Soderstrom Garners All-ACC Honors, Deacs Poised for Final Day of 2023 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships
2/24/2023 8:13:00 PM | Track and Field
Senior Emma Soderstrom earned All-ACC honors in the high jump, while graduate student Thomas Vanoppen and freshman Paul Specht qualified for the finals in the mile.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Following an opening day in which three Demon Deacons collected All-ACC honors, the Wake Forest men's and women's indoor track and field teams had another stellar outing during day two of the 2023 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships.
For the second-consecutive season, senior Emma Soderstrom earned All-ACC honors in the high jump as the Gothenburg, Sweden native jumped 1.74m to finish sixth. Of note, Soderstrom placed third in the event a season ago.
Wake Forest dominated the preliminary round of the men's mile as the Demon Deacons became one of only two schools to have multiple participants qualify for the finals in the event. Graduate student Thomas Vanoppen had a stellar performance, clocking 4:04.44 and winning his heat. Freshman Paul Specht also had an excellent showing in the mile Friday as the Sindelfingen, Germany native placed second in his heat, finishing in 4:05.25.
Sophomore Rynard Swanepoel placed second in the fifth heat of the 800, clocking 1:49.65 and securing his spot in the finals of the event. Of note, Swanepoel's time of 1:49.65 in the 800 marked the fifth-fastest time in school history.
Overall, three Deacs qualified for a final on Friday. Additionally, the men currently sit tied for 11th place overall, while the women are currently 12th.
Friday's Notable Finishes
Previewing Championship Saturday
In the men's 400, Wake Forest will be represented by Vanoppen and Specht. Heading into Saturday's showdown, Vanoppen currently has the seventh-fastest mile in the country this season. Additionally, the 3:54.85 mile Vanoppen recorded on Feb. 11 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational was the second-fastest mile ever run by a Belgian.
In the men's shot put, Thomas Kitchell will look to duplicate his excellent performance from a year ago as the dynamic junior placed second in the event at the 2022 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships.
After boasting a streak of three-consecutive weeks breaking a school record during the regular season, graduate student Mackenna Curtis-Collins will look to secure her spot in the 2023 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in the 3K with a solid performance Saturday.
The Demon Deacons are also expected to have strong performances in the women's shot put as the quartet of Leia Braunagel, Casey Sullivan, Ashlyn Giles and Amanda Schaare are expected to participate.
Tune In
Saturday's action will be streamed via ACC Network Extra with on-air coverage beginning at 11 a.m. Additionally, ACC Network (ACCN) will re-air the competition on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 8 a.m.
Follow The Demon Deacons
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | #GoDeacs
For the second-consecutive season, senior Emma Soderstrom earned All-ACC honors in the high jump as the Gothenburg, Sweden native jumped 1.74m to finish sixth. Of note, Soderstrom placed third in the event a season ago.
Wake Forest dominated the preliminary round of the men's mile as the Demon Deacons became one of only two schools to have multiple participants qualify for the finals in the event. Graduate student Thomas Vanoppen had a stellar performance, clocking 4:04.44 and winning his heat. Freshman Paul Specht also had an excellent showing in the mile Friday as the Sindelfingen, Germany native placed second in his heat, finishing in 4:05.25.
Sophomore Rynard Swanepoel placed second in the fifth heat of the 800, clocking 1:49.65 and securing his spot in the finals of the event. Of note, Swanepoel's time of 1:49.65 in the 800 marked the fifth-fastest time in school history.
Overall, three Deacs qualified for a final on Friday. Additionally, the men currently sit tied for 11th place overall, while the women are currently 12th.
Friday's Notable Finishes
- High Jump
- 6) Emma Soderstrom, 1.74m
- Men's Mile
- Heat 1
- 2) Paul Specht, 4:05.25
- Heat 2
- 1) Thomas Vanoppen, 4:04.44
- Heat 1
- Men's 800m
- Heat 5
- 2) Rynard Swanepoel, 1:49.65
- Heat 5
- Saturday, Feb. 25
- Track Events
- 12:00 p.m. - Women's Mile (FINAL)
- 12:10 p.m. - Men's Mile (FINAL)
- 12:30 p.m. - Women's 60HH (FINAL)
- 12:50 p.m. - Men's 60HH (FINAL)
- 1:00 p.m. - Women's 400m Dash (FINAL)
- 1:10 p.m. - Men's 400m Dash (FINAL)
- 1:20 p.m. - Women's 60m Dash (FINAL)
- 1:30 p.m. - Men's 60m Dash (FINAL)
- 1:40 p.m. - Women's 800m Run (FINAL)
- 1:50 p.m. - Men's 800m Run (FINAL)
- 2:00 p.m. - Women's 200m Dash (FINAL)
- 2:10 p.m. - Men's 200m Dash (FINAL)
- 2:20 p.m. Women's 3000m Run (FINAL)
- Caroline Garrett
- Carolien Millenaar
- Lydia Van Dijk
- Mackenna Curtis-Collins
- 2:55 p.m. - Men's 3000m Run (FINAL)
- Luke Tewalt
- Joe O'Brien
- Charlie Sprott
- Paul Specht (?)
- Pedro Bravo
- Thomas Vanoppen (?)
- Zach Facioni
- Joaquin Martinez de Pinillos
- 3:25 p.m. - Women's 4x400m Relay (FINAL)
- Wake Forest
- 3:50 p.m. - Men's 4x400m Relay (FINAL)
- Field Events
- 11:00 a.m. - Women's Triple Jump
- 11:15 a.m. - Men's Shot Put
- 12:00 p.m. - Men's Pole Vault
- 1:30 p.m. - Women's Shot Put
- 1:45 p.m. - Men's Triple Jump
- Track Events
Previewing Championship Saturday
In the men's 400, Wake Forest will be represented by Vanoppen and Specht. Heading into Saturday's showdown, Vanoppen currently has the seventh-fastest mile in the country this season. Additionally, the 3:54.85 mile Vanoppen recorded on Feb. 11 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational was the second-fastest mile ever run by a Belgian.
In the men's shot put, Thomas Kitchell will look to duplicate his excellent performance from a year ago as the dynamic junior placed second in the event at the 2022 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships.
After boasting a streak of three-consecutive weeks breaking a school record during the regular season, graduate student Mackenna Curtis-Collins will look to secure her spot in the 2023 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in the 3K with a solid performance Saturday.
The Demon Deacons are also expected to have strong performances in the women's shot put as the quartet of Leia Braunagel, Casey Sullivan, Ashlyn Giles and Amanda Schaare are expected to participate.
Tune In
Saturday's action will be streamed via ACC Network Extra with on-air coverage beginning at 11 a.m. Additionally, ACC Network (ACCN) will re-air the competition on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 8 a.m.
Follow The Demon Deacons
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | #GoDeacs
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