Wake Forest University
Atlantic Coast Conference
Facioni Finishes Second at ACC Cross Country Championships
10/26/2018 1:17:00 PM | Cross Country
Demon Deacon men finish 5th, women finish 8th at conference meet
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeTrack)
BOSTON, Mass. – The Wake Forest men's and women's cross country teams competed Friday morning at the 2018 ACC Championship at Franklin Park. The men, led by Zach Facioni's runner-up finish, were fifth at the meet, while the women's team finished eighth.
The men's fifth place finish was the program's highest since a fourth-place finish at the 2005 ACC Championship.
Facioni finished second in the men's 8K race, the highest finish by a Demon Deacon since Nathan Sisco won the ACC title in 2001. The Demon Deacon freshman was edged by Virginia Tech junior Peter Seufer by less than a second after the pair had broken away from the field over the final three kilometers.
Mitchell Day was the second Deacon across the line in 24th place. Joaquin Martinez de Pinillos was 27th, Daniel Viegra was 42nd and Jack Tiernan was 63rd to score for Wake Forest. Craig Corti (72nd) and Myers McKinney (77th) also competed for the Demon Deacons.
"As a team, it wasn't what we were looking for and we need to step up in two weeks at regionals," said head coach John Hayes. "I thought the men fell asleep from miles 2-4 and let UVA slip away. These guys have worked hard and I have no doubt that we will bring the fight in two weeks."
In the 6K women's race, the Demon Deacons finished in eighth place. Samantha Halvorsen earned All-ACC honors for the second straight year with a 19th place finish. Mimi Smith was 28th, Elise Wright was 41st, Hannah Brookover was 42nd and Johanna Schulz was 68th to round out the scoring five for the Demon Deacons. Georgia Evans (81st), Anna Campbell (126th) and Kaitlin Derry (135th) also were in the Wake Forest lineup.
"Today wasn't the result we were looking for," said women's head coach Michelle Chewens. "We were in good position, in fifth, through 3-4K, but fell off in the latter half of the race. We have the ability to be much better and I'm confident the women will take the next few days to regroup and get back to work to prove their fitness in two weeks."
The Demon Deacons will return to action on Nov. 9 for the NCAA Southeast Regional in Rock Hill, S.C.
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