Rocky Hansen Finishes as National Runner-Up, Earns First Team All-American Honors in Men’s 5000 Meters

Wednesday, June 10

Eugene, OR

Wake Forest University

NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

Rocky Hansen Finishes as National Runner-Up, Earns First Team All-American Honors in Men’s 5000 Meters

6/12/2026 11:37:00 PM | Track and Field

The Hendersonville, N.C., native recorded a time of 13:39.91 to secure his third career All-American honor and second consecutive First Team ALl-American honor.

By: KJ Smith

EUGENE, Ore. – Led by junior Rocky Hansen's national runner-up finish in the final of the men's 5000 meters, the Wake Forest track and field team continued competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday night at Hayward Field.

Hansen recorded a time of 13:39.91 to finish second and earn First Team All-American honors. With the result, the Hendersonville, N.C., native secured his third career All-American honor and his second consecutive First Team All-American honor, having placed fifth in the men's 5000 meters last season.

Additionally, Hansen is now just one of three men in program history to earn All-American honors three or more times in their career, joining Robert Heppenstall, who claimed All-American honors in the 800 meters in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and Zach Facioni, who secured All-American honors in the 5000 meters in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Hansen marks the third Demon Deacon to claim All-American honors at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, with juniors Angelina Perez and Brooke Wilson earning All-American Honorable Mention honors in the women's 10,000 meters on Thursday night.

Notable Results
Men's 5000m

Rocky Hansen - 13:39.91

Wake Forest Men's Track and Field All-Americans

Steve Brown - 110m Hurdles (1989, 1990)
Ben Schoonover - 10,000m (1991)
John Sence - 10,000m (1992, 1993)
Andy Bloom - Shot Put, Discus (1995, 1996)
Warren Sherman - 800m (1995)
Kyle Armentrout - 10,000m (1995)
Nolan Swanson - 10,000m (1999)
Michael Bingham - 400m (2007, 2009)
Brent LaRue - 400m Hurdles (2010)
Ben Lincoln - Javelin (2012)
Kyle Graves - 1500m (2015)
Robert Heppenstall - 800m (2016, 2017, 2018)
Zach Facioni - 5000m (2021*, 2022, 2023*)
Thomas Vanoppen - 1500m (2022)
Tony Jones - High Jump (2022*)
Luke Tewalt - 5000m (2023, 2025)
Rynard Swanepoel - 800m (2024, 2025)
Rocky Hansen - 5000m (2024, 2025, 2026)
JoJo Jourdon - 5000m (2025*)

* All-American Honorable Mention

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

Men's 400m
- 7th - Ryan Harper (47.28)
Men's 800m
- 10th - Rocky Hansen (1:49.27)
Men's 1500m
- 1st - Rocky Hansen (3:35.75)
- 8th - Wes Shipsey (3:40.48)
Men's 3000m Steeplechase
- 5th - Max Cervi-Skinner (8:50.00)
Men's 5000m
- 4th - Aurelien Radja (13:29.86)
- 8th - Charlie Sprott (13:40.70)
- 10th - Bryce Gilmore (13:48.82)
Men's Javelin
- 5th - Nick Masterman (64.54m)
Women's 100m Hurdles
- 4th - Seren Rodgers (13.89)
Women's 800m
- 1st - Natalia Issler (2:02.28)
- 4th - Amy Weybrecht (2:05.69)
Women's 1500m
- 1st - Elizabeth Whaley (4:08.52)
- 10th - Natalia Issler (4:19.96)
Women's 3000m Steeplechase
- 4th - Victoria Rodriguez (10:09.14)
- 5th - Issy Goldstein (10:16.27)
Women's 5000m
- 2nd - Angelina Perez (15:32.20)
Women's 10,000m
- 1st - Angelina Perez (32:44.58)
- 9th - Mackenzie Hart (33:58.49)
Women's Discus
- 4th - Jazmine Thompson (50.48m)
Women's Heptathlon
- 2nd - Seren Rodgers (5,575 points)
Women's Javelin
- 3rd - Rosalind Gergely (52.99m)
Women's Long Jump
- 5th - Seren Rodgers (6.05m)
Women's Shot Put
- 4th - Casey Sullivan (15.73m)
- 8th - Jazmine Thompson (15.00m)

Next Up
Wake Forest closes the outdoor season on Saturday evening as senior Elizabeth Whaley will compete for an NCAA individual title in the women's 1500 meters. The final of the women's 1500 meters is scheduled for 5:12 p.m. PT.

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