Demon Deacons Push Past the Elements to Close Day One of the NCAA East Region First Round
5/29/2025 1:38:00 AM | Track and Field
Following a lengthy weather delay, senior Rynard Swanepoel earned a spot in the quarterfinals of the men’s 800m, while junior Paul Specht moved onto the quarterfinals of the men’s 1500m.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite a lengthy weather delay, the Wake Forest Track and Field team pushed past the elements to close out a successful first day of competition at the NCAA East Region First Round, including seeing two individuals on late Wednesday night earn their spots in the men's 800m and 1500m quarterfinals.
Junior Paul Specht opened the meet for the Demon Deacons by booking his spot in the quarterfinals of the men's 1500m. The Sindelfingen, Germany, native finished his heat in sixth-place with a time of 3:40.48 after back-to-back sub-minute splits across the final 800 meters, including a 56.60 split on his final lap.
Senior Rynard Swanepoel also moved onto the next round of competition, coming away with a second place finish in his heat at 1:46.68 to advance to the men's 800m quarterfinals.
Both Swanepoel and Specht will now compete for a berth at the NCAA Championships on Friday afternoon.
Elsewhere, freshman Aidan Ross ended his standout season during the men's 10,000m semifinal, crossing the finish line at 29:52.99 for a 29th-place finish.
Notable Finishes
Men's 1500m (First Round)
Men's 800m (First Round)
Men's 10,000m (Semifinal)
2025 Outdoor Track and Field Top-10 Marks in School History
Up Next
The Demon Deacons continue competition at the 2025 NCAA East Region First Round tomorrow, with the first events beginning at 10 a.m.
Follow the Deacs
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Junior Paul Specht opened the meet for the Demon Deacons by booking his spot in the quarterfinals of the men's 1500m. The Sindelfingen, Germany, native finished his heat in sixth-place with a time of 3:40.48 after back-to-back sub-minute splits across the final 800 meters, including a 56.60 split on his final lap.
Senior Rynard Swanepoel also moved onto the next round of competition, coming away with a second place finish in his heat at 1:46.68 to advance to the men's 800m quarterfinals.
Both Swanepoel and Specht will now compete for a berth at the NCAA Championships on Friday afternoon.
Elsewhere, freshman Aidan Ross ended his standout season during the men's 10,000m semifinal, crossing the finish line at 29:52.99 for a 29th-place finish.
Notable Finishes
Men's 1500m (First Round)
- Paul Specht - 3:40.48
Men's 800m (First Round)
- Rynard Swanepoel - 1:46.68
Men's 10,000m (Semifinal)
- Aidan Ross - 29:52.99
2025 Outdoor Track and Field Top-10 Marks in School History
- Men's 1500m
- 1st - JoJo Jourdon (3:37.00)
- 4th - Rocky Hansen (3:38.74)
- 5th - Paul Specht (3:39.42)
- 6th - Rynard Swanepoel (3:39.67)
- Men's 3000m Steeplechase
- 3rd - Hunter Jones (8:46.86)
- Men's 5000m
- 1st - Rocky Hansen (13:22.06)
- 3rd - Luke Tewalt (13:28.18)
- 4th - Joe O'Brien (13:32.97)
- 7th - Luke Tewalt (13:40.50)
- 8th - Charlie Sprott (13:40.71)
- 9th - JoJo Jourdon (13:46.76)
- Men's 800m
- 2nd - Rynard Swanepoel (1:46.29)
- Men's 10,000m
- 2nd - Joe O'Brien (28:15.43)
- 3rd - Charlie Sprott (28:22.92)
- 4th - Aidan Ross (28:28.14)
- 6th - Daniel Winter (28:59.60)
- 7th - Jackson Keefer (28:59.71)
- 9th - Hunter Jones (29:09.37)
- Women's 400m
- 7th - Emma Douglass (55.76)
- 10th - Aria Weigh (56.46)
- Women's 400m Hurdles
- 5th - Aria Weigh (59.66)
- Women's 800m
- 1st - Emma Douglass (2:03.25)
- 8th - Rylan Engels (2:07.01)
- Women's 1500m
- 1st - Emma Douglass (4:13.94)
- 3rd - Rylan Engels (4:14.67)
- 4th - Elizabeth Whaley (4:15.05)
- Women's 5000m
- 2nd - Brooke Wilson (15:47.74.)
- Women's 10,000m
- 1st - Brooke Wilson (32:50.07)
- 4th - Angelina Perez (33:23.72)
- Women's Long Jump
- 10th - Bridget McNally (5.72m)
- Women's Hammer Throw
- 8th - Kristyna Peterova (52.27m)
- Women's Shot Put
- 4th - Isabella Gera (15.66m)
- Women's Javelin
- 5th - Rosalind Gergely (49.08m)
- 7th - Julia Pinter (46.49m)
- Women's Heptathlon
- 8th - Seren Rodgers (5,094 points)
Up Next
The Demon Deacons continue competition at the 2025 NCAA East Region First Round tomorrow, with the first events beginning at 10 a.m.
Follow the Deacs
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance/Mid Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Weight/Hammer
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Jumps/Multis
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and FieldWake Forest Football | Virginia Tech Trailer
Saturday, October 04
Football Media Availability (9/30/25)
Tuesday, September 30
Wake Forest Football Coach Jake Dickert Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, September 30
Coach Jake Dickert Press Conference (Sept. 29, 2025)
Monday, September 29