Week 8 Open the Gate Honoree: Rhett Lowder
10/17/2023 6:04:00 PM | Baseball, Football
The two-time ACC Pitcher of Year returns to Winston-Salem four months removed from his historic 2023 campaign.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Rhett Lowder, one of the most decorated and highly-regarded Wake Forest baseball players of all time, will lead the Demon Deacon football team onto the field this Saturday, Oct. 21, against the Pittsburgh Panthers. The game is set for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.
He finished his historic 2023 setting new single-season program records for wins (15), strikeouts (143), win-loss percentage (100 percent, 15-0) and led the Deacs to a program record in wins (54) and a spot in the Men's College World Series.
His 15 victories led the nation while ranking fourth nationally in ERA (1.87) and strikeouts (143) and eighth in WHIP (.95). He completed the regular season as the conference's leader in ERA (1.73), wins (12), innings pitched (88.2) and strikeouts (108).
His 2023 performance on and off the field earned him numerous awards and honors regionally and nationally. Most notably, he was named the 2023 Anthony J. McKevlin Award winner, which is given to the ACC Male Athlete of the Year across all sports.
Lowder joins exclusive Demon Deacon company to be selected for the award, as Tim Duncan (1997), Randolph Childress (1995), Brian Piccolo (1965), Len Chappell (1962) and Dickie Hemric (1955) are the other Wake Forest recipients. In addition to being the first player in program history to receive this honor, he is also just the sixth baseball player in conference history to be selected in the 70-year history of the award.
In 2022, he became the first Demon Deacon to win ACC pitcher of the year. A year later, he became just the second player in conference history to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons.
In July, Lowder was drafted seventh-overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2023 MLB Draft.The right-hander became the ninth Demon Deacon all-time taken in the first round of the draft and third in the last four years, joining Ryan Cusick (2021) and Jared Shuster (2020). Additionally, he is the second-highest selected Demon Deacon in program history and highest since Kyle Sleeth (3rd overall in 2003).
Lowder's 2023 Awards and Honors
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 Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. The first ever honoree was Wake Forest and Winston-Salem legend, Chris Paul.
Week 1 vs. Elon: Cathy Pace
Week 2 vs. Vanderbilt: Jen Averill
Week 3 vs. Georgia Tech: Kimberly Jones
Week 8 vs. Pitt: Rhett Lowder
He finished his historic 2023 setting new single-season program records for wins (15), strikeouts (143), win-loss percentage (100 percent, 15-0) and led the Deacs to a program record in wins (54) and a spot in the Men's College World Series.
His 15 victories led the nation while ranking fourth nationally in ERA (1.87) and strikeouts (143) and eighth in WHIP (.95). He completed the regular season as the conference's leader in ERA (1.73), wins (12), innings pitched (88.2) and strikeouts (108).
His 2023 performance on and off the field earned him numerous awards and honors regionally and nationally. Most notably, he was named the 2023 Anthony J. McKevlin Award winner, which is given to the ACC Male Athlete of the Year across all sports.
Lowder joins exclusive Demon Deacon company to be selected for the award, as Tim Duncan (1997), Randolph Childress (1995), Brian Piccolo (1965), Len Chappell (1962) and Dickie Hemric (1955) are the other Wake Forest recipients. In addition to being the first player in program history to receive this honor, he is also just the sixth baseball player in conference history to be selected in the 70-year history of the award.
In 2022, he became the first Demon Deacon to win ACC pitcher of the year. A year later, he became just the second player in conference history to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons.
In July, Lowder was drafted seventh-overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2023 MLB Draft.The right-hander became the ninth Demon Deacon all-time taken in the first round of the draft and third in the last four years, joining Ryan Cusick (2021) and Jared Shuster (2020). Additionally, he is the second-highest selected Demon Deacon in program history and highest since Kyle Sleeth (3rd overall in 2003).
Lowder's 2023 Awards and Honors
- 2023 Anthony J. McKevlin Award Winner (ACC Male Athlete of the Year)
- 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Year
- 2023 ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- 2023 Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American
- 2023 ABCA First Team All-American
- 2023 NCBWA First Team All-American
- 2023 National Pitcher of the Year Finalist
- 2023 First Team All-ACC
- 2023 All-ACC Academic Team
- 2023 Dick Howser Trophy Finalist
- 2023 NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year
- 2023 First Team CSC Academic All-American
- 2023 Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
- 2023 Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
- 2023 ACC All-Tournament Team
- 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Week (May 8)
- 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Week (April 17)
- 2023 Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List
- 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Week (March 27)
- 2023 Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Week (March 27)
- 2023 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
- 2023 Perfect Game First Team Preseason All-American
- 2023 Collegiate Baseball First Team Preseason All-American
- 2023 Baseball America First Team Preseason All-American
- 2023 D1Baseball First Team Preseason All-American
- 2023 NCBWA First Team Preseason All-American
- 2023 D1Baseball Preseason ACC Pitcher of the Year
- 2023 Perfect Game Preseason ACC Pitcher of the Year
- 2023 Perfect Game Preseason All-ACC
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 Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. The first ever honoree was Wake Forest and Winston-Salem legend, Chris Paul.
Week 1 vs. Elon: Cathy Pace
Week 2 vs. Vanderbilt: Jen Averill
Week 3 vs. Georgia Tech: Kimberly Jones
Week 8 vs. Pitt: Rhett Lowder
Players Mentioned
RHP
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