SPRINGFIELD, Va. — As NC State wrapped up its bowl practice Thursday afternoon inside The St. James, an indoor sports plex in Northern Virginia, Wolfpack senior safety Bishop Fitzgerald walked off the artificial turf field with a large smile on his face.
There’s plenty for the Pack’s starting defensive back to be happy about this week.
Fitzgerald returned to the region he grew up playing quarterback at Woodbridge (Va.) Gar-Field High, near dozens of friends and family, as NC State prepares to play East Carolina in the Military Bowl on Saturday (5:45 p.m., ESPN) in Annapolis, Md. He also received good news about the NCAA’s new waiver, which will allow players that competed at the junior college level in their final season of eligibility to play next fall, on Monday.
For Fitzgerald, who was the No. 1 JUCO safety in the 2023 recruiting cycle, that waiver will unlock a third season with NC State. He confirmed to TheWolfpacker.com he will utilize it to return to the Wolfpack for the 2025 campaign.