Swimmer Ryan Held won a gold medal for the United States in the 4×100 relay, while also helping the Wolfpack men’s swimming team win its first-ever NCAA relay championship and its second consecutive ACC title. Under the guidance of alumnus Braden Holloway, the team also matched the best NCAA finish in school history.

The men’s 400 freestyle relay team of Held, Simonas Bilis, Andreas Schiellerup and Soren Dahl became just the second Wolfpack relay team in any sport to win an NCAA title. Held, Bilis and Dahl then qualified to represent their countries (the United States, Lithuania and Denmark, respectively) at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, along with fellow swimmer Anton Ipsen of Denmark and air rifle marksman Lucas Kozeniesky.

Five athletics department programs finished in the top 11 of their respective final national polls, while nine teams finished ranked in the top 25. Overall, the athletics department matched its second-highest finish ever in the NACDA Director’s Cup standings and had the school’s highest-ever graduation success rate and academic progress rate.

In September, following a 16-month, $35 million renovation funded by both the university and the athletics department, Reynolds Coliseum reopened as the home of Wolfpack women’s basketball, gymnastics, volleyball, wrestling and rifle.

The school also celebrated the 50th anniversary season of Carter-Finley Stadium.