Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
NCAA Championships
Heppenstall Advances to NCAA 800m Final
6/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
Complete Results
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeTrack)
EUGENE, Ore. -- Wake Forest men's track and field freshman Robert Heppenstall placed second in his national semifinal heat in the 800m on Wednesday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. to qualify for the NCAA final in the event.
Heppenstall finished his third-heat race in 1:47.56, edging out UCLA senior Nick Hartle for the national championship's final automatic bid. The result was the Hamilton, Ontario native's fourth best of the year and secured First Team All-American status for the outdoor season.
The NCAA Championship race will take place on Friday at 9:47 p.m. ET. Heppenstall will be joined by Donavan Brazier of Texas A&M, Brandon McBride of Mississippi State, Isaiah Harris of Penn State, Chris Sanders of La Salle, Eliud Rutto and Sampson Laari of Middle Tennessee State and Shaquille Walker of BYU.
Heppenstall, Brazier and Harris give the NCAA 800m final three freshmen for the first time since 2004.
The ACC Indoor and Outdoor 800m champion in 2016, Heppenstall is now Wake Forest's second All-American in the 800m, joining Warren Sherman, who achieved the honor in 1995. Heppenstall, the ACC Indoor Track Freshman of the Year, came in fifth in the NCAA Indoor final to garner his first-career All-American nod.
Also competing for the Demon Deacons at the NCAA Championships is Jessie Merckle, who will take part in the women's javelin Thursday at 8:45 pm. ET.
Players Mentioned
