Wake Forest Concludes Season with Stellar Performance at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

EUGENE, Ore. – The Wake Forest Track and Field team closed out their season on Friday evening with a stellar performance at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, as all four Demon Deacon participants earned All-American honors.

Sophomore Rocky Hansen led the way for the Demon Deacons during the men’s 5000m final, finishing in fifth with a time of 13:22.47 to earn First Team All-American honors. This marked the Hendersonville, N.C., native’s second All-American honor in outdoor track and field during his collegiate career, having previously been named a Second Team All-American during last year’s NCAA Championships.

With his performance on Friday, Hansen closes out an incredible sophomore season as he set the program record in the men’s 5000m during the Raleigh Relays with a time of 13:22.06. 

Meanwhile, senior Luke Tewalt earned his second All-American honor of his career, placing 14th with a time of 13:37.47 to become a Second Team All-American. Tewalt had previously been named an All-American back in 2023.

Freshman JoJo Jourdon ended his stellar debut season by recording a personal best time of 13:41.00 to cross the finish line in 18th place, earning him an All-American Honorable Mention.

On the first day of competition, senior Rynard Swanepoel ended his Wake Forest career with a 13th-place finish during the men’s 800m semifinal, earning him Second Team All-American honors for the second consecutive season. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native finished third in his semifinal heat on Wednesday with a time of 1:47.37, barely missing out on an automatic qualifier spot for the NCAA finals.

Swanepoel closes out his time with the Demon Deacons as the program record holder in the men’s 800m with a mark of 1:45.28, which he recorded last season at the NCAA East Region First Round in Lexington. Swanepoel also finishes his collegiate career as a four-time All-ACC performer, including a Second Team All-ACC honor this season following a fourth-place finish.

Wake Forest Results

• Men’s 800m Semifinals
  
  
• Men’s 5000m Finals
  

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 – 1,500m (2015)
• *Robert Heppenstall – 800m (2016, *2017, *2018)
• *Tony Jones – High Jump (2022)
• *Thomas Vanoppen – 1500m (2022)
• *Zach Facioni – 5000m (2022)
• *Luke Tewalt – 5000m (2023, 2025)
• *Rynard Swanepoel – 800m (2024, 2025)
• *Rocky Hansen – 5000m (2024, 2025)
• *JoJo Jourdon – 5000m (2025)

*During John Hayes era

From the Staff

“On Wednesday, Rynard [Swanepoel] concluded his amazing career here at Wake Forest. He’s really been a special athlete. He hung back a little too long on that slower pace through the first 400 meters. He closed faster than anyone in the field, but came up just short of advancing to the final. Today in the 5000 meters, the pace once again started slow so Rocky [Hansen] too the lead. We talked about tactics earlier and I gave him the green light to what he thought was right. It was a super gutsy race from him today. When he started getting passed, I thought he was done, but he kept fighting. He ran 4:01 for his last 1600 meters. What he did takes courage and toughness. What an incredible year for Rocky! Luke [Tewalt] closed out his career tonight. I cannot say enough about what he has done for our program. Losing him will certainly sting. As I told him after the race, it’s been a great ride. He and Rynard will run professionally and both will do well. JoJo [Jourdon] was incredible. What an impressive freshman year from him. He was top 50 at the NCAA cross country meet, ran a 3:56 indoor mile, and he currently ranks third in the world in the 1500 for U20 in 2025. Advancing to the NCAA meet in this field was a great way to finish his freshman year. We also qualified for program of the year. In order to do that you have to be top 31 in cross country and score in both indoors and outdoors. We were ranked 13th going into NCAAs, so I look forward to seeing where we finished. It’s quite an exclusive club. It’s great to be a Wake Forest Demon Deacon!” – Director of Track and Field and Cross Country John Hayes

Season Highlights

During the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which was hosted at Kentner Stadium, the Deacs earned nine All-ACC honors, including multiple from senior Luke Tewalt.

 

• All-ACC Honorees
  
  • Men’s Second Team
    
    
  • Women’s Second Team
    

There were several changes to the record book this season, including having five program records being broken. Individually, senior Emma Douglass broke the program record in the women’s 800m multiple times across three consecutive meets, including during the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships where she ran a 2:03.25 during her semifinal heat. The Wellington, New Zealand, native also broke the school record in the women’s 1500m earlier in the season at the Duke Twilight on May 4.

2025 Outdoor Track and Field Top-10 Marks in School History

• Men’s 1500m
  
  
• Men’s 3000m Steeplechase
  
• Men’s 5000m
  
• Men’s 10,000m
  
• Women’s 400m
  
• Women’s 400m Hurdles
  
• Women’s 800m
  
• Women’s 1500m
  
• Women’s 5000m
  
• Women’s 10,000m
  
• Women’s Long Jump
  
• Women’s Hammer Throw
  
• Women’s Shot Put
  
• Women’s Javelin
  
• Women’s Heptathlon
  

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