Wake Forest Athletics
Photo by: Jaylynn Nash LLC
Wake Forest Cross Country Enters National Rankings at No. 23
11/3/2020 2:57:00 PM | Cross Country
The Demon Deacons earn their first national ranking since 2001.
NEW ORLEANS -- The Wake Forest men's cross country program has entered the USTFCCCA national rankings for the first time since 2001, checking in at No. 23 in the country this week.
Wake Forest received votes in the last week's poll before jumping into the top 25 with a third-place finish at the ACC Championship.
At that meet, four Demon Deacons earned All-ACC honors with top-20 finishes, led by Carter Coughlin crossing in fifth.
"It's exciting to be ranked 23rd in the NCAA and that's a recognition of all our student-athletes' hard work, but it's still nowhere near where we aspire to be," Director of Track & Field and Cross Country John Hayes said. "We need to rest now and build up for the season in February and March."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cross country national championship will now be held in March, with a spring season opening at the end of January.
The last time the Deacs were ranked came in 2001, when Wake Forest maintained a top-25 position all season, reaching as high as No. 17. That's also the last time Wake qualified for the national meet, earning a 19th-place finish.
Wake Forest is one of five ACC teams ranked, joined by Notre Dame (No. 4), NC State (No. 15), Virginia (No. 22) and Syracuse (No. 28).
Wake Forest received votes in the last week's poll before jumping into the top 25 with a third-place finish at the ACC Championship.
At that meet, four Demon Deacons earned All-ACC honors with top-20 finishes, led by Carter Coughlin crossing in fifth.
"It's exciting to be ranked 23rd in the NCAA and that's a recognition of all our student-athletes' hard work, but it's still nowhere near where we aspire to be," Director of Track & Field and Cross Country John Hayes said. "We need to rest now and build up for the season in February and March."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cross country national championship will now be held in March, with a spring season opening at the end of January.
The last time the Deacs were ranked came in 2001, when Wake Forest maintained a top-25 position all season, reaching as high as No. 17. That's also the last time Wake qualified for the national meet, earning a 19th-place finish.
Wake Forest is one of five ACC teams ranked, joined by Notre Dame (No. 4), NC State (No. 15), Virginia (No. 22) and Syracuse (No. 28).
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
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