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From the Quad
11/10/2023 8:54:00 AM | General
Presented by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Happy #WFFriday Demon Deacon Nation:
I know you already have your Old Gold & Black on so let's start a very full #FTQ with a pre- Veterans Day salute for the bravery and sacrifice of the women and men who have protected our freedoms as members of the United States Armed Forces. Wake Forest is holding a beautiful ceremony this morning recognizing all veterans. We are grateful for our many Old Gold & Black heroes, including Wake Forest ROTC leader LTC Lawrence Rubal and of course, we are proud that the home of Demon Deacons basketball bears the name of the late Winston-Salem native and Medal of Honor recipient Lawrence Joel. And, our Open the Gate honoree tomorrow is one of our own heroes, Mark Erwin!
In addition to being men's soccer's all-time leading goal scorer, a member of our inaugural varsity squad back in 1980 and a member of our Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame, Mark participated in ROTC as an undergrad and was commissioned into the U.S. Army Infantry in December of 1984. He has served multiple tours in the Middle East and Afghanistan, and he has received numerous commendations. He is a 1999 graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and a 2007 graduate of the U.S. Army War College.
We are forever indebted to his, and the countless others, service to our country!
As all Wake Forest history majors (like me!) know, Veterans Day had its start as "Armistice Day" marking the cessation of World War I at the 11th minute, 11th hour, 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. And speaking of history, 23 years earlier in 1895, Wake Forest and NC State played the first of 116 football games! We are looking forward to welcoming the Wolfpack back to Allegacy Stadium on Saturday for the 117th edition of what is now the second-longest continuously played rivalry in the country!
We will get back to football in a bit, but we have a lot more news to share including a huge ACC-SEC matchup on the hardwood in just a few hours in Athens, Ga. as Coach Steve Forbes' squad puts his program to an early-season test against the Georgia Bulldogs. The contest will be broadcast on the SEC Network and tipoff is set for 7 p.m. If you are near Athens - get to Stegman Coliseum and support the Deacs!
And, tonight in Varsity Arena, Coach Randi Smart's volleyball team is back in action, sitting at 17-6 overall and 8-6 in the conference after a comeback win at North Carolina last Sunday - a win that marked the Demon Deacons first victory in Chapel Hill since 2019. It's a quick venue flip as the Tar Heels are coming to Winston for Graduate & Senior Night inside Varsity Arena at 7 p.m. The Deacs have captured eight ACC victories in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2009-10 and we are in the hunt for our first NCAA Tournament berth in program history!
Admission is free to watch this fun team and the match will be broadcast on ACCNX.
Men's and Women's Basketball Hit the Road Following Exciting Opening Night Doubleheader Inside Joel Coliseum
It was an exciting night on Monday evening at LJVM Coliseum as thousands of fans poured into the home of Wake Forest basketball and witnessed a sweep of Wofford and Elon by our women's and men's teams, respectively!
Coach Megan Gebbia's team utilized a balanced offensive attack and stellar defense to earn Wake Forest's 17th-consecutive season-opening home win dating back to the 2007-08 campaign. Meanwhile, Coach Steve Forbes' team dominated the second half by 35 points to secure a double-digit victory over Elon!
We unveiled a number of enhancements in the Joel, including moving our boisterous student section closer to the court than ever before!. Meanwhile, we have launched a new intense fan leader group to help take our gamedays to the next level inside Joel Coliseum – click here for more information on how you can apply!
Coach Megan Gebbia's squad makes the short jaunt down to Davidson for a 1 p.m. game tomorrow that will be broadcast on ESPN+. Additionally, following the aforementioned game in Athens tonight, our men's team is back on the road next week at the Charleston Classic where they open competition on Thursday against Utah in a highly-competitive tournament.
Remember, if you are in the area when the Deacs are on the road, even a handful of passionate fans wearing the Old Gold & Black and showing their support can make a difference!
Finally, make your plans now to see these two squads back in person inside Joel Coliseum as the women host North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, Nov. 15 and the men welcome Charleston Southern to Winston-Salem on Black Friday, Nov. 24, for a 1 p.m. tipoff.
New Locker Room for Demon Deacons Women's Basketball Inside Joel Coliseum
Following an open practice on Nov. 4, our student-athletes and fans were able to view our renovated women's basketball game day locker room inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. This 1,500 square foot space includes a team lounge space with enhanced video capabilities for film review, a separate enhanced locker room space, an upgraded sound system, fresh branding and brand new restrooms and individual showers. This is all part of providing a World Class Student-Athlete Experience!
Graduates & Seniors Day, National Broadcast on The CW Highlight Saturday's Home Football Finale Inside Allegacy Stadium
Another exciting and fun ACC home football season comes to a close tomorrow as we honor a group of very special senior and graduate student-athletes, band members, cheerleaders, Dazzling Deacs and football student staffers who have persevered to raise the standard of excellence for both Wake Forest football and the overall Demon Deacons gameday experience! I'm proud of our coaching staff and team for continuing to battle despite some very close losses and tough breaks - as one of the winningest programs in the Atlantic Coast Conference since 2016, including four wins over the Wolfpack in the past six seasons, we have three more opportunities to capture the wins necessary to extend the league's second-longest bowl streak to eight years. Help our players feel the energy from Deacon Nation tomorrow afternoon that has helped the Demon Deacons produce a 23-6 record in Allegacy Stadium since 2019!
Please arrive at Allegacy Stadium early on Saturday to help recognize an incredible group of student-athletes who are completing 70 graduate and undergraduate degrees this year! With a near-capacity crowd expected for the 2:00 p.m. kickoff , Wake Forest Athletics will open all stadium parking and tailgate lots at 9 a.m. Great food and beverages and free live music and games for all ages are available beginning at 11 a.m. in the DEACTOWN Fan Zone.
