Top Ten of 2019-20: Henes Leaves Them in the Dust

As the academic year officially comes to a close, SI All Wolfpack looks back at NC State's 10 best athletic performances of 2019-20. Today, it's No. 6, Elly Henes' dominant performance at the ACC Cross-Country Championships

The 2019-20 athletic schedule was cut short by the coronavirus crisis that forced the cancellation of the NCAA basketball and wrestling tournaments, as well as most of the spring season.

But despite those disappointments, there were still plenty of memorable moments and achievements to celebrate.

As the academic year officially comes to a close, SI All Wolfpack look backs at the NC State's 10 best athletic performances of 2019-20. Today, it's No. 6, Elly Henes' dominant performance at the ACC Cross-Country Championships.

Henes didn't just win the ACC women's cross country individual title at the conference championship meet in Blacksburg, Va. The senior blew the field away bu running the 3.7-mile course in a time of 20:37.4, beating her closest rival to the finish line by a whopping 11 seconds.

Determined to improve on her runnerup finish in 2018, Henes jumped out front early and stayed there to become the first Wolfpack woman to win the individual ACC crown since 2010. He is also the first State runner to earn All-America honors in three straight seasons.

Henes' effort helped her team win its fourth straight women's conference title

In doing so, she followed in a family championship tradition.

Her father Bob Henes and mother and current Wolfpack coach Laurie Gomez Henes both competed for State. Between them, they won 15 All-American honors and more than a dozen ACC titles in cross country and track.

After winning her own ACC championship, Elly Henes went on to win the NCAA Southeast Regional title before finishing a career-best 10th in the national meet on her way to ACC Performer and Scholar Athlete of the Year.

NC State Top 10 of 2019-20

10. Women's basketball team sets NCAA record by making 13 straight three-pointers

9. Tziarra King's overtime ACC tournament winner against Louisville

8. Men's tennis upset of defending national champion Texas

7. Nick Swinney's masterful one-hitter in Minnesota

6. Elly Henes' ACC cross country championship

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