The Wolfpack Women have dominated the ACC for the past decade. 

With nine out of the last ten ACC XC team titles and seven consecutive individual champions, Coach Laurie Henes has built a dynasty. 

The Wolfpack continued that legacy this year—claiming the 2025 ACC Championship title in Louisville, Kentucky, this Halloween.

Their individual champion streak is a roster of elite women athletes—champions Elly Henes, Dominique Clairmonte, Kelsey Chmiel, Katelyn Tuohy, VIS Athlete and Creator Grace Hartman, and now Angelina Napoleon. This run is more than a streak. It’s a team culture. 

It’s about women who train together, lead each other, and lift one another up throughout the years, continuing a standard of excellence that defines what it means to be part of the Wolfpack.

Deep Rooted Culture

Under the leadership of Coach Laurie Henes—an NCAA Champion for the Wolfpack herself—the Wolfpack runs for more than medals. They run to uphold a culture rooted in purpose, connection, and joy.

“We preach [that] you have to run for each other, you have to believe in doing something for a purpose bigger than yourself,” Henes said in an interview with NC State News. “I really do believe that we’ve been winning so much because we have fun first.”

That philosophy has become the heartbeat of the Wolfpack. It doesn’t just produce fast times. It also builds women who lead with integrity, resilience, and joy.

“You have to run for each other, you have to believe in doing something for a purpose bigger than yourself”

Coach Laurie Henes

Grace Hartman’s Mark On and Off the Course

VIS Athlete and Creator Grace Hartman—an 8x All-American, 9x All-ACC Performer, and Top 30 NCAA Woman of the Year Honoree—carries on the torch the Wolfpack have lit. As both an elite athlete and a member of the VIS Community, Hartman reflects the dual mission of performance and advocacy.

Her running speaks for itself, but it’s her leadership and authenticity that truly stands out. Off the course, Hartman uses her platform to share insights on fueling, mindset, and self-care through her Instagram account, @tastebygrace. 

In an environment that often pressures women athletes to chase perfection, Hartman’s openness represents a refreshing balance: proof that sustainable success grows from self-compassion as much as discipline.

Angelina Napoleon’s Consistency

The most recent member of the pack to add her name to the list of ACC champs is Angelina Napoleon. Coming off of a dream season where she competed for Team USA at the World Championships in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Napoleon hit the course running hard this fall. 

She attributes the jumps she made in 2025 to consistency. 

“I remember going off of a race and running one of my worst times ever,” Napoleon shared in a social media interview reflecting on her breakthrough year. “I had to take a step back and say, something’s got to change. Change nothing, nothing changes.”

By focusing on small improvements, she rebuilt her confidence and leveled up her performance. That process carried her from collegiate races to the Paris Diamond League and the World Championships, where she became one of the fastest steeplechasers in the world.

Now, she’s tearing through the cross country course as the Wolfpack head into postseason competition. 

Running Toward the Future

The Wolfpack’s seven-year streak of individual champions is not just a statistic. It’s a reflection of a system that works. Henes prioritizes joy, mentorship, and empowerment for her athletes. For women in sport, that model matters. It proves that excellence can be sustainable, collaborative, and deeply human.

As Grace Hartman continues to lead within the VIS Community both on and off the track and Angelina Napoleon chases world stages, NC State’s women are redefining what legacy looks like. With athletes like Hannah Gapes, Bethany Michalak, Sadie Englehardt, Brooke Rauber, and Fleur Templier rounding out the Pack’s scoring seven, these women are a force to be reckoned with.

Their success isn’t measured solely by wins, but in the way they all carry each other forward. One race, one season, one woman at a time.