Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Announces Arnold Palmer, Marge Crisp and Newcomer of the Year Awards
6/29/2026 10:00:00 AM | Cross Country, Field Hockey, General, Men's Tennis, Track and Field, Women's Soccer
Four Demon Deacon student-athletes were honored for their impactful contributions during an unforgettable year.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Capping off an incredible 2025-26 athletics season, Wake Forest Athletics announced the winners of the Arnold Palmer Award (Male Athlete of the Year), the Marge Crisp Award (Female Athlete of the Year) and the Male and Female Newcomer of the Year Awards on Monday afternoon.
Arnold Palmer Award (Male Athlete of the Year) - Rocky Hansen
Junior Rocky Hansen recorded one of the greatest individual seasons in Wake Forest track & field and cross country program history, highlighted by becoming the first Demon Deacon to be tabbed as ACC Men's Cross Country Performer of the Year in program history.
Hansen tallied three individual victories during the cross country season, including becoming the first Deac to claim the ACC Individual Championship since 2001. After leading Wake Forest to its NCAA Southeast Regional title since 2021 with a first-place finish, the Hendersonville, N.C., native finished his season with a runner-up performance at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Overall, Hansen was one of just two Demon Deacons to earn All-American, All-Region and All-ACC honors during the 2025 season.
Hansen carried this momentum into the outdoor track and field season as he finished runner-up in the men's 5000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Hansen also claimed Second Team All-ACC honors after placing fourth in the men's 1500 meters at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and set the school record in the 1500 meters after clocking a time of 3:35.75 at the Wake Forest Invitational.
Off the track, Hansen excelled in the classroom as he became just the second Deac in program history to be named ACC Men's Cross Country Scholar Athlete of the Year and first since Zach Facioni earned the honor in 2022.
Finally, Hansen is the fourth track & field and cross country athlete to earn the Arnold Palmer Award and the first since Zach Facioni did so in 2021.
Marge Crisp Award (Female Athlete of the Year) - Mia Schoenbeck
Mia Schoenbeck capped off an incredible junior season as she helped lead the Wake Forest field hockey team to a share of its first ACC regular season title since 2006. Schoenbeck led the Demon Deacons with 23 goals and 51 points, helping her earn ACC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-ACC honors, as well as NFHCA All-American honors.
The LaGrange, Ky., native recorded six multi-goal games, including a pair of hat tricks and a four-goal performance against Cal. Schoenbeck was also incredibly clutch for the Deacs throughout the season as she recorded seven game-winning goals, including the double-overtime winner over No. 2 North Carolina.
Winning the 2025 Marge Crisp Award caps off a historic season where Schoenbeck's leadership and efforts, along with her teammates, brought about a new standard for the field hockey program. In the classroom, Schoenbeck earned All-ACC Academic Team honors.
Finally, Schoenbeck becomes the seventh field hockey player to receive the Marge Crisp Award and the first since Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Michelle Kasold won the award in 2008.
Male Newcomer of the Year - Mees Rottegering
Freshman Mees Rottgering provided a major spark for the Wake Forest men's tennis team during his debut season, helping the Demon Deacons earn both the ACC regular season crown and the ACC Championship. Rottgering ended the season with 18 singles victories, including eight against ranked opponents, helping him become the sixth Deac to earn ACC Freshman of the Year Honors. The Wansumm, Netherlands, native did his best work during the postseason, earning ACC Tournament MVP and helping lead the Deacs to their third consecutive NCAA semifinal appearance.
Rottgering is the second men's tennis player to be named Male Newcomer of the Year, with Stefan Dostanic winning the inaugural award last season.
Female Newcomer of the Year - Kylie Maxwell
In her first season with the Demon Deacons, freshman Kylie Maxwell played a pivotal role in helping to lead the Wake Forest women's soccer team to its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last five seasons. Maxwell led the way for the Deacs as she totaled a team-high six goals and 17 points. As a result, the Langhorne, Pa., native became the fourth Demon Deacon to be tabbed as ACC Freshman of the Year, and the first since Kate Stengel in 2010. Additionally, Maxwell earned All-ACC Freshman and Third Team All-ACC honors.
