The title road continues for Wolfpack women’s cross country after NCAA Regional win

Daniel Susann, Assistant Sports Editor • Nov 14, 2025

Sophomore Hannah Gapes holds up sophomore Bethany Michalak after finishing the women’s 5k during the Adidas XC Challenge in WakeMed Soccer Park on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Gapes finished first in the women’s 5k with a time of 16:01.8 and Michalak finished third with a time of 16:24.4. NC State’s women’s team finished first overall with a score of 38 points.

No. 2 NC State women’s cross country just keeps winning.

Despite missing one of its top legs, women’s cross country won its ninth-straight NCAA Regional after placing three runners in the top 10 at the NCAA Southeast Regional in Earlysville, Virginia.

Asserting itself above the rest, NC State finished 43 points ahead of second-place South Carolina. Senior Hannah Gapes, junior Angelina Napoleon and sophomore Bethany Michalak surged ahead to secure top-10 placements, leading to its fifth-straight main-event win this season.

The Wolfpack women accomplished this despite missing arguably its biggest star, senior Grace Hartman. Last year’s ACC champion, Hartman has seen less action this season, running just two of five events. On the scoresheet, her absence has not been felt much as the Pack has not faltered.

Gapes led the charge, securing a second-place finish and a third podium placement with a personal-best time of 19:08.3 in the 6K. Last season, the New Zealand native finished eighth in the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. She looks to continue her stellar campaign as an upperclassman.

Following Gapes was Napoleon, who finished sixth, crossing the finish line at 19:15.0. Coming off of her individual victory at the ACC Championships, Napoleon was poised for another great time, finishing almost two and a half minutes faster than at last season’s NCAA regional, where she came in at 21:40.3.

Michalak also made a significant jump from last year, setting a personal best and finishing eighth in 19:29.2. At last year’s regional, Michalak crossed the line at 21:03.7.

Not too far behind the top-10 finishers, the remainder of the women’s squad finished in the top 50, just as at last year’s regional. Graduate Brooke Rauber placed 14th with a time of 19:49.3. Junior Fleur Templier placed 24th in 20:11.9. Senior Briley Bickerstaff placed 33rd, crossing the finish line at 20:19.6. To round out the finishers, junior Kate Putman finished 50th in 20:38.7.

Under the guidance of head coach Laurie Henes, the dominance of the Wolfpack women’s cross country cannot be denied. On top of winning nine-straight NCAA Regionals, it has not placed outside of the top five in a regional since 2008 — and yes, it has qualified for every single one.

The Wolfpack men did not fare so well, finishing 10th overall. Its top finisher, sophomore Noah Valyo, completed the 10K in 30:11.3.

Earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in Columbia, Missouri, the Wolfpack women look to claim their fourth national championship in five years. The stage is set for Nov. 22, and the event will be broadcast on ESPNU from 10 a.m. to noon ET.