From the Quad
8/31/2022 9:21:00 AM | General
Presented by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Good Morning Demon Deacon Nation!
Opening Night at Truist Field Presented by Pepsi is less than 34 hours away and the festivities kick off this evening with the annual Wake the Demons Pep Rally on Hearn Plaza!
Meanwhile, I am already fired up following this past weekend's action-packed Deacon slate featuring nine women's soccer, men's soccer, volleyball and field hockey home games from Thursday through Sunday! Vanquished foes included Georgia, Central Florida and Air Force. We appreciate our incredible sports medicine, strength & conditioning, fan experience, communications, event management and ACCN production crews who all worked together to pull off a fun and safe environment for our student-athletes and fans!
The #DEACTOWN spirit-meter is already showing hot with last Friday's home volleyball win before the largest crowd in the Randi Smart era, over 3,000 fans at our first men's soccer match and 880 students at the first athletics event of the year for our women's soccer team exhibition match on Aug. 18 - which was before upperclassmen had returned to campus! Additionally, the record crowds and exciting atmosphere at the Winston-Salem Open set an exciting tone for tomorrow night in Truist!
We recently announced our schedules for our nationally-ranked men's cross country squad and women's cross country team, both of whom will begin their fall campaign tomorrow in an exhibition against UNC Greensboro. Stay tuned to @WakeTrack and GoDeacs.com for updates.
Speaking of staying up to date with the latest details on Wake Forest Athletics, if you live out of town or are unable to make it out to Spry Stadium, Varsity Arena or Kentner Stadium this fall, our partners at ACC Network announced expanded Olympic Sports coverage plans. We appreciate the leadership of Commissioner Jim Phillips working to make it easier for ACC fans to follow their teams as league contests broadcast on RSN and Bally Sports, including in the ACC women's basketball and baseball tournaments, will now be carried solely on ACC Network, ACC Network Extra and other ESPN platforms!
Speaking of ACCN, we trust you have enjoyed the programing upgrades on our league's network, including ACC PM! It was fun to see Coach Dave Clawson become the first guest on Mark Packer's new afternoon show that airs from 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday!
Thursday looks to feature perfect football weather and there is still time to snap up one of our affordable four-pack ticket options for $69 or single-game tickets for as low as $15 and bring a friend, neighbor or colleague to enjoy all the fun of Demon Deacons football right here in Winston-Salem. The national TV audience on the expanding ACC Network is in for a #DEACTOWN treat and our veteran Wake Forest football team, which includes 14 young men who have already earned their undergraduate degrees and 39 student-athletes who are in their fifth, sixth or seventh year of college football, is really excited to see their fellow students and fans from the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem community on Thursday night!
I do encourage everyone to bring a little extra patience and grace as our hard-working staff works to fulfill our goal of providing the Best Fan Experience in North Carolina. Allow plenty of time for your drive (and go slowly through those school zones!) so you can enjoy your tailgate or live music from 'Men in Black' in the DEACTOWN Fan Zone presented by Forsyth County Farm Bureau Insurance and be sure to be at the Deacon Statue and around the Fan Zone at 5 p.m. tomorrow for the return of the Deacon Walk! Additionally, with the Class of 2026 storming the field pregame as we Open the Gate on a new season, you will definitely be glad you are in your seat early for all the pregame excitement.
Don't forget to download your mobile tickets for entry into Truist Field. Our fan experience and ticketing staff along with our hard working Rhino partners will be circulating and are available at numerous guest information booths inside and around the stadium. Our staff welcomes feedback and encourages you to email gameday@wfu.edu or call 336-758-GAME with those thoughts.
Fans are also encouraged to visit Wake Forest Athletics gameday information website featuring gameday policies and procedures for Truist Field.
More Deacs in Action
Before kickoff on Thursday night at Truist Field, our undefeated women's soccer team travels to High Point for a 4 p.m. match against the Panthers. Additionally, we have two matches in Winston-Salem this weekend with field hockey hosting Lafayette at 5 p.m. on Friday and volleyball will play South Carolina at 7 p.m. on Saturday inside Varsity Arena. Both those matches are FREE for all fans and will be broadcast on ACCNX.
Meanwhile, our undefeated soccer programs will be on the road this weekend with the men at UAB and the women at Oakland in Michigan.
Wake The Demons Pep Rally & Wake Forest Student Engagement
As I mentioned earlier, Opening Night festivities begin about 22 hours before kickoff with the Wake the Demons Pep Rally tonight at 9 p.m. on Hearn Plaza. All students are welcome on the Quad as we introduce the Class of 2026 to game day traditions with Wake Cheer, the Dazzlin' Deacs, and the Spirit of Old Gold & Black. Guest speakers will include President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D., head football coach Dave Clawson, head women's basketball coach Megan Gebbia and me before our traditional night-before-home-game fireworks display over Wait Chapel!
Free student "WAKE THE DEMONS" t-shirts will be available while supplies last, and several late-night food trucks will be on hand to provide free food for students.
