Women’s Cross Country Set for Season Opener at Virginia Invitational

Friday, September 11

Earlysville, Va.

9:30 a.m.

Wake Forest University

Virginia Invitational (Women)

Women’s Cross Country Set for Season Opener at Virginia Invitational

9/10/2026 10:35:00 AM | Cross Country

Live Results

The Demon Deacons step out of state for their first fall appearance.

By: Keion Robinson

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Wake Forest women's cross country team opens its 2026 season this Friday, participating in the University of Virginia's hosted invitational.

The 5k race is set to begin at 9:30 a.m., held at the Panorama Farms course. Live results can be found here.

The Demon Deacons will be one of six women's teams competing in the meet. It will be the team's first time running in Earlysville, Va., since 2022.

The Race

2026 Virginia Invitational
Women's 5k – 9:30 a.m.
Panorama Farms (Earlysville, Va.)

The Women's Field

Howard
(No. 3, Div. III) Johns Hopkins
No. 13 North Carolina
No. 15 Virginia
Wake Forest
William & Mary

Competing for Wake Forest

Season Outlook
The Deacs are coming off a historic 2025 season, having earned a trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the first time since 2006.

Overall, the women secured six top-10 finishes last fall, including three team victories at the Queen City Invite, the Spartan Classic, and the Arturo Barrios Invitational. Wake Forest also earned a tenth place finish at the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Mo., seeing three runners place inside the top 50.

On July 24, Brandon Hazouri was elevated to serve as women's cross country head coach, in addition to associate head coach of Track & Field. A member of the program since 2021, Hazouri has played a critical role in both team and individual success. He has spent time as an event coach for track and as the lead recruiting coordinator for the men's cross country team. During Hazouri's time in Winston-Salem, Wake Forest has seen 10 men's and women's student-athletes earn All-ACC honors in cross country, 24 in indoor track and field, and 37 in outdoor track and field.

Preseason Recognition
Last week, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its preseason rankings, as Wake Forest landed a national nod of No. 30 – repeating from a year ago.

In the Southeast Regional rankings, the women were picked sixth among the preseason poll – placing in the top six for a fifth-straight year.

This past month, Wake Forest was tabbed eighth in the ACC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll for the third year in a row.

Meet the Team
This year's Wake Forest roster features a strong mix of familiar faces and new ones, balancing out a talented group that looks to continue its ascension.

Returning Deacs
The Deacs have 12 runners back for fall 2026:

Emma DeVries | Redshirt Sophomore | Grand Rapids, Mich.
- DeVries is back with the Deacs following a redshirt season last year. As a freshman in 2024, she competed in two events.
Carlita Kaliher | Junior | Wilmington, Del.
- During her sophomore season, Kaliher recorded personal-best times in both the 6k and 5k at the Arturo Barrios Invitational and Queen City Invite, respectively. The latter saw her help the Deacs capture an in-state team win. Kaliher also competed at the ACC Championships during postseason play.
Robin Kucler | Redshirt Freshman | Wexford, Pa.
- Kucler took a redshirt season last fall during her first year on campus.
Angelina Perez | Senior | Ringwood, N.J.
- Helping anchor the Deacs to their postseason stretch, Perez enjoyed a remarkable fall with outstanding performances and a handful of accolades. She placed 33rd at the NCAA Championships to earn All-American honors and notched a seventh place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional en route to being named All-Region for the second-consecutive season. Additionally, Perez earned All-ACC recognition for the second year in a row after finishing ninth at the ACC Championships.
Alyssa Preisano | Redshirt Junior | Waxhaw, N.C.
- Returning to action after a redshirt year in 2024, Preisano shined last fall with career marks. She opened 2025 with a personal-best 5k time at the Queen City Invite before winning her first career individual title at the Spartan Classic weeks later. At the ACC Championships, Preisano ran a career-best time on the 6k course. Postseason competition also involved her competing in the NCAA Southeast Regional.
Mia Prok | Junior | Niwot, Colo.
- Prok was a pivotal performer for Wake in several regular-season races, starting with the team's opener at the Queen City Invite where she clocked a PR in the 5k. She went on to finish third and seventh in the UNCG dual meet and Spartan Classic, respectively.
Victoria Rodriguez | Sophomore | North Bend, Wash.
- Rodriguez had several notable moments as a freshman last fall, landing a top-50 finish at the Arturo Barrios Invitational before adding a pair of top-100 postseason finishes at both the ACC Championships and the NCAA Southeast Regional. She saved her best for last, recording a 6k PR of 20:27.4 at the NCAA Championships.
Charlotte Tuxbury | Sophomore | Wellesley, Mass.
- In her collegiate debut a year ago, Tuxbury clocked a season-best time of 18:03.0 in the Queen City Invite. Opening October at the Spartan Classic, she placed fourth to help the Demon Deacons secure a team victory.
Grace Wassell | Senior | Hammonton, N.J.
- A four-year member of the program, Wassell notably chipped into Wake's team win at the Spartan Classic last October, notching an eighth-place finish. As a sophomore in 2024, she earned ACC Performer of the Week honors after recording a new personal-best time in the 5k. That same season saw her go on to tally a 6k PR in the 2024 ACC Championships.
Mia Williams | Sophomore | Fort Collins, Colo.
- Williams enters year two with the Deacs after contributing very well as a freshman. She recorded a 6k PR at the Gans Creek Classic last September before going on to race in both the ACC Championships and NCAA Championships.
Maisie Wilmer | Graduate Student | Sydney, Australia
- Wilmer had a number of standout moments during fall 2025, opening things with a runner-up performance in the Queen City Invite to help the Deacs secure the top spot. She recorded a 6k PR a month later at the Arturo Barrios Invitational and also placed in the top 80 at both the ACC Championships and NCAA Southeast Regional.
Brooke Wilson | Senior | Castle Rock, Colo.
- An All-Region performer this past fall, Wilson earned the honor after registering a 17th place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional (11/14). She finished 31st at the ACC Championships and added a 10th place finish at the Arturo Barrios Invitational after recording a 6k PR.

New Deacs
A pair of transfers brings strong experience to Wake Forest's roster:

Juliette Forstrom | Junior | Hamden, Conn. | University of Colorado
- Forstrom comes to Winston-Salem following stops at Colorado (2025-26) and Portland (2024-25) through the last two years. She notched a 6k PR at the NCAA Championships last fall while also placing 21st at the 2025 NCAA Mountain Region Championships. Additionally, Formstrom finished as a top-35 performer at the 2025 Big 12 Championships.
Emma Jones | Fifth-Year | Weddington, N.C. | Furman University
- Now with the Deacs after competing for Furman from 2022-25, Jones helped the Paladins capture four consecutive SoCon titles. The in-state native has received several accolades throughout her collegiate career, most recently being named the 2025 SoCon Women's Cross Country Pinnacle Award winner – given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA on the championship-winning team. Jones was named to the All-SoCon Second Team for three straight seasons. As a junior in 2024, she placed 13th with a 5k PR to help lead the Paladins take home the conference crown.