Week 5 Open the Gate Honoree: Stephanie Neill Harner

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Stephanie Neill Harner was a prominent member of the women's golf team from 1991-95. During her four years with the Demon Deacons she shattered records and set a new standard for women's golf. Harner will lead the Demon Deacons onto Truist Field for their contest against Louisville.

Harner arrived in Winston-Salem following a high school career with Charlotte Country Day. At the time, Charlotte Country Day did not have a women's golf team, meaning she had to play on the boy's team. In 1988, as a freshman, she helped the Buccaneers to a NCISAA state championship victory.

In 1991, Wake Forest women's golf came calling. Under the watchful eye of coach Dianne Dailey, Harner became the first ACC women's golfer to be named an All-American four times. Harner produced 10 individual victories during her Demon Deacon career, the most in Wake Forest history. Her most prominent win came in the 1993 ACC Championship when she won the individual title. Harner was named ACC Player of the Year in 1995 and was an All-ACC selection all four years of her Wake Forest career.

Harner still tops the Wake Forest women's golf record for career top-5 finishes, career top-10 finishes, and career top-20 finishes with 24, 35, and 39 respectively. Harner finished outside the top-10 just six times in her collegiate career. Harner's career-low score of 67 stood as the lowest 18 hole score by a Demon Deacon until 2006. In her senior season, Harner recorded eight top-5 finishes, tied for the most in a single season by a Deac. Additionally, Harner is one of two Demon Deacons to be named an All-American four times and was a member of the Demon Deacons third-place finishing 1995 team.

An accomplished amateur golfer, Harner won the North Carolina Women's Amateur three times in 1989, 1991, and 1992. She also won the Carolina Amateur four straight times from 1990-93. Harner was also victorious in the North-South Amateur, the Eastern Amateur, and the Western Amateur. At one point, Harner was the No. 1-ranked amateur player in the United States. Following her graduation from Wake Forest, Harner embarked on a professional career. She played on the Futures Tour and the Ladies' European Tour. Harner achieved two second place finishes on the Futures Tour.

Harner returned to Wake Forest in 2003 as an assistant coach to Dianne Dailey. In 2006, Harner was inducted into the Wake Forest Athletics Hall of Fame. Four years on, she was selected as a member of the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Nowadays, Harner works at her alma mater of Charlotte Country Day as a languages teacher and she heads the girls golf team.

Open the Gate Information & 2021 Honorees
The Open the Gate tradition has been an important and unique aspect of football games since its inception in 2008. This allows Wake Forest to honor individuals that make its University and Winston-Salem community so special. Honorees ride on the back of the motorcycle with the Demon Deacon mascot and lead the football team onto Truist Field. The first ever honoree was Wake Forest and Winston-Salem legend, Chris Paul.

Wake Forest Athletics

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