Students are encouraged to download the Screamin' Demon Rewards App and follow @ScrDemonRewards on Twitter for more information.
Chris Paul Family Men's Basketball & Dr. Caryl Guth Women's Basketball Clubhouses Dedication Ceremony Set for Thursday
Thanks to the incredible leadership of nearly 300 loyal supporters, including Dr. Caryl Guth, Chris Paul and Mit Shah, Wake Forest University will dedicate the new on-campus clubhouses for men's and women's basketball student-athletes tomorrow morning.
The Chris Paul Family Men's Basketball Clubhouse & Dr. Caryl Guth Women's Basketball Clubhouses include new locker rooms, lounge areas, training rooms and nutrition zones for the Demon Deacons programs. These projects represent the rapid progress of the 4th Quarter Drive for more upgrades to the World Class Student-Athlete Experience at Wake Forest.
Thursday's dedication of the Guth & Paul Clubhouses signify another exciting step in our commitment to providing our men's and women's basketball program student-athletes the best possible platform for championship success. On behalf of all of Demon Deacon Nation, I would like to personally thank Dr. Guth, Chris Paul, Mit Shah and all our loyal supporters for making this possible. Additionally, these clubhouses would not be possible without the dedication of our basketball alumni and the incredible support we have received from President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D. and our University leadership.
Forbes Magazine Says What We Know - Wake Forest University is No. 1 in North Carolina
Everyone in our Wake Forest community appreciated seeing Forbes magazine rank our University the top employer in North Carolina in its 2022 list of America's Best Employers by State. There are so many reasons why it's great to be a Demon Deacon, but that begins with our President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D. and the incredible leadership we have at Wake Forest which encourages a culture of radical collaboration and teamwork allowing for all employees!
World Class Student-Athlete Experience on Display at "Deac Bash"
Wake Forest Athletics hosted over 380 student-athletes as well as coaches and administrators to celebrate the start of the new semester on the first day of classes on Aug. 22. From the band, field games, face painting, dunk tank and food, it was an exciting and relaxing event for our student-athletes as they began a new semester!
I encourage you to watch this inspiring message from President Wente to students and the University community as we begin the new academic year!
From the Quad Big 3
Here are today's Big 3 ways to help the Deacs:
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Director of Athletics
Good Morning Demon Deacon Nation!
Opening Night at Truist Field Presented by Pepsi is less than 34 hours away and the festivities kick off this evening with the annual Wake the Demons Pep Rally on Hearn Plaza!
Meanwhile, I am already fired up following this past weekend's action-packed Deacon slate featuring nine women's soccer, men's soccer, volleyball and field hockey home games from Thursday through Sunday! Vanquished foes included Georgia, Central Florida and Air Force. We appreciate our incredible sports medicine, strength & conditioning, fan experience, communications, event management and ACCN production crews who all worked together to pull off a fun and safe environment for our student-athletes and fans!
The #DEACTOWN spirit-meter is already showing hot with last Friday's home volleyball win before the largest crowd in the Randi Smart era, over 3,000 fans at our first men's soccer match and 880 students at the first athletics event of the year for our women's soccer team exhibition match on Aug. 18 - which was before upperclassmen had returned to campus! Additionally, the record crowds and exciting atmosphere at the Winston-Salem Open set an exciting tone for tomorrow night in Truist!
We recently announced our schedules for our nationally-ranked men's cross country squad and women's cross country team, both of whom will begin their fall campaign tomorrow in an exhibition against UNC Greensboro. Stay tuned to @WakeTrack and GoDeacs.com for updates.
Speaking of staying up to date with the latest details on Wake Forest Athletics, if you live out of town or are unable to make it out to Spry Stadium, Varsity Arena or Kentner Stadium this fall, our partners at ACC Network announced expanded Olympic Sports coverage plans. We appreciate the leadership of Commissioner Jim Phillips working to make it easier for ACC fans to follow their teams as league contests broadcast on RSN and Bally Sports, including in the ACC women's basketball and baseball tournaments, will now be carried solely on ACC Network, ACC Network Extra and other ESPN platforms!
Speaking of ACCN, we trust you have enjoyed the programing upgrades on our league's network, including ACC PM! It was fun to see Coach Dave Clawson become the first guest on Mark Packer's new afternoon show that airs from 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday!
Thursday looks to feature perfect football weather and there is still time to snap up one of our affordable four-pack ticket options for $69 or single-game tickets for as low as $15 and bring a friend, neighbor or colleague to enjoy all the fun of Demon Deacons football right here in Winston-Salem. The national TV audience on the expanding ACC Network is in for a #DEACTOWN treat and our veteran Wake Forest football team, which includes 14 young men who have already earned their undergraduate degrees and 39 student-athletes who are in their fifth, sixth or seventh year of college football, is really excited to see their fellow students and fans from the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem community on Thursday night!
