From the Quad

Happy Monday Demon Deacon Nation!

I'm always proud to be a Demon Deacon, but with ACC wins over the weekend in field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer, as well as our best men's cross country ACC Championship finish in almost 20 years, it feels extra good today!

I'm also proud to be an American, and on the eve of a big Tuesday election, I encourage you to take a moment to read this recent message from President Hatch. Regardless of the outcomes of tomorrow's election, we all have to work towards healing in our broader community. I salute Wake Forest student-athletes for exercising their responsibility to vote and their promotion of the ACC's UNITE campaign and the new NCAA Unity symbol.

Nine days ago, Winston-Salem Journal photographer Andrew Dye captured this shot - which instantly became one of my favorite Wake Forest Athletics pictures of all time. It truly captures how sports brings people together in a way that almost nothing else can. Let's have this image of unity and team unselfishness in our minds over the next few days as we take the Pro Humanitate spirit forth in these emotional times!

A Road Trip Like No Other Includes a Dominating Deacon Victory
My career in college athletics has included lots of road trips, but this past weekend's experience included a number of firsts.

Last Thursday I received a nice personal welcome letter from the New York State Health Director, titled "STATE OF NEW YORK … IN THE MATTER OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS." Among other passages, page two included: "Whereas, the failure of the Wake Forest University football team and staff … to quarantine as required under Executive Order 205... will result in an unacceptable risk of COVID-19 spread within New York..."

From masks and face shields on the plane, assigned distanced seating on the bus, two people at each end of eight foot tables for team meals, no one leaving the hotel for the duration of our stay, and even a postgame physically-distanced meal in the Dome stands, our student-athletes executed the operational details to perfection. We give a tip of the Deacon Top Hat to Assistant AD Jordan Jarry and his football operations staff for their high level logistics performance.

And, as I was about the only spectator in the nicely remodeled Dome, I provide in-person witness testimony that the Deacons also took care of matters between the white lines, chalking up another turnover-free performance for our fourth-straight win and Wake Forest football's first undefeated October since 2007. Coach Clawson's post-game locker room comments summed it up perfectly - a complete team victory. Watch the replay today at 4 p.m. on the ACC Network!

More Halloween Weekend Treats for the Deacs!
Congratulations to Coach Jen Averill and our field hockey team who finished the regular season with a dominant 6-2 victory against Boston College on Sunday afternoon. Five Demon Deacons scored in the win, led by freshman Grace Delmotte with two goals! The Deacs take on UVA on Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. on the ACC Network in the first round of the ACC Tournament. Meanwhile back in Spry Stadium, women's soccer concluded its fall competition on senior day with a shutout win over Pittsburgh.

The weekend began with a third-place performance for the Wake Forest men's cross country team at the ACC Championships on Friday morning, followed by No. 2-ranked men's soccer's defeat of No. 3 Clemson in the evening. Coach Bobby Muuss and his team have now clinched the "title" of the COVID-19 ad hoc "ACC South Region", which includes nine of the last 10 combined Coastal and Atlantic champions. Wake Forest's fall regular season finale is Saturday night at NC State, before the ACC Tournament begins with a home quarterfinal match on Sunday, Nov. 15.

Recapping Friday morning's performance on the cross country trail in Cary, N.C., Coach John Hayes and his staff have worked tirelessly over the last five years to rebuild our cross country program and Carter Coughlin, Jonathan Velasco, Ben Mitchell, and Coen Roberts earned All-ACC honors while helping achieve the Deacs' highest finish at the league championship meet since 2001!

Mako Medical Wake Forest Classic
The Steve Forbes era will begin with the Mako Medical Wake Forest Classic for a three-day (Nov. 25-27) multi-team event at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Mako has been a great partner administering our Wake Forest Athletics testing program that has helped keep our student-athletes, coaches and staff safe. We appreciate their commitment to help enable Longwood, Delaware State and Alabama State to visit Winston-Salem to open the 2020-21 season.

Game times and additional event information will be unveiled closer to the event. Exact fan attendance limitations are unknown at this time under Phase III guidance.

1970 ACC Championship -- Virtual Reunion!
My Friday night hotel lockdown experience was highlighted by participating in the virtual reunion of our 1970 ACC Football Championship team. We had almost 70 former Demon Deacons on the Zoom and we heard from former players (Steve Bowden, Vince Nedimyer, Ed Stetz, Larry Russell, Win Headley, Ed Bradley), staff (Coaches Oval Haynes and Bill Lewis) and longtime Demon Deacons supporters Jody Puckett and Julie Griffin.

It was amazing to see and hear stories about the epic 14-13 comeback win over North Carolina and the unique camaraderie that bonds this group 50 years later. We look forward to a future safe opportunity to properly celebrate this special team in person.

Nick Andersen is Inspiring America
True freshman walk-on defensive back Nick Andersen recorded a jaw-dropping 11 tackles and three interceptions in Wake Forest's win over No. 19 Virginia Tech on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Truist Field. His performance earned him four national player of the week awards.

In the midst of celebrating the win with his teammates and family, he and Coach Clawson sat down with NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt for their Inspiring America segment that was seen by an estimated 8.3 million viewers nationwide. Nick is a program-first young man and he was quick to shift the attention back to his teammates - especially those defensive linemen like Boogie Basham and Suliaman Kamara who are forcing lots of hurried quarterback throws!

Wake Forest Engineering Scores Grant, Rapid Growth Continues
I frequently see Wake Forest students hopping on the regular shuttle for the quick trip downtown to Wake Forest's Innovation Quarter campus. Wake Forest recently announced another win as the Kern Family Foundation has awarded more than $700,000 – including a recent two-year grant of $557,140 – to support Wake Forest's pioneering vision for engineering education.

Already five Demon Deacon student-athletes (Andrew Rust, baseball; Dayton Diemel, football; Goran Jovanovic, football; Tyric Swennie, football; Mia Albery, women's soccer) have declared as Engineering majors, with many more exploring the program. We are proud that Dayton and Goran will be the first two scholarship football student-athletes to graduate this spring with an engineering degree! The growth of Wake Forest Engineering is another example of our University leadership helping provide a World Class Student-Athlete Experience.

Title IX Compliance -- Welcome to Wake Forest, Aishah!
Through the excellent leadership of Vice President Penny Rue and new Wake Forest's new Title IX Director, Aishah Casseus, Wake Forest Athletics staff completed training with Assistant Director Jessica Teligman from the Title IX office last week to comply with the U.S. Department of Education's new Title IX regulations.

Wake Forest is an institution charged with educating leaders of character. Our community is committed to the intrinsic value of each individual, we show respect for all people; and we strive to create an environment where all can learn without the fear of harm. Check out this summary as Wake Forest student-athletes continue to Stand Together

November is the month of Thanksgiving. Looking back at the uncertainty of this past spring and summer, we are all grateful for the opportunities Wake Forest student-athletes have already had this fall to compete and study safely here in Winston-Salem. Our thoughts are with each and every member of Deacon Nation for continued health as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take lives, disrupt families and heighten anxiety. Let's remember to Show Humanitate!

As always, I appreciate your sharing your thoughts, questions and suggestions with me at wfuad@wfu.edu. Thank you for your loyal support.

Go Deacs!

John Currie
Director of Athletics

Wake Forest Athletics

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