In Hubbard’s Second Season, NC State Advances to Final Four
NC State head coach Marc Hubbard spoke with Inside Pack Sports following the Wolfpack’s thrilling, 3-2, win at Georgetown on December 6, 2025. The win moved NCSU into the College Cup for the first time in 35 years.
Marc Hubbard
A lot of people felt like you were a guy that could get this program to the College Cup now. I don't know if many thought it would only take two years. That's probably the surprise. Why is it, should it not be a surprise? Why are you guys so quickly ascending to one of the best teams?
I don't know, I think it goes back to who we are as people and how we go about our days and how we treat each other. Good habits and routine, process-oriented, day after day, having good long-term goals and keeping that in sight always leads us to these moments.
But I think the rise that we had last year and then the leadership group work that we did in the off-season to develop that makes our guys better leaders, not only in the day but in these heated moments where maybe some things aren't bouncing away and we're going to be able to rough it out a little bit and rely on each other to stick together. So, obviously very proud.
I'm sorry, please forgive me. It's alright. I do want to ask you about the game, but Syracuse and you had Pitt and Greensboro. How did those games help you? Because this last 45 minutes is about as frantic as you could get.
Yeah, I think it's a different game, this one. It's a little bit more direct. You don't have as much time on the ball. The field is slippery. First and second balls become really important. You don't anticipate where balls are dropping. It's almost like a territory game.
I think we settled down a little bit at halftime. Towards the end of the first half there, we were under. I think we did a good job of sticking true to who we were and settled the game down a little bit. Proud of how we defended and played that second half.
You got the first two goals really quickly. I remember I heard you barking at the young men. What was your message to them when you jumped out? Because you've really done that all tournament.
Any moment to be able to coach them in the game and find things to focus on fixing. When you score early, it's such a great thing. It also can change and drop your shoulders a bit. We battled through and definitely caught a few breaks, which are important at this time of the year. We can't just sort of lean on them.
I spoke to you in Raleigh. You mentioned the early goals. Look, they can be a detriment too. This was the game where they came back. They actually made that comeback. They were pressing for that third goal. How proud are you of the guys for handling that and not allowing them?
We talked at halftime about it, being up one to nothing at halftime, and we felt pretty good of course on the road here in a tough environment. It just didn't feel right that we had two goal leads evaporate. It's just a mental struggle to calm ourselves down.
You guys kill it off there. You get to celebrate. I'm always fascinated like that first split second or two. What is that like, that joy? What does that feel like?
It's a release. It's a release. Your brain players, next play, whatever it is, you want to separate from that, enjoy it for the quick moment, but then move on. Same thing with something poor happens. I think response is really important with our body right now, how we communicate with each other. We've gotten through that, obviously in those moments.
More towards the end of the game, that last second when it ticks off, you are a winner. You're going to the College Cup. Now, this is your first time at the D1 level. What does that release feel like?
It has been, to be honest. Survival. Survival of the fittest, really. Just relieved to get through the battle and come back to playing at home.
Carry the culture. You mentioned that. That has been a mantra for you for two years, to get to play and carry. I would anticipate there will be NC State fans at that game. I suspect the Red Terrors will be there.
I hope we fill it in red. It's a special opportunity, a special moment for our whole school to be a team in the final four right at home so I hope we keep going.
How do you handle this next week? Where do you build up to this? When do you get home? When is it in? When does the focus of the next one go?
We're already starting that, so I'm going to get home at a good time. Tomorrow come back and lick our wounds a little bit, and then do a little debriefing process and then get ready for St. Louis.
I congratulate you on a personal level. I've always wanted to cover the College Cup. I never have, so I'm looking forward to that. It will be my first time. I thank you for that, and I wish you the very best of luck in Cary, NC, sir.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
Thank you, sir.
Nikola Markovic
Probably one of the most intense games I've ever covered. What was it like playing in this atmosphere?
