Wednesday, May 22
Lexington, KY
Wake Forest University
vs
NCAA First Round East Region
Leia Braunagel Punches Ticket to 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Day Four
5/25/2024 10:14:00 PM | Track and Field
Four Demon Deacons turn their eyes towards Eugene, Oregon for the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
LEXINGTON, KY. - The Wake Forest men's and women's track and field teams closed the book on the 2024 NCAA East Region Prelims on Saturday night. Four Deacs will look ahead to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
In the first event on Saturday, Leia Braunagel became the fourth Demon Deacon to punch their ticket to Eugene. Braunagel secured her spot with an 11th place finish and a 54.89m.
Throughout the 2024 campaign, Braunagel has set a new personal-best and new Wake Forest record in the women's discus on three separate occasions. At the Stanford Invitational, the graduate student set her first personal-best of the season with a second place finish and a 57.85m throw. For the second new personal-best, Braunagel not only broke her own Wake Forest record but also set a new facility and meet record at the Vertklasse Meet with a first place finish and a 58.44m throw. Finally, At the 2024 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, the Baden-Baden, Germany native claimed first team All-ACC honors with a second place finish and the current Wake Forest record throw of 58.79m.
Four Demon Deacons will make the trek up to Eugene, Oregon for the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The National Championships will be held at the prestigious Hayward Field at the University of Oregon from June 5-8.
Deacs Headed to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Day One - Wednesday, May 22nd
LEXINGTON, KY. - The Wake Forest men's and women's track and field teams started strong in Lexington, Kentucky with three qualifiers on the first day of the NCAA East First Round Track and Field Championships.
The first qualifier for the Demon Deacons was Paul Specht in the men's 1500m first round. Specht finished with a qualifying time of 3:43.84 and is set to compete in the quarter finals for the 1500m on Friday at 5:10 p.m.
In the men's 800m first round, Ryanrd Swanepoel and Jack Balick both qualified for the next round of the event on Friday 7:05 p.m. Swanepoel ran a qualifying time of 1:49.78 and Balick ran a 1:49.78 to secure a spot in the next round.
Day Two - Thursday, May 23rd
LEXINGTON, KY. - The Wake Forest men's and women's track and field team wrapped up day two of the NCAA East First Round Track and Field Championships in Lexington, Kentucky.
In the women's long jump, Robbie Grace looks to continue her stellar season after punching her ticket to Eugene this afternoon. Grace secured her spot in Oregon with a 9th place finish and a 6.24m jump. The graduate student has had a stellar indoor and outdoor campaign up to this point holding the Wake Forest records in the indoor long jump (6.22m) and outdoor long jump (6.38m).
Day Three - Friday, May 24th
LEXINGTON, KY. - The Wake Forest men's and women's track and field teams head into the final day of action with Rocky Hansen and Rynard Swanepoel headed to Eugene, Oregon for the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
In the men's 800m quarterfinals, junior Rynard Swanepoel added on to his impressive 2024 campaign with a first place finish to punch his ticket to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Swanepoel qualified with a time of 1:45.28, a new personal-best, facility record and the fastest time in program history. Earlier this season, the Johannesburg, South Africa native set the new top mark in the men's 800m in program history at the Wake Forest Invitational with a time of 1:45.84. Additionally, Swanepoel earned first team All-ACC honors with a time of 1:46.69 and a second place finish at the 2024 ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Atlanta.
The Deacs wrapped up Friday's events with the men's 5000m semifinals. Freshman standout Rocky Hansen punched his first ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the first time. Hansen secured his spot with a fourth place finish and a time of 13:52.18.
From the Staff
"We've had a strong last two meets. We took another small group but performed at a high level in this extremely competitive meet. Once again, my staff had the team prepared with most outperforming their ranking coming in. Now we look ahead to next week in Oregon with two men and two women. All four have a very real shot at scoring. The Deacon nation should be proud of all of these student-athletes!" - Director of track & field and cross country John Hayes
Up Next
The 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held at Hayward Field hosted by the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. The NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held from Wednesday June 5th through Saturday, June 8th.
