Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country 2023-24 Outlook

Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country 2023-24 Outlook

9/1/2023 7:00:00 AM | Cross Country, Track and Field

“Now that our staff is larger and we have more people to help out, I think you’re going to see some great things from our women’s track team. We have to look around our athletic department and see what the standard is — and the standard is high. We need to rise up to meet that standard.” - director of track & field and cross country John Hayes

By: Les Johns

With key additions on the roster and on the staff, director of track & field and cross country John Hayes believes the 2023-24 season could be the start of something big for the women's programs.

"We're adding several new staff members, and I think all of that should help us," Hayes said. "We're excited about a bunch of our incoming athletes. We anticipate better performances at the ACC level. This is an exciting year.

"A lot is changing in how we recruit. We're adding staff members who will help that. There's a lot of great things going on and a lot of reasons to be optimistic."

Hayes specifically mentioned the hiring of Ryan Grinnell, who was brought in to lead the Wake Forest jumps and combined events. Grinnell comes from Utah State, where he served as an assistant coach after four seasons at Washington State and two seasons at the University of Georgia.

"He's going to be a difference maker in recruiting high-level athletes," Hayes said. "He was a tremendous coach at Washington State and had incredible results all the way at the national level. He was an All-American himself at the long jump, triple jump and high jump. He just brings great experience and a vision at the highest level, which is important for us at Wake Forest if we want to succeed in the ACC.

"I think we have great kids coming in and I'm so excited to be working with our staff. We've never had this kind of staff before and it's just a great situation."

There are 42 women's track & field student-athletes on the roster, with 19 of them specializing in cross country, which competes during the fall. Track and Field events start with indoor competitions in earnest after the Christmas break, then continue with the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.

"It's cross country until November, then track and field really kicks in when they get back from winter break," Hayes said. "Then it's full steam ahead into the indoor and then outdoor season. It doesn't let up until mid-June when we go to NCAA's. From August 15 to June 15, we are on it.

"Now that our staff is larger and we have more people to help out, I think you're going to see some great things from our women's track team. We have to look around our athletic department and see what the standard is — and the standard is high. We need to rise up to meet that standard."

The cross country schedule begins in July, and Hayes expects the women's team to show significant improvement this season.

"If you look at women's cross country, for instance — the mentality among the entire team has just improved so much," he said. "We've got some great distance runners coming in. Elizabeth Whaley redshirted cross country, then ran track last year. She will be in the lineup for us this year in cross country.

"Brooke Wilson is one of the best distance runners in the country coming in, and placed highly in the Nike Cross Country Nationals. We just have some solid athletes coming on who should allow us to make the next jump."

In terms of track & field, returning for a fifth season is multi-time All-ACC and All-American Anna Bush, who holds the Wake Forest program records in the Indoor Pentathlon and Outdoor Heptathlon.

"Anna has been the face of the women's track program for the last four years," Hayes said. "She's been an ACC Champion and an All-American. She represents our program in such a way. We're so proud of her, both academically and athletically.

"Her wonderful attitude is infectious. She brings positivity and a great work effort. She's an incredible human. The team and the staff love her."

With Wake Forest Athletic programs prospering at championship levels, it helps breed competition and success all over the campus.

"The athletic department is just on a roll, when you see the women's golf program win a national championship and the baseball team advance to Omaha," Hayes said. "Then there's all the success in football, soccer and tennis. It pushes all of us as coaches to be competitive."

"You don't want to be the only one not winning ACC titles and competing at the highest levels. There are so many positive things going on in the athletic department."

It's becoming easier by the day to sell prospects on the allure of competing on the field and in the classroom at Wake Forest.

"It's an amazing place to go to school and we have incredible facilities," Hayes said. "We need to sell Wake Forest. As long as you sell what Wake Forest is, you're going to get great kids coming in here because we have so much to offer everybody. We have to continue to recruit the right people for our program who are willing to work hard and realize the amazing experience they can have at Wake Forest."