Wake Forest Set for Brant Tolsma Invitational

Thursday, January 29

Lynchburg, VA

Wake Forest University

Brant Tolsma Invitational

1/28/2026 10:00:00 AM | Track and Field

The Demon Deacons are one of 12 schools to compete in the two-day meet, including five other ACC programs.

By: KJ Smith

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Wake Forest track and field program is set to return to action this weekend as they are set to compete against a stacked field at the Brant Tolsma Invitational at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.

In total, 39 Demon Deacons will compete during the two-day meet that will run on Thursday, Jan. 29 and Friday, Jan. 30. Wake Forest is also one of nine schools slated to compete in the invitational, including ACC foes Duke, North Carolina, NC State and Virginia.

Live results will be updated throughout the competition here, while all of the action will be streamed live via FloTrack.

Need to Know
Thurs., Jan. 29
Brant Tolsma Invitational (1:00 p.m.)
Liberty Indoor Track Complex - Lynchburg, Va.

Fri., Jan. 30
Brant Tolsma Invitational (11:00 a.m.)
Liberty Indoor Track Complex - Lynchburg, Va.

The Field

Duke
High Point
Liberty
North Carolina A&T
North Carolina
NC State
Northern Arizona
Virginia
Wake Forest

Competing for the Deacs
Women

Men

Last Time Out
The Demon Deacons opened their 2026 slate with a solid performance in the Mondo College Invitational at the JDL Fast Track as six Deacs set top-10 marks in program history.

Senior Bryce Gilmore led the Demon Deacons in the men's mile as he secured first place in a race that saw the Deacs claim the top five spots. The Carlsbad, Calif., native posted a time of 3:59.00 to earn top spot and move into fifth on the all-time list for the men's indoor mile in program history.

Fellow senior Paul Specht also recorded a first place result as he clocked a time of 1:49.34 in the men's 800m. With the result, the Sindelfingen, Germany, native now sits seventh in Wake Forest history in the men's indoor 800m.

Additionally on the men's side, sophomore Max Marino added a time of 1:20.96 to move himself into sixth in school history in the men's 600m.

On the women's side, junior Seren Rodgers opened the day of competition by taking home a podium finish in the women's 60m hurdles. The Taunton, England, native crossed the line 8.67 seconds to clinch a third place result. Additionally, Rodgers now ranks fourth in the women's 60m hurdles following her performance.

Finally, sophomore Amy Weybrecht and freshman Victoria Rodgriguez both moved into the top five in school history in the women's 1,000m. Weybrecht finished the race in 2:46.45, the second-fastest mark all-time, to claim first place in the event for the second time in as many competitions. Meanwhile, Rodriguez finished just behind in second place with a time of 2:47.24, which moved her into the top five in program history.

The John Hayes Era
Currently in his 10th season as the director of the Wake Forest Track and Cross Country programs, head coach John Hayes has helped the Demon Deacons rise to the highest ranks in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Under his leadership, the Deacs have claimed two ACC championships in men's cross country over the past three seasons, including their most recent title during the 2024 season. The men's cross country team has also finished inside the top-10 at the NCAA Cross Country championships three times during Hayes' tenure, including a seventh place finish in 2024 and a fifth place finish in 2022. Hayes, who was named both Southeast Region and ACC Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2024, has also produced seven All-Americans in cross country, including junior Rocky Hansen, who finished as national runner-up at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Along with his achievements in cross country, Hayes has also helped guide the Deacs into success in both indoor and outdoor track and field. In total, the Demon Deacons have earned 122 All-ACC honors, as well as four individual ACC Championships over his first eight seasons.

In outdoor track and field alone, the Deacs have earned 69 All-ACC honors under Hayes, as well as an individual ACC championship by Thomas Vanoppen in the 1500m back in 2022.

2025-26 Indoor Track and Field Top-10 Marks in School History

Men's 400m
- 5th - Ryan Harper (48.21)
Men's 600m
- 6th - Max Marino (1:20.96)
Men's 800m
- 7th - Paul Specht (1:49.34)
Men's Mile
- 5th - Bryce Gilmore (3:59.00)
Men's 5000m
- 10th - Bryce Gilmore (13:51.24)
Women's 60m
- 4th - Seren Rodgers (7.86)
Women's 60m Hurdles
- 4th - Seren Rodgers (8.67)
Women's 1000m
- 2nd - Amy Weybrecht (2:46:45)
- 4th - Victoria Rodriguez (2:47.24)
Women's 5000m
- 1st - Angelina Perez (15:41.86)
Women's Long Jump
- 7th - Seren Rodgers (5.83m)
Women's Pentathlon
- 6th - Seren Rodgers (3,771 points)
Women's Triple Jump
- 3rd - Annie Thorkell (12.05m)

Up Next
The Demon Deacons will be back in action next weekend with a pair of meets at the JDL Fast Track. The Deacs open up their weekend slate by competing in the Camel City Sprints on Friday, Feb. 6. They will then be back at the JDL Fast Track the following day, Saturday, Feb. 7, for the Camel City Distance meet.

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