Wake Forest Athletics
Friday, February 13
Lynchburg, VA
Wake Forest University
at
Darius Dixon Invitational
Demon Deacons Set for Darius Dixon Invitational and ASICS Sound Invite
2/12/2026 10:52:00 AM | Track and Field
The Darius Dixon Invitational will be held on Friday, Feb, 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex, while the ASICS Sound Invite is slated for Saturday at the JDL Fast Track.
LYNCHBURG, Va. & WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Entering the backstretch of the 2025-26 indoor track regular season, the Wake Forest track and field program will be back on the track this weekend as they compete in both the Darius Dixon Invitational and ASICS Sound Invite.
The Demon Deacons will open their weekend of competition at the Darius Dixon Invitational, which will be held on Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. The event will be streamed live on ESPN+ and live results will be updated throughout the two-day meet here.
Meanwhile, another group of Deacs are slated to compete in the ASICS Sound Invite on Saturday at the JDL Fast Track. Live results will be updated throughout the day here.
Need to Know
Friday, Feb. 13
Darius Dixon Invitational (1:40 PM)
Liberty Indoor Track Complex - Lynchburg, Va.
Saturday, Feb. 14
Darius Dixon Invitational (8:30 AM)
Liberty Indoor Track Complex - Lynchburg, Va.
ASICS Sound Invite (10:00 AM)
JDL Fast Track - Winston-Salem, N.C.
Competing for the Deacs (Friday at Darius Dixon Invitational)
Women
Competing for the Deacs (Saturday at Darius Dixon Invitational)
Women
Competing for the Deacs (Saturday at ASICS Sound Invite)
Women
Last Time Out
The Demon Deacons competed at both the Camel City Sprints and Camel City Distance meets last weekend at the JDL Fast Track.
Sophomore Wes Shipsey secured a first-place finish in the men's 800m after crossing the finish line in 1:50.61. The mark helped the Portland, Ore., native jump into tenth all-time in the men's indoor 800m in Wake Forest history.
Meanwhile, freshman Annie Thorkell claimed her first collegiate victory in the women's long jump. The Nyhamnslage, Sweden, native recorded a personal-best distance of 5.85 meters to clinch first place in the event and move her into eighth all-time in Wake Forest 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
Up Next
The Demon Deacons are set to close the regular season of indoor competition with a pair of meets next weekend. First, the Deacs will compete in the DMR Challenge/Last Chance Meet in Boston on Friday, Feb. 10. Wake Forest will then close their regular season in Winston-Salem as they compete in the JDL Last Chance Invitational at the JDL Fast Track.
Follow the Demon Deacons
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | #GoDeacs
The Demon Deacons will open their weekend of competition at the Darius Dixon Invitational, which will be held on Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. The event will be streamed live on ESPN+ and live results will be updated throughout the two-day meet here.
Meanwhile, another group of Deacs are slated to compete in the ASICS Sound Invite on Saturday at the JDL Fast Track. Live results will be updated throughout the day here.
Need to Know
Friday, Feb. 13
Darius Dixon Invitational (1:40 PM)
Liberty Indoor Track Complex - Lynchburg, Va.
Saturday, Feb. 14
Darius Dixon Invitational (8:30 AM)
Liberty Indoor Track Complex - Lynchburg, Va.
ASICS Sound Invite (10:00 AM)
JDL Fast Track - Winston-Salem, N.C.
Competing for the Deacs (Friday at Darius Dixon Invitational)
Women
Competing for the Deacs (Saturday at Darius Dixon Invitational)
Women
- Julia Aere
- Seren Rodgers
- Casey Sullivan
- Annie Thorkell
Competing for the Deacs (Saturday at ASICS Sound Invite)
Women
- Emma DeVries
- Isabelle Goldstein
- Aiden Harrand
- Mackenzie Hart
- Samantha Heyison
- Natalia Issler
- Carlita Kaliher
- Angelina Perez
- Alyssa Preisano
- Victoria Rodrgiuez
- Abby Stankus
- Amy Weybrecht
- Elizabeth Whaley
- Mia Williams
- Maisie Wilmer
- Brooke Wilson
- Ayden Boucher
- Zackery Cervi-Skinner
- Gavin Ehlers
- Bryce Gilmore
- Lucas Guerra
- Ryan Harper
- Hunter Jones
- Andrew Kivett
- Max Marino
- Brenner McCamey
- Harry Parker McLain
- Joe O'Brien
- Adam Petitjean
- Aurielian Radja
- Foster Shelbert
- Wes Shipsey
- Paul Specht
- Charlie Sprott
Last Time Out
The Demon Deacons competed at both the Camel City Sprints and Camel City Distance meets last weekend at the JDL Fast Track.
Sophomore Wes Shipsey secured a first-place finish in the men's 800m after crossing the finish line in 1:50.61. The mark helped the Portland, Ore., native jump into tenth all-time in the men's indoor 800m in Wake Forest history.
Meanwhile, freshman Annie Thorkell claimed her first collegiate victory in the women's long jump. The Nyhamnslage, Sweden, native recorded a personal-best distance of 5.85 meters to clinch first place in the event and move her into eighth all-time in Wake Forest 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)
- 10th - Wes Shipsey (1:50.61)
- Men's Mile
- 1st - Paul Specht (3:54.60)
- 5th - Bryce Gilmore (3:59.00)
- Men's 3000m
- 4th - Bryce Gilmore (7:50.89)
- 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 800m
- 4th - Natalia Issler (2:05.42)
- Women's 1000m
- 2nd - Amy Weybrecht (2:46.45)
- 4th - Victoria Rodriguez (2:47.24)
- Women's Mile
- 1st - Elizabeth Whaley (4:36.56)
- 7th - Angelina Perez (4:41.24)
- Women's 5000m
- 1st - Angelina Perez (15:41.86)
- Women's High Jump
- 10th - Seren Rodgers (1.65m)
- Women's Long Jump
- 6th - Seren Rodgers (5.89m)
- 8th - Annie Thorkell (5.85m)
- Women's Pentathlon
- 3rd- Seren Rodgers (3,971 points)
- Women's Triple Jump
- 3rd - Annie Thorkell (12.05m)
Up Next
The Demon Deacons are set to close the regular season of indoor competition with a pair of meets next weekend. First, the Deacs will compete in the DMR Challenge/Last Chance Meet in Boston on Friday, Feb. 10. Wake Forest will then close their regular season in Winston-Salem as they compete in the JDL Last Chance Invitational at the JDL Fast Track.
Follow the Demon Deacons
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | #GoDeacs
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