Hannah Gapes to Lead NC State into ACC Meet
NC State runner Hannah Gapes eyes postseason success at the ACC Championship in Blacksburg this October 30.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Track & Field
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Hannah Gapes prepares to lead the NC State cross country team into the ACC Championship meet on October 30, 2026. The Raleigh-based program aims for further success following an era of consistent conference and national dominance.
Why it matters
Gapes is motivated by the performance benchmarks set by former teammates Katelyn Tuohy and Kelsey Chmiel. The team is currently positioning itself to compete for a fifth national title in six years.
Gapes placed 3rd at the 2024 ACC championships and 5th at the 2025 NCAA championship. She also finished 9th at the World Road Running Championships with a time of 15:06.
The players
Hannah Gapes
Hannah Gapes is a standout distance runner for the NC State cross country team who previously finished 9th at the World Road Running Championships.
Laurie Henes
Laurie Henes serves as the head coach of the NC State cross country program and oversees the training program for Gapes.
Katelyn Tuohy
Katelyn Tuohy is a former NC State runner whose collegiate performance level serves as a primary motivator for Gapes.
Kelsey Chmiel
Kelsey Chmiel is a former NC State standout who earned eight All-America honors and helped the team secure three NCAA titles.
The details
Coached by Laurie Henes, Gapes maintains her performance trajectory by focusing on her personal potential rather than external pressure. The NC State squad enters the postseason building on a legacy that includes four national team titles over the last five years.
Timeline
October 30, 2026: The ACC Championship meet takes place in Blacksburg, Virginia.
November 2026: The NCAA Championships are scheduled to occur in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Season Trajectory
NC State is attempting to approach the standard of consistency once set by Villanova's six consecutive cross country national titles from 1989-1994. The program's current performance marks a notable era of dominance that mirrors these historical records.
Gapes' progression from 73rd to a top-eight finisher indicates she is a primary scoring threat for NC State's team title aspirations. The team relies on this consistent high-level output to maintain their conference winning streak.
The takeaway
Achieving elite results often requires shifting focus from external championship expectations toward individual personal potential. Runners can improve their performance by tracking their progression against their own prior times rather than the rankings of competitors.
What happens next
The ACC Championship meet will occur on October 30, 2026, followed by the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana, in November 2026.
Further reading
For more on the latest developments in local collegiate athletics, visit Track & Field.
Source note: This article includes information reported by On3.
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