Maxwell becomes the second women's soccer player to be named Female Newcomer of the Year, with Emily Cotton earning the award in its inaugural edition last year.
Arnold Palmer Award (Male Athlete of the Year) - Rocky Hansen
Junior Rocky Hansen recorded one of the greatest individual seasons in Wake Forest track & field and cross country program history, highlighted by becoming the first Demon Deacon to be tabbed as ACC Men's Cross Country Performer of the Year in program history.
Hansen tallied three individual victories during the cross country season, including becoming the first Deac to claim the ACC Individual Championship since 2001. After leading Wake Forest to its NCAA Southeast Regional title since 2021 with a first-place finish, the Hendersonville, N.C., native finished his season with a runner-up performance at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Overall, Hansen was one of just two Demon Deacons to earn All-American, All-Region and All-ACC honors during the 2025 season.
Hansen carried this momentum into the outdoor track and field season as he finished runner-up in the men's 5000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Hansen also claimed Second Team All-ACC honors after placing fourth in the men's 1500 meters at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and set the school record in the 1500 meters after clocking a time of 3:35.75 at the Wake Forest Invitational.
Off the track, Hansen excelled in the classroom as he became just the second Deac in program history to be named ACC Men's Cross Country Scholar Athlete of the Year and first since Zach Facioni earned the honor in 2022.
Finally, Hansen is the fourth track & field and cross country athlete to earn the Arnold Palmer Award and the first since Zach Facioni did so in 2021.
- Season Highlights
- 2025 ACC Men's Cross Country Performer of the Year
- 2025 ACC Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- 2025 All-ACC Academic Team (Cross Country)
- 2026 All-ACC Academic Team (Outdoor Track)
- 2025 NCAA First-Team All-American
- Finished as the national runner-up at the NCAA Cross Country Championships after a posting a personal-best time of 28:38.00
- Earned First Team All-American honors after finishing runner-up in the men's 5000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- One of just two Demon Deacons to earn All-American, All-Region and All-ACC honors during the 2025 cross country season
- Secured the NCAA Southeast Regional Individual Championship to help lead the Deacs to their first NCAA Southeast Regional Title since 2021
- Became the first Demon Deacon to win the ACC Cross Country Individual Championship since 2001, setting a course record time at the E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park course in the process
- Broke the course record en route to an individual win at the Panorama Farms Invitational
- Placed second at the USATF Cross Country Championships to secure a spot on Team USA for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships
- Claimed Second Team All-ACC honors after a fourth-place finish in the men's 1500 meters at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- Broke the school record in the men's 1500 meters after recording a time of 3:35.75 at the Wake Forest Invitational
- 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
Marge Crisp Award (Female Athlete of the Year) - Mia Schoenbeck
Mia Schoenbeck capped off an incredible junior season as she helped lead the Wake Forest field hockey team to a share of its first ACC regular season title since 2006. Schoenbeck led the Demon Deacons with 23 goals and 51 points, helping her earn ACC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-ACC honors, as well as NFHCA All-American honors.
The LaGrange, Ky., native recorded six multi-goal games, including a pair of hat tricks and a four-goal performance against Cal. Schoenbeck was also incredibly clutch for the Deacs throughout the season as she recorded seven game-winning goals, including the double-overtime winner over No. 2 North Carolina.
Winning the 2025 Marge Crisp Award caps off a historic season where Schoenbeck's leadership and efforts, along with her teammates, brought about a new standard for the field hockey program. In the classroom, Schoenbeck earned All-ACC Academic Team honors.
Finally, Schoenbeck becomes the seventh field hockey player to receive the Marge Crisp Award and the first since Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Michelle Kasold won the award in 2008.
