Wake Forest Track and Field Kicks Off 2024-25 Season

Saturday, December 7

Boston, MA

Wake Forest University

Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener

12/6/2024 9:30:00 AM | Track and Field

Live Results (Sharon Colyear-Danville)Live Results (Visit Winston-Salem)Live Results (JDL Early Bird)

The Deacs are set to launch their indoor season with three meets on the schedule.

By: Emma Goldstein

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Demon Deacons will begin their Indoor Track and Field schedule on Dec. 7. at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston, Mass., as well as staying local for the Visit Winston-Salem College Kickoff. The Deacs will conclude their first weekend of the indoor season at the JDL Early Bird Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C on Dec. 8.

The Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener will be streamed via FloTrack, while live results can be found here. Live results for the Visit Winston-Salem College Kickoff can be found here. Additionally, live results for the JDL Early Bird Invitational can be found here.

Need to Know
Sat., Dec. 7
Visit Winston-Salem College Kickoff (9:30 a.m. ET) - Winston-Salem, N.C.
Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener (2:25 p.m. ET) - Boston, Mass.

Need to Know
Sun., Dec. 8
JDL Early Bird Invitational (9:30 a.m. ET) Winston-Salem

Competing for the Deacs (Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener)

Women
Men

Deacs to Watch
Wake Forest welcomes back junior Paul Specht, who will compete in the 3000 meter event after capturing gold in the 1 mile at the 2023 Visit Winston-Salem College Kickoff with a time of 4:11.90.

Sophomore Brooke Wilson returns to Boston University's track Saturday morning following a standout performance in the 5000m at last year's Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, where she posted a top-three time of 15:59.35. Wilson's mark secured the third spot in Wake Forest history for the indoor 5000m.

Junior Joe O'Brien aims to build on his impressive performance in Boston last season. O'Brien clocked 13:51.21 in the indoor 5000m, earning the second-fastest time in Wake Forest history.

Sophomore Charlie Sprott and senior Luke Tewalt will also compete in the 5000m, joined by freshmen JoJo Jourdon, Grant Morgenfeld, and Angelina Perez, who will make their Wake Forest indoor track and field debuts.

Competing for the Deacs (Visit Winston-Salem College Kickoff)

Women
- Mia Boardman
- Emma DeVries
- Isabella Gera
- Robbie Grace
- Aiden Harrand
- Mackenzie Hart
- Samantha Heyison
- Carlita Kahliher
- Maria Leskovec
- Kira Lewis
- Bridget McNally
- Kristyna Peterova
- Mia Prok
- Seren Rodgers
- Savannah Simmons
- Abby Stankus
- Jaz Thompson
- Palmer Walstad
- Aria Wegh
- Amy Weybrecht
- Kendall Williamson
Men
- Connor Bennett
- Ayden Boucher
- Corey Campbell
- Colin Chapman
- Gavin Ehlers
- Mason Ellis
- Ty Garrett
- Jacob Goldberg
- Ryan Harper
- Hunter Jones
- Andrew Kivett
- Weber Long
- Brenner McCamey
- Vince Mwangi
- Foster Shelbert
- Wes Shipsey
- Rynard Swanepoel

Competing for the Deacs (JDL Early Bird Invitational)

Women
- Charlotte Augenstein
- Emma DeVries
- Emma Douglass
- Rylan Engels
- Isabella Gera
- Laura Giudice
- Robbie Grace
- Aiden Harrand
- Mackenzie Hart
- Samantha Heyison
- Carlita Kahliher
- Maria Leskovec
- Kira Lewis
- Bridget McNally
- Kristyna Peterova
- Mia Prok
- Seren Rodgers
- Savannah Simmons
- Abby Stankus
- Jaz Thompson
- Palmer Walstad
- Aria Wegh
- Amy Weybrecht
Men
- Connor Bennett
- Ayden Boucher
- Corey Campbell
- Colin Chapman
- Gavin Ehlers
- Mason Ellis
- Ty Garrett
- Jacob Goldberg
- Ryan Harper
- Hunter Jones
- Jackson Keefer
- Andrew Kivett
- Weber Long
- Brenner McCamey
- Vince Mwangi
- Foster Shelbert
- Wes Shipsey
- Rynard Swanepoel

Staying Local
After delivering multiple commanding performances during the 2023-24 campaign, graduate student and star performer Robbie Grace is set to compete in Winston-Salem.

Grace returns after breaking the Wake Forest indoor long jump record with a mark of 6.22 meters at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. She also claimed first place and set a meet record in the long jump at the Darius Dixon Invitational.

Senior Rynard Swanepoel aims to build momentum in the 1 mile after a seventh-place finish at last season's Hokie Invitational on Jan. 19, where he clocked a personal-best time of 4:09.2.

Graduate student Mason Ellis will compete in the shot put and weight throw. Ellis stood out during the past indoor season, posting a personal-best distance of 17.87 meters in the weight throw at the JDL DMR Invitational on Feb. 17 and recording a throw of 17.01 meters at the Clemson Bob Pollock Invitational on Jan. 26.

Coach Hayes on the Track
Four-time Southeast Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year, John Hayes, enters his eighth season with Wake Forest fresh off an ACC Championship and a seventh-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships.

As the Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, Hayes has guided seven Demon Deacons to an All-American performance in indoor track and field.

Wake Forest Men's Indoor All-Americans

Michael Bingham 400m, 2007, 2009
Brent LaRue Heptathlon, 2009
Robert Heppenstall 800m, 2016, 2017, 2018
Thomas Vanoppen Mile, 2023
Andrew White Weight Throw, 2023
Tommy Kitchell Shot Put, 2024

Wake Forest Women's Indoor All-Americans

Catrina Bindel High Jump, 1995
Janelle Kraus 5,000m, 2000
Jill Snyder Mile, 2000, 2001
Sara Day 3,000m, 2001
Nikeya Green 800m, 2002
Annie Bersagel 5,000m, 2003, 2005
Jill Miller 5,000m, 2003
Michelle Sikes 3,000m, 2007
Michelle Sikes 5,000m, 2007
Anna Nosenko 3,000m, 2011
Anna Nosenko 5,000m, 2011
Anna Bush Pentathlon, 2021
Aleeya Hutchins 800m, 2021
Hannah Brookover 3,000m, 2021

Up Next
In January, the Deacs look to compete on multiple fronts, with one group traveling to Blacksburg, Va., for the Virginia Tech Invitational, scheduled for Jan. 17-18. Meanwhile, other squad members will stay closer to home, competing in the Mondo College Invitational in Winston-Salem on Jan. 18.

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