With the football team off to its best start since 2002, students and fans can hardly contain their enthusiasm. However, as the weather starts to cool down and leaves begin to fall, N.C. State fans have yet another season to look forward to – basketball.
Boasting a nationally ranked recruiting class, fresh new uniforms, and senior forward Tracy Smith’s preseason recognition as one of the top 50 players in men’s college basketball, and the women’s squad being ranked No. 20 in preseason polls, the excitement surrounding Wolfpack basketball is higher than it has been in recent history.
As a result of the hype, the athletic department planned the Red Rally to introduce this year’s teams to students and fans.
“The general fan base is just really excited about basketball this year, and we felt this was an opportunity to continue that excitement,” Assistant Athletic director for Marketing, Promotions and Web Operations Chris Alston said. “It’s a great opportunity to get the student fan base out there and let them see the team before the season starts up.”
The event will take place in Reynold’s Coliseum at 7 p.m. However, gates open at 5 for students and fans to enjoy an elaborate Fan Zone that celebrates the 100-year history of N.C. State basketball. The event will include formal drills, an intrasquad scrimmage, a dunk contest, and a shooting challenge, among other things.
“The student body will get to see the team in a formal format with the scrimmages and the drills, but it will also give the fans an opportunity to come out and see a different side of the student athletes that students normally don’t get to see,” Alston said.
Former ACC Player of the Year Julius Hodge will host the event alongside 99.9-FM The Fan’s Mark Thomas. For many Wolfpack faithful, this will be the first glimpse of a highly-touted recruiting class featuring freshmen C.J. Leslie, Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown.
“We have a really young, exciting and really hard working team that’s going to be out there fighting their tails out for Pack Nation,” Hodge said. “It’s pretty much a day where the guys can flex their muscles and show the student body what they got. I think Coach Lowe is creating the type of atmosphere that Pack Nation has been wanting and craving for the past decade.”
Alston said he hopes the event will increase student attendance and provide an enthusiastic audience for the unveiling of the basketball teams.
“Reynolds now has video boards, and we are trying to put a lot of focus on getting the student population out to the game as well,” Alston said. “With it being on campus, it’s going to be a lot easier to get students out there on a Friday night.”
Hodge, the self-proclaimed ‘best personality the ACC has ever seen,’ promises nothing less than a good time to fans who make the trip to Reynolds Coliseum.
“Besides just being me and being funny, I think I’m going to try to get the crowd going with a little ‘when we hungry, we eat’ chant going or something like that,” Hodge said. “Come out and support us, Pack Nation. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Those unable to attend have two options for viewing, a free live stream on GoPack.com’s All-Access or on Time-Warner Cable’s Channel 18 in the following communities: Apex, Bunn, Cary, Four Oaks, Franklinton, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Louisburg, Morrisville, Pine Level, Raleigh, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, Youngsville and Zebulon. If the Coliseum reaches capacity, overflow crowds can watch the festivities on the video board at Doak Field.