I mean, honestly, it's an honor. That's what you expect. You're in the elite eight, not because we scored goals early, but we were expecting an easy game. We went in at half, it was a three twos. And, the guys kept their heads strong, because, look, at this stage, you're expecting adversity, and I think we dealt with it amazingly. It just showed the togetherness of our group and our resilience.
The last 45 minutes were quite frantic. They were searching, and they were pressing, and they were on the front foot a lot. How did y'all survive that?
I mean, look, it's what we've been working on all year, staying together, good communication defensively, trying to hold the ball high, winning in good spots. And I think that's what we did, right? Nobody really passed us, and we just stuck together as a team.
When Marc Hubbard was hired, a lot of people thought this was a guy that could get NC State to the College Cup. I don't think many people thought it would take only two years for him to do that. That's probably the surprise. Why is it not a surprise?
I mean, look, coming in the first couple weeks, I knew it was something special. I knew he had something different than other coaches, and I knew he was going to take us far.
You guys get back to Cary, NC. You will get to play in front of a lot more NC State fans, I would imagine. Speak to that. Speak to your fan support. If you could tell these fans anything, what would you like to say to them?
We just want to make you guys proud. We love you so much. Our fans are amazing. Honestly, this year, they've been unreal, followed us everywhere, and we just want to make them proud and win everything together.
Drew Lovelace
You got a goal at Georgetown second year in a row, you advanced. Just speak to that if you don't mind.
Yeah, I know. I mean, they're obviously a much better team than last year, but, and we knew that coming in. And so it was all about not remembering last year, like this is a new game, new teams for both, and just going into it without that mentality, not thinking about last year, and just doing what we do and believing in ourselves.
Is it surreal that you're gonna be a local kid playing in Cary for a chance to go to the national championship game?
Yeah, I mean, honestly, it means the world to me. Like, I'll have all my friends and family there. Like, that's everything I was dreaming of coming into NC State my freshman year. And now I feel like my last season to be able to do that, it's just surreal for me.
You guys got the 2-0, then 3-1, and then it was frantic. The last 45 minutes are probably as intense as anything I've seen. Just speak to that. How's it playing in that pressure cooker? How did you guys handle that?
Yeah, I mean, it was probably the most hectic 45 minutes we've had all season. And like to be able to shut them out in that second half was unreal. Like a defense, everybody just did an amazing job. Everybody was just working for one another, really prideful defending. And I think it was just like working for your brother on the right, and the reason we were able to do that and shut them out in the second half.
Marc Hubbard, I think when they hired him, everybody kind of thought this is a guy that could get him to the college cup. In that sense, it's not a surprise. Second year he's here, he's doing it. That's probably a surprise. Why does that make sense?
No, I mean, the first meeting he came in, he told us like, this isn't a rebuilding year. We're gonna go and try to win the first season, right? We fell short last season, but there's an exact same mentality coming into the second season that we're going for the natty, right? We're not rebuilding anything. It's just like this season, this team, who we are, we're gonna try to win it.
Every win means you earn another right to play for NC State. What does that mean?
Just being here for four years, how long I've been here, the journey I've gone through, every chance I get to put on the stage, it just means the world to me. Especially me being a local kid, growing up around NC State, it means so much to me.
And it's just like every day, knowing that I'm fighting, just to be able to play one more game. And never knowing when it's my last game, just going out there, giving everything I have. Thought you had great support out here today.
I suspect you will want and expect great support. And Cary, you speak to the NC State fans, what would you like to say?
Yeah, no, we actually, during our game notes, like our film, we had a little clip at the end of our Red Terrors back home. And just like the emotions that they have, the emotions that they bring, and like doing this for them, doing it to be able to get back in front of them one more time than Cary, NC, and play in front of them again.
Like really having that support system we have back there. We had a great support system here, it was like half NC State, and we love to see that. But we know once we get back to Cary, we're gonna be having even more, so.
Appreciate your time.
