Cullen Jones, an NC State grad, won silver in the men’s 50-meter freestyle Friday at the Olympics, finishing just .20 seconds behind France’s Florent Manaudou.

Jones, who won a silver medal earlier as part of the US 4×100 freestyle relay that finished second to France, picked up a gold medal in the relay four years ago.

Here’s what they’re saying about Jones.

Jones knew he had out-touched the two men he believed were his primary competition in the Olympic 50-meter freestyle final. He looked at the scoreboard, ready to raise his arm and pump his fist. “I thought I was in the lead,” Jones said. “I really did. I thought I had it. And when I hit the wall I was like, “Ooooh!! Oh…. No.”
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/08/03/2243107/florent-manaudou-wins-50-free.html#storylink=cpy

Jones’ time is good enough to win gold on most nights.
Did he need it? Not to accomplish what he still considers his primary objective, to be a role model in the African-American community and get more urban kids in the pool. He brought it up unsolicited Friday night, proudly noting that he has “taken that torch. I’m not the first, but it has been handed to me. I take that role very seriously, and I hold myself to those (standards).”
http://www.nj.com/olympics/index.ssf/2012/08/london_olympics_cullen_jones_f_1.html

He told NBC 4 New York after the semi Wednesday he’d been dreaming of a gold medal his entire life, and that it would “mean the world” to him and for his causes. But the silver is surely making his hometown proud, as Irvington continues rallying behind Jones as they watch his events from New Jersey. He works with the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash program, dedicated to helping minorities learn how to swim.
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Cullen-Jones-Silver-Medal-London-Olympics-50-Meter-Freestyle-Final-Results-Cielo-Manudou-164926866.html

Competitive swimmers like Cullen Jones take years to develop their abilities; but what does it take to become an Olympic class swimmer? “Cullen is the result of 15 years of hard work,’’ said Brooks Teal who coached Jones when the Olympic star swam for NC State between 2003 and 2006.
http://www2.nbc17.com/sports/2012/aug/03/cullen-joness-nc-state-swim-coach-explains-what-it-ar-2491095/

Olympian Cullen Jones may be making a splash in London with two silver medals thus far in these Olympic games. But Jones made a splash in Union County (New Jersey) long before he swam to Olympic glory. Jones is an alumnus of the Jersey Gators swim team in Cranford.
http://springfield.patch.com/articles/olympic-medalist-cullen-jones-has-union-county-connection#photo-212220

Playing just hours after arriving in the Netherlands, five pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout as the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team (based in Cary) shut out the Dutch National Team, 3-0, in an exhibition game at the Amsterdam Pirates Complex on Thursday evening.

“It was a long travel day, but I was really happy with how our guys responded,” Team USA manager Dave Serrano said. “I think our focus is in the right place. We know what our goal was when we put this team together and I see the focus in their eyes. I’m excited about what we are hoping to work towards over the next week and a half.

“It was an interesting atmosphere, just like Cuba presented a different atmosphere. The culture that our guys are getting to experience is something we will remember for a lifetime. Not only are we proud to wear the USA across our chest, but the experiences and relationships we are building are something we will carry with us the rest of our lives.”

Team USA wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, scoring twice in the game’s opening frame. After Trea Turner (North Carolina State) legged out an infield single to start the contest, he promptly stole second before moving to third on a single to center by Johnny Field (Arizona). The U.S. then applied some pressure, executing a successful double steal to take a 1-0 lead.

The throw down to second on the double steal was high, moving Field up to third and a wild pitch allowed him to advance the final 90 feet to give the Red, Whtie and Blue a two-run advantage.

Those would be the only two runs the U.S. squad would score until tacking on one more in the ninth, however, as it managed to put just five more runners on base over the next seven frames.

In the ninth inning, the U.S. tacked on an insurance run as Jordan Hankins (Austin Peay) was hit by a pitch to start the stanza, moved to second on a single by Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts), advanced to third on a flyball to deep center by Michael Lorenzen (Cal State Fullerton) and scored on a groundout to third by Austin Cousino (Kentucky).

The USA pitching staff made the two early runs hold up with Jake Reed (Oregon), Dan Child (Oregon State), David Berg (UCLA), Trevor Williams (Arizona State) and Ben Grover (Amsterdam Pirates/Oral Roberts) combining to yield just three hits in the contest.

Offensively, both Field and Trevino both finished with a pair of hits with Field being named the game’s MVP by the local staff.

Team USA will have Friday off from competition before beginning play in the Haarlem Honkbal Week on Saturday when it opens the international baseball tournament against Japan. The U.S. will then take on a familiar foe in Cuba on Sunday before squaring off with Puerto Rico, Taiwan and the Netherlands over the next three days. Medal-round games are set to begin on Friday, July 20.

– News release

Carlos Rodon, the North Carolina State pitcher who was named freshman of the year by Baseball America last week, went six solid innings Monday night against Cuba for the United States’ Collegiate National Team, which won the final game of the series in Havana by a 5-4 score.

Rodon, who gave up seven hits while striking out four, left the game with Cuba up 3-2. USA’s Johnny Field singled to plate two in the eighth to take the lead and they never trailed again.

Rodon, a native of Holly Springs, won ACC pitcher of the year honors. He dominated the conference with a 1.57 ERA, opponents’ batting average of .176, and 115 innings pitched, while ranking second in strikeouts with 135 and nine wins.

Team USA dropped three of five during the series with Cuba. The USA squads plays in the Netherlands next week.

Although NC State has competed in athletics for more than 120 years, eight of the 10 players and coaches for the first-ever NC State Hall of Fame class played or coached within the last 37 years.