- Season Highlights
- A dominant force in the attacking circle that saw her take home First Team All-American honors and ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Schoenbeck ranked third in the ACC and tied for sixth nationally with 51 points during the 2025 season. Her 23 goals ranked tied for the conference lead and tied for third in the country.
- The LaGrange, Ky., native recorded six multi-goal games, including two hat tricks and a four-goal performance against Cal.
- Schoenbeck's 23 goals rank fifth in program history.
- Additionally, she tallied seven game-winning goals, the most by a Demon Deacon since Wake Forest Hall of Famer Kelly Dostal had eight during the 2004 national championship season.
- Schoenbeck scored in all but seven matches this season, including nine goals over Wake's final six contests.
- She also excelled off the field, being named to the All-ACC Academic Team.
Male Newcomer of the Year - Mees Rottegering
Freshman Mees Rottgering provided a major spark for the Wake Forest men's tennis team during his debut season, helping the Demon Deacons earn both the ACC regular season crown and the ACC Championship. Rottgering ended the season with 18 singles victories, including eight against ranked opponents, helping him become the sixth Deac to earn ACC Freshman of the Year Honors. The Wansumm, Netherlands, native did his best work during the postseason, earning ACC Tournament MVP and helping lead the Deacs to their third consecutive NCAA semifinal appearance.
Rottgering is the second men's tennis player to be named Male Newcomer of the Year, with Stefan Dostanic winning the inaugural award last season.
- Season Highlights
- Finished the season ranked No. 24 in the final ITA singles rankings, the highest-ranked Wake Forest player and one of the program's most accomplished freshmen in recent history
- Became the sixth Demon Deacon to earn ACC Freshman of the Year honors
- Named ACC Tournament MVP
- Posted an 18-3 singles record during his freshman campaign, including eight victories over ranked opponents
- Made his ATP Tour debut
- Played a key role in helping Wake Forest win both the ACC regular season and ACC Tournament championships
- Helped lead the Demon Deacons to their third consecutive NCAA semifinal appearance
- Closed his freshman season with a straight-set victory over Virginia's No. 21-ranked Keegan Rice during NCAA Championship weekend
- Partnered with Kacper Szymkowiak to compile a perfect 16-0 doubles record
- Finished the season ranked No. 51 nationally in doubles with Szymkowiak
- Formed one of the nation's most consistent doubles pairings throughout the spring
- Contributed significantly to Wake Forest's dominance in doubles play
- Became the third consecutive Demon Deacon to earn ITA Carolina Regional Rookie of the Year honors
Female Newcomer of the Year - Kylie Maxwell
In her first season with the Demon Deacons, freshman Kylie Maxwell played a pivotal role in helping to lead the Wake Forest women's soccer team to its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last five seasons. Maxwell led the way for the Deacs as she totaled a team-high six goals and 17 points. As a result, the Langhorne, Pa., native became the fourth Demon Deacon to be tabbed as ACC Freshman of the Year, and the first since Kate Stengel in 2010. Additionally, Maxwell earned All-ACC Freshman and Third Team All-ACC honors.
Maxwell becomes the second women's soccer player to be named Female Newcomer of the Year, with Emily Cotton earning the award in its inaugural edition last year.
- Season Highlights
- Became the fourth Wake Forest player to be tabbed ACC Freshman of the Year and first since Katie Stengel in 2010.
- Earned All-ACC Freshman and Third Team
- Led the squad with six goals, 17 points and 20 shots on goal.
- Second amongst the Deacs with five assists, placing her fifth in program history for single-season freshman assists.
- Named ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week following the Deacs road victory over No. 9 Duke.
- Additionally ranked No. 1 on TopDrawerSoccer's Midseason Freshman Top 100.
- Started in all 19 of her appearances, totaling over 1,400 minutes on the frontline.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
Distance
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
/ Men's Tennis
M
/ Field Hockey
/ Men's Tennis
Thursday, June 25
Thursday, June 18
Thursday, June 11
Sunday, May 31