Elizabeth Whaley Claims Second Team All-American Honors as Wake Forest Closes Outdoor Season

Wednesday, June 10

Eugene, OR

Wake Forest University

NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

Elizabeth Whaley Claims Second Team All-American Honors as Wake Forest Closes Outdoor Season

6/13/2026 9:21:00 PM | Track and Field

The Cincinnati, Ohio, native recorded a 12th-place finish in the final of the women’s 1500 meters after recording a time of 4:18.49.

By: KJ Smith

EUGENE, Ore. – Highlighted by senior Elizabeth Whaley earning Second Team All-American honors in the women's 1500 meters, the Wake Forest track and field team closed out its 2026 outdoor season on Saturday evening at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field.

Whaley claimed her first career All-American honor as she recorded a 12th-place finish after posting a time of 4:18.49.

The Cincinnati, Ohio, native concludes her stellar career with the Demon Deacons as an All-American honor, a two-time Second Team All-ACC honoree and four-time All-ACC Academic Team selection across both indoor and outdoor track and field. Whaley holds the school record in the women's 1500 meters, which she set after posting a time of 4:08.52 during the semifinals on Thursday.

Overall, four Demon Deacons earned All-American honors during the NCAA Championships, with junior Rocky Hansen securing his second consecutive First Team All-American honor after claiming a runner-up finish in the men's 5000 meters on Friday night, and juniors Angelina Perez and Brooke Wilson earning All-American Honorable Mention honors in the women's 10,000 meters on Thursday.

Additionally, the three women's All-American honors are the most in a single season in program history.

Notable Results
Women's 1500m

Elizabeth Whaley - 4:18.49

Wake Forest Women's Track and Field All-Americans

Dawn Powers - 10,000m (1982)
Karen Dunn - 3000m (1985)
Jennifer Finnegan - 1500m (1992, 1995)
Catrina Bindel - Heptathlon (1993, 1995, 1996)
Liz Cotter - 800m (1996)
Jill Snyder - 1500m (1999, 2000)
Janelle Kraus - 5000m (2000)
Sara Day - 10,000m (2001)
Nikeya Green - 800m (2003, 2004)
Annie Bergasel - 10,000m (2003, 2004, 2005)
Michelle Sikes - 5000m (2006, 2007)
Jessie Merckle - Javelin (2014, 2015, 2016)
Sydney White - Pole Vault (2014)
Kathleen Adair - Pole Vault (2015)
Ellie Abrahamson - 3000m Steeplechase (2017)
Sam Halvorsen - 10,000m (2018)
Danielle Konopelski - Javelin (2019*)
Anna Bush - Heptathlon (2022*)
Emma Soderstrom - High Jump (2022*)
Leia Braunagel - Discus (2024*)
Robbie Grace - Long Jump (2024)
Elizabeth Whaley - 1500m (2026)
Angelina Perez - 10,000m (2026*)
Brooke Wilson - 10,000m (2026*)

* All-American Honorable Mention

Season Highlights

The Demon Deacons opened the postseason in spectacular fashion as they earned nine All-ACC honors at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, highlighted by sophomore Rosalind Gergely claiming the ACC title in the women's javelin.
- Three other Deacs claimed First Team All-ACC honors: junior Seren Rodgers, junior Angelina Perez and freshman Aurelien Radja.
  - Rodgers, who earned the ACC title in the women's pentathlon during the ACC Indoor Championships, recorded a personal-best score of 5,575 points to place second in the women's heptathlon.
  - Perez recorded a school record time of 32:44.58 to earn a second-place finish in the women's 10,000 meters.
  - Radja finished runner-up in the men's 5000 meters, posting a personal-best time of 13:29.86 in his ACC Championship debut.
Multiple Deacs made their marks in the school record book during the outdoor season, with four athletes setting new school records.
- Junior Angelina Perez set a new program record in the women's 10,000 meters as she posted a time of 32:44.58 en route to a second-place finish at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
  - The Ringwood, N.J., native had previously broken the school record during a downpour at the Raleigh Relays, clocking a time of 32:45.71.
- Junior Rocky Hansen set a new school record in the men's 1500m as he recorded a time of 3:35.75 during the Wake Forest Invitational.
- After initially setting the school record in the women's 1500 meters at the Wake Forest Invitational, senior Elizabeth Whaley shattered her own record at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, posting a time of 4:08.52 in the semifinal round.
- Freshman Natalia Issler added another school record at the Wake Forest Invitational, clocking a time of 2:02.28 to move into first all-time in the women's 800 meters.

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)