I do encourage everyone to bring a little extra patience and grace as our hard-working staff works to fulfill our goal of providing the Best Fan Experience in North Carolina. Allow plenty of time for your drive (and go slowly through those school zones!) so you can enjoy your tailgate or live music from 'Men in Black' in the DEACTOWN Fan Zone presented by Forsyth County Farm Bureau Insurance and be sure to be at the Deacon Statue and around the Fan Zone at 5 p.m. tomorrow for the return of the Deacon Walk! Additionally, with the Class of 2026 storming the field pregame as we Open the Gate on a new season, you will definitely be glad you are in your seat early for all the pregame excitement.
Don't forget to download your mobile tickets for entry into Truist Field. Our fan experience and ticketing staff along with our hard working Rhino partners will be circulating and are available at numerous guest information booths inside and around the stadium. Our staff welcomes feedback and encourages you to email gameday@wfu.edu or call 336-758-GAME with those thoughts.
Fans are also encouraged to visit Wake Forest Athletics gameday information website featuring gameday policies and procedures for Truist Field.
More Deacs in Action
Before kickoff on Thursday night at Truist Field, our undefeated women's soccer team travels to High Point for a 4 p.m. match against the Panthers. Additionally, we have two matches in Winston-Salem this weekend with field hockey hosting Lafayette at 5 p.m. on Friday and volleyball will play South Carolina at 7 p.m. on Saturday inside Varsity Arena. Both those matches are FREE for all fans and will be broadcast on ACCNX.
Meanwhile, our undefeated soccer programs will be on the road this weekend with the men at UAB and the women at Oakland in Michigan.
Wake The Demons Pep Rally & Wake Forest Student Engagement
As I mentioned earlier, Opening Night festivities begin about 22 hours before kickoff with the Wake the Demons Pep Rally tonight at 9 p.m. on Hearn Plaza. All students are welcome on the Quad as we introduce the Class of 2026 to game day traditions with Wake Cheer, the Dazzlin' Deacs, and the Spirit of Old Gold & Black. Guest speakers will include President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D., head football coach Dave Clawson, head women's basketball coach Megan Gebbia and me before our traditional night-before-home-game fireworks display over Wait Chapel!
Free student "WAKE THE DEMONS" t-shirts will be available while supplies last, and several late-night food trucks will be on hand to provide free food for students.
Students are encouraged to download the Screamin' Demon Rewards App and follow @ScrDemonRewards on Twitter for more information.
Chris Paul Family Men's Basketball & Dr. Caryl Guth Women's Basketball Clubhouses Dedication Ceremony Set for Thursday
Thanks to the incredible leadership of nearly 300 loyal supporters, including Dr. Caryl Guth, Chris Paul and Mit Shah, Wake Forest University will dedicate the new on-campus clubhouses for men's and women's basketball student-athletes tomorrow morning.
The Chris Paul Family Men's Basketball Clubhouse & Dr. Caryl Guth Women's Basketball Clubhouses include new locker rooms, lounge areas, training rooms and nutrition zones for the Demon Deacons programs. These projects represent the rapid progress of the 4th Quarter Drive for more upgrades to the World Class Student-Athlete Experience at Wake Forest.
Thursday's dedication of the Guth & Paul Clubhouses signify another exciting step in our commitment to providing our men's and women's basketball program student-athletes the best possible platform for championship success. On behalf of all of Demon Deacon Nation, I would like to personally thank Dr. Guth, Chris Paul, Mit Shah and all our loyal supporters for making this possible. Additionally, these clubhouses would not be possible without the dedication of our basketball alumni and the incredible support we have received from President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D. and our University leadership.
Forbes Magazine Says What We Know - Wake Forest University is No. 1 in North Carolina
Everyone in our Wake Forest community appreciated seeing Forbes magazine rank our University the top employer in North Carolina in its 2022 list of America's Best Employers by State. There are so many reasons why it's great to be a Demon Deacon, but that begins with our President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D. and the incredible leadership we have at Wake Forest which encourages a culture of radical collaboration and teamwork allowing for all employees!
World Class Student-Athlete Experience on Display at "Deac Bash"
Wake Forest Athletics hosted over 380 student-athletes as well as coaches and administrators to celebrate the start of the new semester on the first day of classes on Aug. 22. From the band, field games, face painting, dunk tank and food, it was an exciting and relaxing event for our student-athletes as they began a new semester!
I encourage you to watch this inspiring message from President Wente to students and the University community as we begin the new academic year!
From the Quad Big 3
Here are today's Big 3 ways to help the Deacs:
- Expand #WFFriday into #WFThursday this week! Wear your Wake Forest gear, fly your Deacons flag and sport your Old Gold & Black this Thursday wherever in the world you are!
- Read about our newly announced 2022 Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame class, which included some incredible Demon Deacons! While notifying these legendary Demon Deacons of their selection to the HOF is one of the most fun things we do during the year, I encourage you to watch this special video with how my mentor Ron Wellman and the legendary Bill Faircloth learned of their pending induction.
- Be in your seats early tomorrow to welcome WFU's Class of 2026 as they run the field! And if you need to brush up on the fight song lyrics, you can find them here.
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Director of Athletics
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