Wednesday, June 5
Eugene, OR
Wake Forest University
vs
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Demon Deacons Conclude NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
6/8/2024 7:23:00 PM | Track and Field
Four Wake Forest athletes qualified for postseason honors.
EUGENE, Ore. - Four members of the Wake Forest men's and women's track and field teams wrapped up the 2024 outdoor season at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships this week in Eugene, Ore. at Hayward Field.
Junior Rynard Swanepoel grabbed Second Team All-American honors with a time of 1:47.44 in the national 800m semifinals Wednesday night. The South African had the eighth-fastest overall time and finished third in his heat, barely missing out on an automatic qualifying spot and a time qualifying spot.
This season, Swanepoel was also named First Team All-ACC with a second-place finish at the ACC Outdoor Championships last month. Additionally, the junior qualified for Eugene with a stellar time of 1:45.28 in Lexington, which marked a new personal-best, facility record and program record. That time also ranked as the second-fastest nationally coming into the championships.
On day two, graduate student Robbie Grace finished ninth in the women's long jump finals after entering the event ranked 21st, which saw her named Second Team All-American. She recorded a 6.31m (20-8½) leap on her first attempt to accomplish the feat.
Grace closes out her Wake Forest career as the program record holder in the long jump with a 6.38m mark, which she achieved at the Beach Invitational in early April. She followed that up with a first-place finish at the Wake Forest Invitational and a podium finish at the ACC Outdoor Championships to be tabbed First Team All-ACC.
On Friday night, freshman Rocky Hansen had an incredible performance in the men's 5000m finals. For the third-consecutive night, a Demon Deacon tabbed Second Team All-American honors as he earned a 16th-place finish in an experienced field with a time of 14:04.44. Of note, Hansen was the third-highest finishing freshman in the field.
Hansen already holds the fifth-fastest 5000m time in program history following his performance at the Wake Forest Invitational on April 19 where he clocked a 13:44.16. In addition to the 5000m, he also excelled in the 1500m, notching Second Team All-ACC in the event last month.
Graduate student Leia Braunagel concluded the season for Wake Forest, as she earned Honorable Mention All-American honors in the women's discus on Saturday afternoon with a 52.59m toss. She will now turn her focus to the German Championships taking place from June 28-30.
Braunagel was one of the most consistent performers for the Demon Deacons over the past two seasons. She continued to shatter her own Wake Forest program record, which currently sits at 58.79m following her second-place throw of 58.79m at the ACC Outdoor Championships.
Wake Forest Results
From the Staff
"We came to Oregon with four athletes who had never competed at the national meet, and all four represented Wake Forest well. Robbie Grace has faced many setbacks over the years, including two surgeries, and to just miss scoring was an incredible feat. It was great to see her joy and passion for the sport reignite this year under the direction of Coach Ryan Grinnell, and we look forward to having her back next year at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Rynard Swanepoel had a stellar outdoor season, running the third fastest 800m in NCAA competition this year and breaking multiple records under the guidance of Coach Brandon Hazouri. He fell short of his goals at this meet but learned a lot in the process and gained valuable experience that will make him even stronger next year. Rocky Hansen lives the life of a champion and fought until the end. To even qualify in the 5000m as a true freshman is rare and shows he is one of the best. I fully expect both Rynard and Rocky to be back at this meet in pursuit of two national titles in the future. Leia Braunagel, meanwhile, is the best discus thrower in Wake Forest history. She had a great year but an off day by her high standards, and we will miss having her on our team next year. Hats off to Coach Collin Post for doing a great job developing her talent over the past two years." - Director of Track & Field and Cross Country John Hayes
"I'm really proud of Leia. She has had an amazing season and career at Wake Forest. Obviously, this was not the result we have been working towards. Leia is disappointed, and I'm disappointed for her. Hopefully, we can make some adjustments and have her ready for the German championships at the end of the month." - Associate Head Coach Collin Post
"We are really proud of the season's that Rocky and Rynard had. It's hard to overstate how well Rocky navigated the ups and downs of this season, especially given that he is a true freshman. He has such a bright future ahead of him and I know this weekend will have been an important milestone when he looks back at his career.
Rynard was really special this year. I know he was disappointed to not advance to the final, but there is no doubt that will stay with him until he gets the chance to come back next season. The times he ran this year really elevated him to someone who is at the top of the NCAA and now knocking on the door at some global opportunities.
