They come in the form of vocal leaders, standouts with decorated resumes, and those with the intangibles that are virtually invisible to the casual observer. To be valuable is to be utterly irreplaceable, even if an individual must step into your shoes and attempt to replace you. Every organization has members nobody wants to see depart, and each program at State has several student-athletes who can be described as invaluable assets.
1. Ryan Hill (Cross Country/Track and Field) – NCSU’s Track and Field program has almost always been prolific in Rollie Geiger’s 33-year tenure as head coach, as the Pack has produced seven individual NCAA Champions and has been victorious in seven ACC Championships. But, program success aside, does any athlete at State have a resume as intimidating as redshirt junior Ryan Hill’s? He has the school record for the 1,500 meter, 3,000 meter and 5,000 meter runs, in addition to being the first Wolfpack runner to break a four-minute mile. In his first season of competition he almost instantaneously earned first team All-ACC and All-America honors, not to mention that no American collegiate runner in history has a faster time in the 3,000 meter run.
2. Stephanie Ouellette (Gymnastics) – Out of 14 meets, Ouellette participated in 55 of a possible 56 events and never had an all-around score of less than 38.500. Only finishing up her sophomore year just now, the Maryland native was also the first freshman since 1993 to qualify for the NCAA Championships as an individual. With group leaders Jess Panza and Brooke Barr set to graduate, Ouellette is in excellent position to be a cornerstone leader for the final half of her collegiate career.
3. Carlos Rodon (Baseball) – As an absolute workhorse on the mound (65.1 innings pitched), it’s difficult to imagine State baseball without its ace. Rodon is 6-0 with a 1.38 ERA and an opposing batting average of 1.91. The Pack is 22-5 when opponents fail to reach six runs, and Rodon is the straw that stirs the drink for that to happen. And what is the most impressive stat on Rodon ? He is only a freshman.
4. Nazmi Albadawi (Men’s Soccer) – Both soccer programs at State have been through tough times recently, and Albadawi was essentially the only member of the men’s team who demonstrated offensive flair. The junior and Raleigh native had nine goals, 33 shots on goal, 70 shot attempts, three-game winning goals, and 21 points overall for the 2011 season. Each of those stats is well over double the next closest number State player had this past season.
5. Calvin Leslie (Men’s Basketball) – Leslie led State in scoring on 15 occasions this season, including when it mattered in eight of the final 12 games of the season. At his best, the Holly Springs native has the ability to single-handedly take over a game with his long reach and deceptive athleticism. Unlike most student-athletes on this list, Leslie may have already played his last collegiate game.
6. David Amerson (Football) – How important is Amerson to State football? In 2011, the Pack went 7-2 in games where the sophomore had an interception. In the Pack’s eight wins this season, opponents only averaged 219 passing yards. Now heading into his junior year, the nation’s interception leader is a crucial piece to NCSU’s success in 2012, considering the pass defense has been an Achilles heel for State in the past four seasons (average of 74th best in the country).
7. Marissa Kastanek (Women’s Basketball) – While the program has struggled in recent years, Kastanek has been getting it done on the court (more than 1,000 points for career) and off the court (ACC Academic Honor Roll member.) The junior also participated in the 2011 Pan American Games for Team USA, adding to her resume as a leader.
8. Albin Choi (Men’s Golf) – The Canadian sophomore has taken three individual titles in his first two seasons and was unanimously tabbed ACC Freshman of the Year. The All-American is currently No. 9 in scoring average for the highly-competitive conference, and no other Pack golfer is in the top 30.
9. Jonathan Boffa (Swimming and Diving) – His is not a household name in the State athletic community, but the Italian was sensational in his sophomore season. Boffa reached the NCAA Championships, and also set the school record for the 100 freestyle. Although he certainly doesn’t represent all the team has to offer, Boffa does represent a very bright future for head coach Braden Holloway’s program.
10. Brittany Marchand (Women’s Golf) – A part of the best season in program history, Marchand became the first female golfer at State to pick up multiple individual wins in the same season. Although fellow Canadian Augusta James has a better scoring average, Marchand is one of the most winning golfers in the program’s history and has led the resurgence of Page Marsh’s team.
