Coulghlin, Deacons Just Getting Started
12/22/2020 12:28:00 PM | Cross Country, Men's Track and Field
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Carter Coughlin, who had his first season at Wake Forest cut short by injury, put it all together this fall as he finished fifth in the ACC Cross Country Championships at WakeMed Soccer Park in late October. His effort helped the Demon Deacons to a third-place finish and national ranking.
"We knew Carter had that in him," Wake Forest coach John Hayes said. "He was hurt his whole freshman year, so last year he didn't have much running underneath him. We didn't know he'd be fifth, but we figured the top 10 was realistic. He ran really smart and closed the gap nicely."
Coughlin made modest progress throughout the race, moving from 34th place at the 2.1k split to 22nd at the 3.8k split, then 10th at the 6.5k marker before climbing into fifth in the 8k race, finishing in 23:24.8.
"I progressed pretty much how I was planning," he said. "I knew it was a deep field, and I love the course. It's hilly and I was slowly passing people. When I came around the turn, I thought I was about 20th. Then I made the turn to go up the hill where you can see all the way to the top.
"I realized I was pretty close to the front. I had no clue. Then it was just finding the strength to drive up the hill. Thankfully I was the one doing the passing and not the one being passed."
Teammate Jonathan Velasco was just a few seconds behind him, finishing 12th.
"It was the best feeling after we finished," Coughlin said. "We have a good squad and have been training well. We felt good about it going in."
The finish in the ACC Championships marked a remarkable turnaround for Coughlin, who struggled with knee pain before having surgery to remove plica, which is a fold in the thin tissue that lines your knee joint that can get irritated from injury or overuse.
"It's been smooth sailing since then," he said. "My freshman year was incredibly difficult. I didn't know if it was right for me and if I should be running. It wasn't fun being hurt and not being able to run. I had some spiritual turmoil during that time. Running keeps me grounded."
While rehabbing from surgery, Coughlin went to every practice to be with his teammates.
"When I didn't go to practice, it meant I was more secluded and isolated from the team," he said. "Staying mentally in it was important. I belong here. I know I'm supposed to be running here at Wake Forest. I can't give up on it because of an obstacle right at the beginning."
With the phenomenal team performance in the ACC Championship, Coughlin believes the Deacs are primed for an NCAA Championship berth, which takes place in March.
"The number one goal is to make the NCAA," he said. "I think we're a top 10-15 team once we get everyone back. We did well in the ACC Championships, but were still missing some key guys who will be back for the spring."
Coughlin ended up choosing Wake Forest over offers from other ACC schools like Virginia and North Carolina.
"Academics are important to me," he said. "I was looking at UVA and UNC as well. I just loved the staff here. I love Coach Hayes and Coach (Andrew) Ferris, and the team was incredible. I liked the campus and the academics at Wake Forest. Coach Hayes is a great leader of this team. He has high goals for us, but never tries to dazzle us with goals that are out of reach. He's a proven, consistent coach. I trust him and his character is incredible. The teams see that, and it gets us to work harder."
Players Mentioned
