The whistle blew, Reynolds Coliseum erupted and Megan Wargo-Kearney had her first perfect day as NC State’s newly promoted head coach.

After five years beside Luka Slabe, Wargo-Kearney stepped into the spotlight Friday and guided the Wolfpack through a five-set scrap with Akron before finishing the night with a commanding 3-0 win over Army in the Summit Hospitality Tournament.

“I was pretty good at just sitting on my chair [last season] and then getting up when I’d have to say something,” Wargo-Kearney said. “But you know, when I’m up there, I just want our girls, our young women, to know that I’m behind them at all points and that they shouldn’t fear making mistakes.”

NC State (2-0) opened its season with a dramatic five-set win over Akron (1-1) before cruising past Army (0-1) in straight sets, giving Wargo-Kearney her first two victories as head coach. The Wolfpack leaned on a balanced offense and timely defense to power through both matches.

Now in her first season leading the program, Wargo-Kearney inherits the foundation built by Slabe but is already putting her own stamp on the Wolfpack. The difference, players say, is felt beyond the sideline.

“Both great coaches,” said senior outside hitter Courtney Bryant. “They do have two different coaching personalities, I’d say. Megan does a great job really caring about us. There’s so much more than volleyball with this group of girls.”

Bryant’s perspective highlighted how the shift from Slabe to Wargo-Kearney is already being felt in the locker room. For Wargo-Kearney, that difference comes down to building an identity that extends beyond the scoreboard.

“For me, it’s culture,” Wargo-Kearney said. “Continuing to do things the right way fundamentally … that’s this year, that’s next year, that’s in two years. It’s pretty special. I’m very proud tonight to do that.”

NC State backed up its opening wins with efficient play on both ends of the net. The Wolfpack hit .252 against Akron and .221 against Army while tallying 12 blocks in each match, a balanced effort that carried them through both contests.

“I think we’re a little bit more balanced this year,” Wargo-Kearney said. “We’ve just got to keep getting offense from everybody.”

Coming off an NCAA tournament berth that ended in a first-round exit last season, Wargo-Kearney emphasized the importance of keeping the focus narrow as the new campaign begins.

“We aren’t talking about anything other than what’s in front of us each match,” Wargo-Kearney said. “Anything but an NCAA tournament would have been a pretty big letdown [last season], whereas this crew, I think that definitely can be in the cards, but let’s just keep one match at a time.”

NC State faces Green Bay Saturday at 6 p.m. to close out the Summit Hospitality Tournament.