Both Rocky and Rynard are great representatives of the culture coach Hayes has created at Wake Forest." - Assistant Coach Brandon Hazouri
"What a journey! Altogether, we are so incredibly proud of Robbie. Over the course of the season she showed great consistency and produced some of her best jumps ever in the NCAA final. To come in ranked 21st, advance to finals and finish 9th overall is truly amazing! Without question, we are excited about the 2025 season ahead." - Assistant Coach Ryan Grinnell
Season Highlights
At the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Atlanta last month, Wake Forest earned 11 All-ACC honors, including multiple from Ashlyn Giles and Thomas Kitchell in both the shot put and discus.
Junior Rynard Swanepoel grabbed Second Team All-American honors with a time of 1:47.44 in the national 800m semifinals Wednesday night. The South African had the eighth-fastest overall time and finished third in his heat, barely missing out on an automatic qualifying spot and a time qualifying spot.
This season, Swanepoel was also named First Team All-ACC with a second-place finish at the ACC Outdoor Championships last month. Additionally, the junior qualified for Eugene with a stellar time of 1:45.28 in Lexington, which marked a new personal-best, facility record and program record. That time also ranked as the second-fastest nationally coming into the championships.
On day two, graduate student Robbie Grace finished ninth in the women's long jump finals after entering the event ranked 21st, which saw her named Second Team All-American. She recorded a 6.31m (20-8½) leap on her first attempt to accomplish the feat.
Grace closes out her Wake Forest career as the program record holder in the long jump with a 6.38m mark, which she achieved at the Beach Invitational in early April. She followed that up with a first-place finish at the Wake Forest Invitational and a podium finish at the ACC Outdoor Championships to be tabbed First Team All-ACC.
On Friday night, freshman Rocky Hansen had an incredible performance in the men's 5000m finals. For the third-consecutive night, a Demon Deacon tabbed Second Team All-American honors as he earned a 16th-place finish in an experienced field with a time of 14:04.44. Of note, Hansen was the third-highest finishing freshman in the field.
Hansen already holds the fifth-fastest 5000m time in program history following his performance at the Wake Forest Invitational on April 19 where he clocked a 13:44.16. In addition to the 5000m, he also excelled in the 1500m, notching Second Team All-ACC in the event last month.
Graduate student Leia Braunagel concluded the season for Wake Forest, as she earned Honorable Mention All-American honors in the women's discus on Saturday afternoon with a 52.59m toss. She will now turn her focus to the German Championships taking place from June 28-30.
Braunagel was one of the most consistent performers for the Demon Deacons over the past two seasons. She continued to shatter her own Wake Forest program record, which currently sits at 58.79m following her second-place throw of 58.79m at the ACC Outdoor Championships.
Wake Forest Results
- Men's 800m Prelims
- 8th - Rynard Swanepoel (1:47.44)
- Women's Long Jump Finals
- 9th - Robbie Grace (6.31m)
- Men's 5000m Finals
- 16th - Rocky Hansen (14:04.44)
- Women's Discus Finals
- 21st - Leia Braunagel (52.59m)
- Steve Brown - 110m Hurdles (1989, 1990)
- Ben Schoonover - 10,000m (1991)
- John Sence - 10,000m (1992, 1993)
- Andy Bloom - Shot Put, Discus (1995, 1996)
- Warren Sherman - 800m (1995)
- Kyle Armentrout - 10,000m (1995)
- Nolan Swanson - 10,000m (1999)
- Michael Bingham - 400m (2007, 2009)
- Brent LaRue - 400m Hurdles (2010)
- Ben Lincoln - Javelin (2012)
- Kyle Graves - 1,500m (2015)
- *Robert Heppenstall - 800m (2016, *2017, *2018)
- *Tony Jones - High Jump (2022)
- *Thomas Vanoppen - 1500m (2022)
- *Zach Facioni - 5000m (2022)
- *Luke Tewalt - 5000m (2023)
- *Rynard Swanepoel - 800m (2024)
- *Rocky Hansen - 5000m (2024)
- Dawn Powers - 10,000m (1982)
- Karen Dunn - 3,000m (1985)
- Jennifer Finnegan - 1,500m (1992, 1995)
- Catrina Bindel - Heptathlon (1993, 1995, 1996)
- Liz Cotter 800m - (1996)
- Jill Snyder - 1,500m (1999, 2000)
- Janelle Kraus - 5,000m (2000)
- Sara Day - 10,000m (2001)
- Nikeya Green - 800m (2003, 2004)
- Annie Bersagel - 10,000m (2003, 2004, 2005)
- Michelle Sikes - 5,000m (2006, 2007)
- Jessie Merckle - Javelin (2014, 2015, 2016)
- Sydney White - Pole Vault (2014)
- Kathleen Adair - Pole Vault (2015)
- *Ellie Abrahamson - 3,000m Steeplechase (2017)
- *Sam Halvorsen - 10,000m (2018)
