Pair of Demon Deacons Set to Compete at Penn Relays

Thursday, April 23

Philadelphia, PA

Wake Forest University

Penn Relays

4/22/2026 11:00:00 AM | Track and Field

Graduate student Gavin Ehlers will compete in the men’s 10,000 meters, while sophomore Grant Morgenfeld will race in the men’s 5000 meters on Thursday night at Franklin Field.

By: KJ Smith

PHILADELPHIA – The Wake Forest track and field team continues its outdoor season this week as a pair of Demon Deacons will compete at the Penn Relays on Thursday, April 23, at Franklin Field.

Sophomore Grant Morgenfeld is set to run in the men's 5000 meters at 8:35 p.m., while graduate student Gavin Ehlers will wrap up the meet for the Deacs in the men's 10,000 meters, which is scheduled for 10:15 p.m.

Live results will be updated throughout the meet via the Penn Relays website.

Need to Know
Thursday, April 23
Penn Relays (8:35 p.m.)
Franklin Field - Philadelphia, Pa.

Competing for the Deacs

Last Time Out
The Wake Forest track and field team is coming off an incredible performance in front of its home fans at the Wake Forest Invitational.

Freshman Natalia Issler kicked things off on Thursday afternoon as she broke the school record in the women's 800 meters. The Horgen, Switzerland, native posted a program-record time of 2:02.28 to secure fourth place in her heat of the women's invitational 800 meters.

The Demon Deacons saw two more school records broken on Friday, with senior Elizabeth Whaley and junior Rocky Hansen shattering the top marks in both the men's and women's 1500 meters.

Hansen registered a time of 3:35.75 to finish fifth in his heat of the men's 1500 meters. In addition to setting a new program record, the Hendersonville, N.C., native's time currently ranks as the fifth-fastest time in NCAA Division I this season.

Meanwhile, Whaley finished her heat of the women's 1500 meters in second place, recording a time of 4:09.78 to break the previous school record by over four seconds.

The Deacs also excelled in the field events on Friday with four top-five finishes across the day of competition. Sophomore Rosalind Gergely led the way as she finished first in the women's javelin with a personal-best throw of 52.99 meters on her final attempt. The mark also set a new facility and meet record in the event.

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 400m
- 7th - Ryan Harper (47.28)
Men's 1500m
- 1st - Rocky Hansen (3:35.75)
- 9th - Wes Shipsey (3:41.26)
Men's 3000m Steeplechase
- 9th - Max Cervi-Skinner (8:57.98)
Men's 5000m
- 6th - Aurelien Radja (13:38.78)
- 10th - Bryce Gilmore (13:48.82)
Men's Javelin
- 5th - Nick Masterman (64.54m)
Women's 100m Hurdles
- 7th - Seren Rodgers (14.20)
Women's 800m
- 1st - Natalia Issler (2:02.28)
- 4th - Amy Weybrecht (2:05.75)
Women's 1500m
- 1st - Elizabeth Whaley (4:09.78)
- 10th - Natalia Issler (4:19.96)
Women's 3000m Steeplechase
- 4th - Victoria Rodriguez (10:13.77)
- 5th - Issy Goldstein (10:16.27)
Women's 5000m
- 2nd - Angelina Perez (15:32.20)
Women's 10,000m
- 1st - Angelina Perez (32:45.71)
- 9th - Mackenzie Hart (33:58.49)
Women's Discus
- 4th - Jazmine Thompson (50.48m)
Women's Heptathlon
- 2nd - Seren Rodgers (5,474 points)
Women's Javelin
- 3rd - Rosalind Gergely (52.99m)
Women's Long Jump
- 6th - Seren Rodgers (6.01m)
Women's Shot Put
- 4th - Casey Sullivan (15.73m)
- 8th - Jazmine Thompson (15.00m)

Next Up
The Demon Deacons will close out the regular season of their outdoor slate next week with a pair of meets. The Deacs open the week at the Jim Greene Invitational from Friday, May 1, to Saturday, May 2, before closing the regular season at the Duke Twilight on Sunday, May 3.

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