Follow the Demon Deacons
Social: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | #GoDeacs
In the first event on Saturday, Leia Braunagel became the fourth Demon Deacon to punch their ticket to Eugene. Braunagel secured her spot with an 11th place finish and a 54.89m.
Throughout the 2024 campaign, Braunagel has set a new personal-best and new Wake Forest record in the women's discus on three separate occasions. At the Stanford Invitational, the graduate student set her first personal-best of the season with a second place finish and a 57.85m throw. For the second new personal-best, Braunagel not only broke her own Wake Forest record but also set a new facility and meet record at the Vertklasse Meet with a first place finish and a 58.44m throw. Finally, At the 2024 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, the Baden-Baden, Germany native claimed first team All-ACC honors with a second place finish and the current Wake Forest record throw of 58.79m.
Four Demon Deacons will make the trek up to Eugene, Oregon for the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The National Championships will be held at the prestigious Hayward Field at the University of Oregon from June 5-8.
Deacs Headed to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
- Women's Discus First Round
- 11th - Leia Braunagel - 54.89
- Men's 5000m Semifinals
- 4th - Rocky Hansen 13:52.18
- Men's 800m Quarterfinals
- 1st - Rynard Swanepoel - 1:45.28, personal-best, facility record and the fastest time in Wake Forest history
- Women's Long Jump Semifinals
- 9th - Robbie Grace - 6.24m
Day One - Wednesday, May 22nd
LEXINGTON, KY. - The Wake Forest men's and women's track and field teams started strong in Lexington, Kentucky with three qualifiers on the first day of the NCAA East First Round Track and Field Championships.
The first qualifier for the Demon Deacons was Paul Specht in the men's 1500m first round. Specht finished with a qualifying time of 3:43.84 and is set to compete in the quarter finals for the 1500m on Friday at 5:10 p.m.
In the men's 800m first round, Ryanrd Swanepoel and Jack Balick both qualified for the next round of the event on Friday 7:05 p.m. Swanepoel ran a qualifying time of 1:49.78 and Balick ran a 1:49.78 to secure a spot in the next round.
Day Two - Thursday, May 23rd
LEXINGTON, KY. - The Wake Forest men's and women's track and field team wrapped up day two of the NCAA East First Round Track and Field Championships in Lexington, Kentucky.
In the women's long jump, Robbie Grace looks to continue her stellar season after punching her ticket to Eugene this afternoon. Grace secured her spot in Oregon with a 9th place finish and a 6.24m jump. The graduate student has had a stellar indoor and outdoor campaign up to this point holding the Wake Forest records in the indoor long jump (6.22m) and outdoor long jump (6.38m).
Day Three - Friday, May 24th
LEXINGTON, KY. - The Wake Forest men's and women's track and field teams head into the final day of action with Rocky Hansen and Rynard Swanepoel headed to Eugene, Oregon for the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
In the men's 800m quarterfinals, junior Rynard Swanepoel added on to his impressive 2024 campaign with a first place finish to punch his ticket to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Swanepoel qualified with a time of 1:45.28, a new personal-best, facility record and the fastest time in program history. Earlier this season, the Johannesburg, South Africa native set the new top mark in the men's 800m in program history at the Wake Forest Invitational with a time of 1:45.84. Additionally, Swanepoel earned first team All-ACC honors with a time of 1:46.69 and a second place finish at the 2024 ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Atlanta.
The Deacs wrapped up Friday's events with the men's 5000m semifinals. Freshman standout Rocky Hansen punched his first ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the first time. Hansen secured his spot with a fourth place finish and a time of 13:52.18.
From the Staff
"We've had a strong last two meets. We took another small group but performed at a high level in this extremely competitive meet. Once again, my staff had the team prepared with most outperforming their ranking coming in. Now we look ahead to next week in Oregon with two men and two women. All four have a very real shot at scoring. The Deacon nation should be proud of all of these student-athletes!" - Director of track & field and cross country John Hayes
Up Next
The 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held at Hayward Field hosted by the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. The NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held from Wednesday June 5th through Saturday, June 8th.
Follow the Demon Deacons
Social: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | #GoDeacs
Players Mentioned
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