From the Quad

Presented by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Greetings from the Sunshine State!

Demon Deacon Nation has now hit Jacksonville in full Old Gold & Black force as we gear up for tomorrow's TaxSlayer Gator Bowl with Rutgers. Our student-athletes, coaches and support staff have enjoyed a terrific week in Florida including a fun outing to TopGolf on Tuesday, an exclusive trip to the Mayport Naval Station on Wednesday and many meaningful community engagement projects. The weather is perfect and we are grateful for the hospitality at the Amelia Island Omni Hotel and our practice site at Fernandina Beach High School.

While Deacon fans in Jacksonville get ready for multiple events this evening prior to kickoff tomorrow morning, our 10-2 Demon Deacon women's basketball team is back in action in Joel Coliseum tonight at 7 p.m. I encourage everyone in the Winston-Salem community to head over and take advantage of free parking at the Joel as we open our home ACC slate against Florida State. The game will also be available worldwide on ACC Network Extra. Our women's hoops homestand continues Sunday at 4 p.m. as the Deacs take on Virginia Tech! Tickets are available here and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network.

Here in Jacksonville, it has been a pleasure to work with TaxSlayer Gator Bowl President / CEO Greg McGarity and his staff as they provided this special postseason opportunity for our student-athletes. I appreciate last week's action by the NCAA Football Oversight committee and Chair Sandy Barbour in approving Rutgers to be our opponent for tomorrow's game.

With a 10-3 record and an Atlantic Division Championship, this fall provided one of the most memorable football teams in Demon Deacon history. Coach Clawson and his team's mantra for the 2021 football season was 'Good to Great.' In 2021 our football student-athletes and staff took another big step building on the unparalleled sustained success we have had over the past five seasons.

Here are a few of the highlights marking this GREAT season achieved by our football Deacs:

Coach Dave Clawson was named the 2021 ACC Coach of the Year by the ACC and the Associated Press. Additionally, he is a finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant and Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year awards.
Wake Forest's 10 wins through the regular season marks the second double-digit win campaign in program history.
- Coach Clawson became the only active Power-5 head coach in the country to win double-digit games in a single season at four different Division I institutions.
Wake Forest is 15-2 at home since the start of the 2019 season including a perfect 6-0 mark this season. The Deacs recorded their first undefeated home record since 1979 and just the third since Wake Forest's 1970 ACC Championship team.
The Deacons placed a program-record 15 players on the 2021 All-ACC Teams.
Nationally after climbing into the top 10 of the Associated Press and Amway Coaches Poll this season, our football team achieved its highest ranking in the College Football Playoff Poll in school history when the first ranking was released on Nov. 2 as the Demon Deacons were tabbed as the No. 9 team according to the CFP selection committee.
Offensively, along with setting a new school record, the Deacons became just the 20th ACC team in the college football modern era (Post-WWII) to cross over the milestone of 500 points scored in a single season.
Wake Forest now has the second-longest active bowl streak in the Atlantic Coast Conference, trailing just Clemson.

This season also reminded us how intercollegiate athletics brings generations together to support a common cause. We witnessed record numbers of students and fans coming out to games both at Truist Field and on the road. I'll always remember the scene at Truist Field on Nov. 13 after our second-consecutive sellout when our student body rushed the field to celebrate an incredible win over NC State. We are excited to create more memories as we move into 2022 looking to Win Championships while creating a World Class Student-Athlete Experience and providing the Best Fan Experience in North Carolina!

With that, let's continue to raise the standard and have another great home environment next fall inside Truist Field! Season ticket deposits for the 2022 season are available now for $50. New or existing season ticket holders can visit GoDeacs.com/tickets to make their deposit online or call the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336-758-3322 ext. 1 during normal business hours.

Men's Basketball Battling on the Road; Back Home Next Week
After a hard fought loss last night at Louisville, Wake Forest men's basketball is back in action for its third-straight ACC road game on Saturday at Miami before our conference home opener on Tuesday night inside Joel Coliseum against FSU at 7 p.m. Graduate transfer Alondes Williams currently leads the ACC in scoring and is the only player in the country with three 30-point games this season and at least 250 points, 75 rebounds, and 50 assists this season!

Alondes is one of several examples of young men and women that have found academic and athletic success in Winston-Salem after starting their careers at another institution thanks to the support and encouragement of our faculty, staff and coaches.

From the Quad Big 3
Here are today's Big 3 ways to help the Deacs:

Join me in congratulating Ryanne Brown and Jenna Menta for being drafted in the 2021 NWSL Draft last weekend! We are very proud of our #ProDeacs representing the Wake Forest community and we wish Ryanne and Jenna the best of luck in the 2022 season!
It has been an exciting few weeks for the Atlantic Coast Conference as The Alliance announced the completion of an initial series of student-athlete focused initiatives that include efforts in the areas of civic engagement; student-athlete leadership and welfare; sustainability; social justice; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and mental health. Additionally, our partner ESPN announced that the ACC Network is now available on Comcast's Xfinity! We appreciate all the Deacons in Comcast territory who made their voices heard over the last 18 months to encourage Comcast/Xfinity to sign on ACCN!
Bring a friend to see Wake Forest basketball! Both teams are a combined 21-4 and with innovative ticket options and affordable prices, you can treat your friends, family and co-workers to the drama and passion of ACC basketball and help fill Joel Coliseum!

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced this past Monday that the league's Medical Advisory Group has added options for reducing isolation for vaccinated individuals, if permitted by local and state public health officials. Everyone at Wake Forest is grateful for the Medical Advisory Group's continued vigilance to ensure that we operate as safely as possible while providing competition for our student-athletes!

Mary Lawrence and I wish you and yours a safe and peaceful Happy New Year. Please get your booster shot and as always send your thoughts, ideas and suggestions to me at wfuad@wfu.edu!

Go Deacs!

Currie Signature

John Currie
Director of Athletics

Wake Forest Athletics

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