Seven highly accomplished athletes and three revered coaches make up the inaugural class of the NC State Athletics Hall of Fame, director of athletics Deborah A. Yow announced on Tuesday.

Led by a number of the best players ever to represent the Wolfpack in men’s and women’s basketball, football, women’s track and field/cross country and men’s soccer, it also includes the transformational coaches of Everett Case, Jim Valvano and Kay Yow. Five of the seven athletes are North Carolina natives.

“The efforts of the hall of fame selection committee and chair Chris Kingston are very much appreciated,” said Deborah A. Yow. “We look forward with great anticipation to the inductions and the celebration of achievements by 10 extraordinary men and women.”

The class will be celebrated at the 2012 NC State Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on Oct. 5 in Reynolds Coliseum.

Those chosen were: Genia Beasley, women’s basketball 1977-80; Ted Brown, Football 1975-78; Everett Case, men’s basketball coach 1946-64; Roman Gabriel, football 1958-61; Tab Ramos, men’s soccer 1984-87; Jim Ritcher, football 1976-79, Julie Shea, women’s cross country 1977-80; David Thompson, men’s basketball 1972-75; Jim Valvano, men’s basketball coach 1980-90; and Kay Yow, women’s basketball coach 1975-09.

While all those are certainly worthy of eventually being in the Hall of Fame, I would have thought they’d have gone back in history a bit further. I would have chosen Willis Casey, Everett Case, Earle Edwards, Ronnie Shavlik, Jack McDowell, John Ripple, Connie Mack Berry, Ray Reeve, Roman Gabriel and Kay Yow. Only three of those made the list. You can read more about these people and my reasoning by clicking here. The 10 I thought would be chosen were: Willis Casey, Everett Case, Earle Edwards, Ronnie Shavlik, Kay Yow, Norm Sloan, Jim Valvano, David Thompson, Phillip Rivers and Ted Brown. Only five of those 10 made the list.

I think it was a good idea however not to have Valvano and Sloan inducted the same year. It would kind of take away from the other.

Some other names that need to be considered in the future are: four-time All-America swimmer Bob Mattson, seven-time individual swimming winner Dick Fadgen, first basketball All-American Morris Johnson, State’s first real basketball big man Tommy Burleson, Olympic gold medal swimmer Steve Rerych, ACC basketball player of the year Lou Pucillo and first-team All-America basketball star Sammy Ranzino.

One that is certainly worthy of being chosen for the first class was David Thompson, who may have been the best college basketball player ever under 7-feet tall. The high-flying forward led the Pack to the 1974 NCAA Championship. Thompson, a native of Shelby, NC, led the Wolfpack to the 1973 and ’74 ACC titles and helped Norm Sloan’s team break UCLA’s streak of seven consecutive national titles by beating the Bruins in double overtime of the 1974 semifinals in Greensboro, N.C. Two days later, the Wolfpack beat Marquette to secure the first team championship in school history.

Genia Beasley is the all-time leading scorer for women’s basketball and certainly deserves to be in the Hall one day. I’m afraid diversity concerns may have led to her being in the first class. Women’s athletics has been around a relatively short time yet three of the 10 inductees are women. Again, all three deserve to be in the Hall – I’m just a little surprised three got in the first class.

Seven-time national champion Julie Shea, perhaps the school’s most decorated female athlete, was the top finisher on the 1979 and ’80 cross country teams that won NC State’s and the ACC’s first national championships in women’s sports. In addition to her two national individual cross country titles, she won five national track and field championships in the 3,000 meters, the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters, including all three at the 1980 championship meet.

Three football players are in the first class, including the ACC’s all-time rushing and scoring leader, tailback Ted Brown, whose amazing records have stood the test of time since he played his last game in 1978. He is joined by teammate and center Jim Ritcher, one of the most accomplished offensive linemen in college and professional football history. Ritcher was the winner of the 1979 Outland Trophy, provided to the best college football interior lineman in the nation.

The third football inductee, Roman Gabriel, was a two-time All-American as a quarterback in 1960 and ’61. He was also a 1961 Academic All-American while at NC State. In 1969, he was selected as the NFL Player of the Year for the Los Angeles Rams. The Wilmington, NC, native also played baseball and freshman basketball for the Wolfpack.

Tab Ramos, one of the top players in the history of American soccer, was a three-time All-American at NC State before his successful post-collegiate career, which included three World Cup teams and a starting position on the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team.

Case brought big-time college basketball to the South when he was hired in 1946. He won nine conference championships in his first 10 seasons with the Red Terrors/Wolfpack and is still the winningest coach in school history with 377 career wins. He also won 726 games and four state championships as a legendary Indiana high school coach.

Yow was the first full-time women’s college coach at a North Carolina school. In 34 years at NC State, she led the Wolfpack to 680 wins, 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, 11 Sweet Sixteens and the 1998 Final Four. She also led Team USA to gold medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 1986 World University Games in Moscow.

As both men’s basketball coach and athletics director, Valvano is one of the most recognizable figures in NC State history. He guided the Pack to both the 1983 ACC and NCAA championships in just his third year as head coach. In addition to winning regular-season ACC titles in 1985 and 1989, he also won the 1987 ACC Tournament and was selected 1989 ACC Coach of the Year. He guided the Wolfpack to seven NCAA tournaments, four Sweet Sixteens, three Elite Eights and one Final Four.

Thompson, Case and Yow are already enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Gabriel and Ritcher are in the College Football Hall of Fame and Ramos is in the United States National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Nine of the 10 selections have been inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

– Info from news release included