ava Myers posted a strong 9.750. Sophomore Caroline Volk delivered the highest score on bars with a 9.875, with a remarkably clean landing. Senior Madeline Reid was close behind with a 9.850.
Next up was the vault. Thomas earned a 9.875 on this rotation, higher than her teammates, with a stunning no-hop landing. Junior Lauren Wright did well herself with a score of 9.850 to open things up. Despite a strong showing on the vault, UNC met the Pack’s level, and NC State ended the second rotation 0.025 points behind its competitor.
In the second half of the meet, NC State pulled ahead by doing what it does best: the floor. This third rotation brought State up to a tie with UNC at 147.350. Freshman Autumn Rardin and junior Elle Hadrick both landed a 9.875 through Rardin’s smooth movements and Hadrick’s spinning jumps. Overall, the Pack scored highly on the floor, with only one gymnast scoring below a 9.800.
“I try to pretend there’s no pressure,” Thomas said about the tie going into the final rotation. “I try to pretend that I’m the first one going … so I make it a clean slate.”
Thomas was the last gymnast to go on the beam, finishing the meet for her team with a score of 9.875.
Before Thomas, junior Maddie Hall and freshman Adasyn Tackett both earned a 9.875 back-to-back to pull their team into a lead. With the beam, the meet was over, and NC State secured its seventh-straight win over UNC in a row.
The Pack will get another chance at the Heels this weekend in the 2026 Metroplex Challenge quad meet as it faces UNC, No. 17 Auburn and Boise State on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 8:15 p.m.
Landrus and Thomas are not shying away from a third straight matchup.
“We’re going to beat them again,” said Thomas. “That’s what that means.”
“We have our eyes on what we want, so we’ll leave it at that,” Landrus said.