- *Anna Bush - Heptathlon (2022)
- *Emma Soderstrom - High Jump (2022)
- *Robbie Grace - Long Jump (2024)
- *Leia Braunagel - Discus (2024)
From the Staff
"We came to Oregon with four athletes who had never competed at the national meet, and all four represented Wake Forest well. Robbie Grace has faced many setbacks over the years, including two surgeries, and to just miss scoring was an incredible feat. It was great to see her joy and passion for the sport reignite this year under the direction of Coach Ryan Grinnell, and we look forward to having her back next year at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Rynard Swanepoel had a stellar outdoor season, running the third fastest 800m in NCAA competition this year and breaking multiple records under the guidance of Coach Brandon Hazouri. He fell short of his goals at this meet but learned a lot in the process and gained valuable experience that will make him even stronger next year. Rocky Hansen lives the life of a champion and fought until the end. To even qualify in the 5000m as a true freshman is rare and shows he is one of the best. I fully expect both Rynard and Rocky to be back at this meet in pursuit of two national titles in the future. Leia Braunagel, meanwhile, is the best discus thrower in Wake Forest history. She had a great year but an off day by her high standards, and we will miss having her on our team next year. Hats off to Coach Collin Post for doing a great job developing her talent over the past two years." - Director of Track & Field and Cross Country John Hayes
"I'm really proud of Leia. She has had an amazing season and career at Wake Forest. Obviously, this was not the result we have been working towards. Leia is disappointed, and I'm disappointed for her. Hopefully, we can make some adjustments and have her ready for the German championships at the end of the month." - Associate Head Coach Collin Post
"We are really proud of the season's that Rocky and Rynard had. It's hard to overstate how well Rocky navigated the ups and downs of this season, especially given that he is a true freshman. He has such a bright future ahead of him and I know this weekend will have been an important milestone when he looks back at his career.
Rynard was really special this year. I know he was disappointed to not advance to the final, but there is no doubt that will stay with him until he gets the chance to come back next season. The times he ran this year really elevated him to someone who is at the top of the NCAA and now knocking on the door at some global opportunities.
Both Rocky and Rynard are great representatives of the culture coach Hayes has created at Wake Forest." - Assistant Coach Brandon Hazouri
"What a journey! Altogether, we are so incredibly proud of Robbie. Over the course of the season she showed great consistency and produced some of her best jumps ever in the NCAA final. To come in ranked 21st, advance to finals and finish 9th overall is truly amazing! Without question, we are excited about the 2025 season ahead." - Assistant Coach Ryan Grinnell
Season Highlights
At the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Atlanta last month, Wake Forest earned 11 All-ACC honors, including multiple from Ashlyn Giles and Thomas Kitchell in both the shot put and discus.
- All-ACC Honorees
- Women's First Team
- Ashlyn Giles (Shot Put)
- Robbie Grace (Long Jump)
- Leia Braunagel (Discus)
- Men's First Team
- Thomas Kitchell (Shot Put)
- Rynard Swanepoel (800m)
- Women's Second Team
- Addison Berry (Heptathlon)
- Megan Cook (Hammer)
- Ashlyn Giles (Hammer)
- Men's Second Team
- Rocky Hansen (1500m)
- Thomas Kitchell (Discus)
- Jack Balick (800m)
- Women's First Team
- 2024 Wake Forest Outdoor Track & Field Top-10 Program Marks
- Men's 800m
- 1st - Rynard Swanepoel - 1:45.28
- 4th - Jack Balick - 1:47.11
- Men's 1,500m
- 7th - Rynard Swanepoel - 3:41.70
- Men's 5,000m
- 5th - Rocky Hansen - 13:44.16
- Men's Shot Put
- 2nd - Thomas Kitchell - 19.16m
- 6th - Connor Mathis - 16.89m
- Women's 1,500m
- 5th - Elizabeth Whaley - 4:17.60
- Women's 5,000m
- 2nd - Brooke Wilson - 15:51.47
- Women's 10,000m
- 4th - Caroline Garrett - 33:46.84
- Women's High Jump
- 9th - Meghan O'Malley - 1.70m
- Women's Long Jump
- 1st - Robbie Grace - 6.38m
- Women's Shot Put
- 1st - Ashlyn Giles - 16.65m
- 6th - Isabella Gera - 15.12m
- Women's Discus
- 1st - Leia Braunagel - 58.79m
- 2nd - Ashlyn Giles - 53.13m
- Women's Hammer
- 1st - Megan Cook - 60.21m
- 3rd - Isabella Gera - 57.23m
- Men's 800m
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