Friday, April 21
Winston-Salem, N.C.
All Day

Wake Forest University

vs

Wake Forest Invitational

Sophie Perez Gonzalez

Enthusiastic Crowd Witnesses Wake Forest’s First Home Meet Since 2018

4/22/2023 12:36:00 AM | Track and Field

Four school records fell during the Demon Deacons’ one-day event.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - For the first time since March 24, 2018, the Wake Forest men's and women's track and field programs held a home meet on the Reynolda Campus as the Demon Deacons hosted the Wake Forest Invitational Friday at Kentner Stadium.
 
Four school records fell during the historic event as graduate student Leia Braunagel tossed 56.67m in the discus, freshman Sophie Perez Gonzalez threw 59.85m in the hammer, sophomore Ashlyn Giles launched 16.15m in the shot put and graduate student Zach Facioni clocked 13:27.71 in the 5,000m Friday.
 
In addition to breaking a school record, Perez Gonzalez's stellar mark in the hammer (59.85m) broke the Guatemalan national record.
 
For the men, sophomore Rynard Swanepoel had an excellent showing in the 800 as he clocked 1:47.38, marking the third-fastest time in school history and winning the event. Of note, Swanepoel's time currently stands as the 13th-best 800 this season, nationally. Additionally, graduate student Jack Pihlkar recorded a seasonal-best 64.02m in the hammer, winning the event in impressive fashion.
 
Overall, Wake Forest recorded four first-place finishes, 11 top-three finishes and 19 top-five finishes.
 
16 graduating seniors (Emily Akin, Dillon Aryeh, Mackenna Curtis-Collins, Jack Dailey, Zach Facioni, Amy Harding-Delooze, Meredith Helton, Joaquin Martinez de Pinillos, Carolien Millenaar, Ben Mitchell, Bianca Nolde-Lopez, Jack Pihlkar, Emma Soderstrom, Thomas Vanoppen, Jason Wagner, Andrew White and Elise Wright) were recognized for their time and dedication as Wake Forest student-athletes Friday, along with the 2022 and 1989 ACC Championship-winning men's cross country teams.
 
Notable Finishes

Women's Long Jump Women's Hammer Throw Men's Hammer Throw Women's High Jump Women's 1500 Women's 100m Hurdles Men's 800m Women's Discus Men's Discus Women's Shot Put Men's Shot Put Men's 800m Invite Men's 1500m Invite Men's 5000m  
From the Staff
Coming soon. 
 
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will return to action next weekend at the Charlotte Invitational (April 28-29).
 
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Players Mentioned

Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
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Multi
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Throws
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Multi
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Distance
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Middle Distance
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Throws
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Distance
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Throws
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Jumps
/ Track and Field
Distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Distance
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Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Multi
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
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