Wake Forest Athletics
Deacon Sports Xtra: Veteran Group Leads Wake Forest to Top-Five NCAA Finish
2/6/2023 11:34:00 AM | Cross Country
“Thomas is a true Demon Deacon, and a loyal teammate. He wants to do everything he can to represent Wake Forest in the right way.” - John Hayes
After a fifth-place finish in the ACC Championships, Wake Forest cross country runner Thomas Vanoppen battled illness leading up the the NCAA Championships and actually took a tumble about 600 meters into the race.
He was buried in the back of the pack, and a poor finish could have sank the Deacons' chances of a strong team finish.
Vanoppen incredibly finished 59th overall, in the top fourth of all competitors, as the Demon Deacons came in fifth place — their best performance in the national championships since 1989.
"What an incredible display of pride in Wake Forest and teamwork he displayed," said John Hayes, Wake Forest director of Track & Field and Cross Country. "He was a strong, contributing member of our team in the national championship that allowed us to get fifth. If he hadn't fallen, he would have been 20 places further up.
Hayes gushed over the selflessness and grit exhibited by the graduate transfer Vanoppen.
"He assimilated into this program and became a true Demon Deacon," Hayes said. "If he was just an individual, and not part of the team, he would have just dropped out. Thomas is a true Demon Deacon, and a loyal teammate. He wants to do everything he can to represent Wake Forest in the right way."
"He didn't just fight through, he excelled. I had seven guys who had a good race. All seven. 7-for-7. They all fought 100 percent of the way through. They will always be able to look back at that in much the same way they will in the ACC Championships."
The Deacs were led by three All-American efforts and an experienced group of seniors who persevered through injury, illness and the growth of the program.
"There was not one guy in that race who didn't give his all," Hayes said.
Zach Facioni (20), Luke Tewalt (22) and Aaron Las Heras (26) all earned All-American honors stemming from their performances in the championships.
"Every school in the country would have wanted Zach as he came back for his grad school year," Hayes said. "These guys came back for a fifth or sixth year. It's a great group of young men. If someone had told them three years ago that they would be fifth in the NCAA Championships, none of them would have believed it. To see how far we've come as a team is just exciting to watch. We lose a lot of these guys next year, but have a great freshmen class arriving.
"It's going to be a challenge getting these young guys brought in to show them what it takes to be a Demon Deacon and how to be a successful distance runner in the NCAA, but we're not going away anytime soon. We're going to be a great program and will challenge for national championships in the future, for sure."
Facioni is the first three-time All-American in Wake Forest program history.
"Zach has been the base for Wake Forest Track and Field," Hayes said. "He's been an All-American in track and field and a multi-time cross country All-American. When he committed to Wake Forest I gave him my word that I would surround him with other good athletes.
"He came here because he believed in me as a coach and what I could add to his career. He was that first really good athlete we got in here, who said he trusted what we were doing. By Zach coming in here, it immediately gave us credibility."
The year-to-year improvement by Las Heras was equally impressive.
"Aaron ran a great race," Hayes said. "He had been in the 60s and 70s in nationals the last two years, and to finish 26th was a strong race for him."
One returning All-American is Tewalt, a sophomore with an unbelievable future in both track & field and cross country.
"He set the American U-20 record for the 3,000 meter," Hayes said. "That young man is only 19 years old and continues to wow. He has the potential to make Olympic teams in the future if he continues to progress and makes the right decisions over the next few years."
And it was the final competition for Martinez De Pinillos, a senior from California who finished 100th overall.
"He's been so important to our team from the standpoint of — he's always been a Demon Deacon and always wanted to see this program succeed," Hayes said. "He's helped us recruit and has been loyal to the program the entire time. He's had his ups and downs with injuries, but is a great runner and a tremendous young man."
The fifth-place finish was the best during Hayes' tenure and only the fourth top-10 finish in Wake Forest program history.
"How quickly we get back into the top five and challenging for a national championship is the only variable," Hayes said confidently.
He was buried in the back of the pack, and a poor finish could have sank the Deacons' chances of a strong team finish.
Vanoppen incredibly finished 59th overall, in the top fourth of all competitors, as the Demon Deacons came in fifth place — their best performance in the national championships since 1989.
"What an incredible display of pride in Wake Forest and teamwork he displayed," said John Hayes, Wake Forest director of Track & Field and Cross Country. "He was a strong, contributing member of our team in the national championship that allowed us to get fifth. If he hadn't fallen, he would have been 20 places further up.
Hayes gushed over the selflessness and grit exhibited by the graduate transfer Vanoppen.
"He assimilated into this program and became a true Demon Deacon," Hayes said. "If he was just an individual, and not part of the team, he would have just dropped out. Thomas is a true Demon Deacon, and a loyal teammate. He wants to do everything he can to represent Wake Forest in the right way."
"He didn't just fight through, he excelled. I had seven guys who had a good race. All seven. 7-for-7. They all fought 100 percent of the way through. They will always be able to look back at that in much the same way they will in the ACC Championships."
The Deacs were led by three All-American efforts and an experienced group of seniors who persevered through injury, illness and the growth of the program.
"There was not one guy in that race who didn't give his all," Hayes said.
Zach Facioni (20), Luke Tewalt (22) and Aaron Las Heras (26) all earned All-American honors stemming from their performances in the championships.
"Every school in the country would have wanted Zach as he came back for his grad school year," Hayes said. "These guys came back for a fifth or sixth year. It's a great group of young men. If someone had told them three years ago that they would be fifth in the NCAA Championships, none of them would have believed it. To see how far we've come as a team is just exciting to watch. We lose a lot of these guys next year, but have a great freshmen class arriving.
"It's going to be a challenge getting these young guys brought in to show them what it takes to be a Demon Deacon and how to be a successful distance runner in the NCAA, but we're not going away anytime soon. We're going to be a great program and will challenge for national championships in the future, for sure."
Facioni is the first three-time All-American in Wake Forest program history.
"Zach has been the base for Wake Forest Track and Field," Hayes said. "He's been an All-American in track and field and a multi-time cross country All-American. When he committed to Wake Forest I gave him my word that I would surround him with other good athletes.
"He came here because he believed in me as a coach and what I could add to his career. He was that first really good athlete we got in here, who said he trusted what we were doing. By Zach coming in here, it immediately gave us credibility."
The year-to-year improvement by Las Heras was equally impressive.
"Aaron ran a great race," Hayes said. "He had been in the 60s and 70s in nationals the last two years, and to finish 26th was a strong race for him."
One returning All-American is Tewalt, a sophomore with an unbelievable future in both track & field and cross country.
"He set the American U-20 record for the 3,000 meter," Hayes said. "That young man is only 19 years old and continues to wow. He has the potential to make Olympic teams in the future if he continues to progress and makes the right decisions over the next few years."
And it was the final competition for Martinez De Pinillos, a senior from California who finished 100th overall.
"He's been so important to our team from the standpoint of — he's always been a Demon Deacon and always wanted to see this program succeed," Hayes said. "He's helped us recruit and has been loyal to the program the entire time. He's had his ups and downs with injuries, but is a great runner and a tremendous young man."
The fifth-place finish was the best during Hayes' tenure and only the fourth top-10 finish in Wake Forest program history.
"How quickly we get back into the top five and challenging for a national championship is the only variable," Hayes said confidently.
Players Mentioned
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