Field Hockey Game Day: Wake Forest Hosts North Carolina

Gameday Central \| Wake Forest vs. North Carolina
Game 1	Sunday, Sept. 20, 2:00 p.m.
Coverage	Live Stats \| Watch on ACCNX
Location	Winston-Salem, N.C. (Kentner Stadium) - Facility Info
Information	Wake Forest Notes \| @WakeHockey

The Matchup
• Wake Forest field hockey opens the condensed 2020 season hosting the reigning national champions, the North Carolina Tar Heels
• The match is slated for 2 p.m. and will air on ACCNX with Ty Collins and former Demon Deacon Megan Anderson on the call.
• This will be a non-conference meeting between the two teams.
• This event will not be able to accommodate any fans, but the University hopes to do so again soon.

Last Time Out
• Wake Forest finished the 2019 season with a 9-11 record.
• Wake returns its top-three goal scorers from last season. Laia Vancells led the Deacs in 2019 with 16 points off six goals and four assists. Anne van Hoof netted a team-best seven goals and Alexis Grippo tallied five goals and five assists.
• The Deacs lost seniors Kelsey Gill, Isla Bint, Jess Pianko and Nthabi Maine

Quick Hits
• Head coach Jen Averill returns for her 29th season. She is 383-197-3 (.660) during her tenure with the Deacs.
• The Deacons return 13 players from last year's squad and welcome eight freshmen and a sophomore.
• The ACC is the only conference participating in field hockey this fall. The Deacs will play most ACC schools twice, with only one game counting as a conference match.
• Elisha Evans, Alexis Grippo and Anne van Hoof return for their senior seasons to lead the Deacs.
• Jen Averill is assisted by former Team USA teammates Melissa Gonzalez and Jackie Kintzer Briggs. It is the only all-female coaching staff at Wake Forest.
• Megan Anderson ('19) returns to her home turf as a volunteer assistant with the Demon Deacons.

Scouting the Tar Heels
• Head coach Karen Shelton returns for her 40th season at the helm with an overall record of 692-164-9
• North Carolina captured its 22nd ACC Championship and eighth National Championship last season defeating Princeton 6-1 in Winston-Salem at Kentner Stadium.
• UNC has been selected to finish atop the 2020 Atlantic Coast Conference fall field hockey standings in a vote of the league's seven head coaches.
• The Tar Heels return 15 letterwinners from last years' championship squad including six starters.
• Junior Erin Matson and senior Eva Smolenaars have been named to the preseason All-ACC team.

Looking Ahead
• Wake Forest will travel to Charlottesville for a two-game series with the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday and Sunday.
• Both matches are set for noon and only Sunday's meeting will be considered an ACC contest and will air on ACCN.

Field Hockey Game Day: Wake Forest Hosts North Carolina

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Isla Bint

Elisha Evans

Kelsey Gill

Alexis Grippo

Nthabi Maine

Jess Pianko

Anne van Hoof

Laia Vancells

Wake Forest Athletics