Demon Deacons Return to Action at Raleigh Relays

Thursday, March 26

Raleigh, NC

Wake Forest University

Raleigh Relays

3/25/2026 1:18:00 PM | Track and Field

The Deacs will have 46 athletes competing across the three-day meet, which will run from Thursday, March 26, to Saturday, March 28.

By: KJ Smith

RALEIGH, N.C. – Coming off a solid outdoor season opener, the Wake Forest track and field team is set to return to action this weekend at the Raleigh Relays at the Paul Derr Track & Field Facility.

The Demon Deacons will have 46 athletes competing across the three-day meet, which will run from Thursday, March 26, to Saturday, March 28.

All results will be updated throughout the meet via FlashResults, while all the action will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.

Need to Know
Thursday, March 26
Raleigh Relays (9:15 a.m.)
Paul Derr Track & Field Facility - Raleigh, N.C.

Friday, March 27
Raleigh Relays (9:45 a.m.)
Paul Derr Track & Field Facility - Raleigh, N.C.

Saturday, March 28
Raleigh Relays (9:30 a.m.)
Paul Derr Track & Field Facility - Raleigh, N.C.

Competing for the Deacs
Women

Men

Last Time Out
The Demon Deacons are coming off a strong outdoor season opener at the Bob Davidson Team Challenge at Vert Stadium in High Point, N.C. Overall, five Deacs recorded top-10 marks in program history.

On the opening day of competition, graduate student Nick Masterman and sophomore Rosalind Gergely both logged career-best throws to propel them to podium finishes in the men's and women's javelin.

Gergely started the day off for the Deacs by claiming first place in the women's javelin with a throw of 51.59 meters. With the result, the Pottsville, Pa., native now sits third all-time in the women's javelin in program history.

Meanwhile, Masterman earned a second-place finish in the men's javelin after registering a career-best throw of 63.22 meters. With the result, the Villanova, Pa., native has now jumped into fifth all-time in Wake Forest history for the event.

Sophomore Jazmine Thompson led the way for the Demon Deacons on Saturday as she claimed a pair of top-10 marks in both the women's discus and the women's shot put.

The Harlingen, Texas, native opened the day by recording a distance of 15.00 meters en route to a third-place finish in the shot put. Thompson would later secure fourth place in the discus throw after notching a personal-best throw of 46.95 meters. With the results, Thompson now sits seventh all-time in school history for both events.

Senior Casey Sullivan also recorded a top-10 mark in the women's shot put, logging a personal-best toss of 14.91 meters to move into eighth in Wake Forest history.

Junior Seren Rodgers concluded a solid individual showing at the Bob Davidson Challenge by securing a top-five finish in the women's 100-meter hurdles. The Taunton, England, native crossed the line in 14.20 seconds, pushing her into seventh in school 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 127 All-ACC honors, as well as seven 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.

2026 Outdoor Track and Field Top-10 Marks in Program History

Men's Javelin
- 5th - Nick Masterman (63.22m)
Women's 100m Hurdles
- 7th - Seren Rodgers (14.20)
Women's Discus
- 7th - Jazmine Thompson (46.95m)
Women's Javelin
- 3rd - Rosalind Gergely (51.59m)
Women's Shot Put
- 7th - Jazmine Thompson (15.00m)
- 8th - Casey Sullivan (14.91m)

Next Up
Wake Forest will be back in two weeks as they are set to compete in a pair of meets. First, one set of Deacs will travel to Durham to participate in the Duke Invitational from Thursday, April 9, to Saturday, April 11. Meanwhile, another group of Demon Deacons will head south to Coral Gables, Fla., to compete in the Hurricane Alumni Invitational on Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 11.

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