Additionally, we have a special evening planned for tonight with our International Leadership Circle members and we look forward to honoring this esteemed group of Demon Deacons supporters on the field tomorrow! To learn more about the ILC, click here.
Best Fan Experience in North Carolina = Incredible Efforts By All
Please join me in giving a tip of the Deacon top hat to our game day event and operations staff, traffic, security and concessions workers! We are grateful for the synchronized effort of more than a thousand dedicated folks from the following production partners who provide safe and festive game day environment and deliver The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina:
ACC Announces Football Schedule Model for 2024-30
Last week's announcement from the ACC fits right into our Wake Forest Athletics goal of offering The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina. Wake Forest's primary partners for the 2024-30 scheduling cycle will be Duke and NC State. Additionally, the Demon Deacons will play North Carolina four times (2024, 2025, 2027, 2028). I want to commend senior associate commissioner Michael Strickland and AD chair John Wildhack from Syracuse as they did a remarkable job leading us through a complex jigsaw puzzle process that will add to the excitement of ACC football and continue our growth in attendance at Allegacy Stadium, which has hosted an average of 30,680 fans per game this season, our highest home mark since 2011.
Packed Scales Fine Arts Center Awaits President Wente's Annual Address
It's hard to believe that President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D. is in the midst of her third academic year at Wake Forest University and I know everyone in our community is excited about her annual presidential address on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at 4 p.m. inside the Scales Fine Arts Center in Brendle Recital Hall. I encourage all who wish to attend to utilize this RSVP form and all are welcome to watch her address online here.
Community Enhancing Plans for Wake Forest University Child Care Center Move Forward
One of the many special topics President Susan R. Wente Ph.D. is likely to cover in her address next week is the news that Wake Forest University is establishing a child care and early education center that will open next fall. Recently approved at the October Board of Trustees meeting, the child care and early education center will serve infants through preschool care and will be designed for 5-Star NC quality-rated licensure and NAEYC accreditation. Wake Forest faculty, staff and students will receive priority enrollment, while other details will be available to share with the University community early in 2024.
Pro Humanitate at its finest!
Championship Season is Here!
Our Demon Deacons cross country student-athletes are in Spartanburg, S.C. today as they compete at the NCAA Southeast Regionals later this morning. The women's 6k will begin at approximately 11:00 a.m., followed by the men's 10k at 12:00 p.m. Live results for both races can be found here. Our Demon Deacons are competing for a spot in next Saturday's NCAA Championship race! Coach John Hayes and his staff have our student-athletes ready to run smart and run fast!
Meanwhile, on the pitch, Coach Bobby Muuss has been training and getting ready for Monday's NCAA Tournament announcement that will be streamed on NCAA.com after a regular season where the Demon Deacons won the Atlantic Division title for the fifth time in the last nine seasons and they are unbeaten in 12 of their last 13 matches. Wake Forest currently possesses the ACC's longest active NCAA Tournament appearance streak at 12-straight years and third nationally behind only Indiana and Maryland.
Welcome to Wake Forest! Over Two Dozen New Demon Deacons Recently Announced
Wake Forest men's golf, women's golf, men's basketball, women's basketball, volleyball, baseball, women's soccer, men's soccer and track and field / cross country all announced signees as a part of the fall semester national signing day! GoDeacs.com and all our sports social media accounts will continue to share more signing news! Our coaches spend countless hours over several years evaluating and identifying the right young men and women to join our Wake Forest and Winston-Salem community. All of these future Demon Deacons chose our premiere institution because we can check the "boxes" that are most important to them!
From the Quad Big 3
Here are today's Big 3 ways to help the Deacs:
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Director of Athletics
Happy #WFFriday Demon Deacon Nation:
I know you already have your Old Gold & Black on so let's start a very full #FTQ with a pre- Veterans Day salute for the bravery and sacrifice of the women and men who have protected our freedoms as members of the United States Armed Forces. Wake Forest is holding a beautiful ceremony this morning recognizing all veterans. We are grateful for our many Old Gold & Black heroes, including Wake Forest ROTC leader LTC Lawrence Rubal and of course, we are proud that the home of Demon Deacons basketball bears the name of the late Winston-Salem native and Medal of Honor recipient Lawrence Joel. And, our Open the Gate honoree tomorrow is one of our own heroes, Mark Erwin!
In addition to being men's soccer's all-time leading goal scorer, a member of our inaugural varsity squad back in 1980 and a member of our Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame, Mark participated in ROTC as an undergrad and was commissioned into the U.S. Army Infantry in December of 1984. He has served multiple tours in the Middle East and Afghanistan, and he has received numerous commendations. He is a 1999 graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and a 2007 graduate of the U.S. Army War College.
We are forever indebted to his, and the countless others, service to our country!
As all Wake Forest history majors (like me!) know, Veterans Day had its start as "Armistice Day" marking the cessation of World War I at the 11th minute, 11th hour, 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. And speaking of history, 23 years earlier in 1895, Wake Forest and NC State played the first of 116 football games! We are looking forward to welcoming the Wolfpack back to Allegacy Stadium on Saturday for the 117th edition of what is now the second-longest continuously played rivalry in the country!
We will get back to football in a bit, but we have a lot more news to share including a huge ACC-SEC matchup on the hardwood in just a few hours in Athens, Ga. as Coach Steve Forbes' squad puts his program to an early-season test against the Georgia Bulldogs. The contest will be broadcast on the SEC Network and tipoff is set for 7 p.m. If you are near Athens - get to Stegman Coliseum and support the Deacs!
And, tonight in Varsity Arena, Coach Randi Smart's volleyball team is back in action, sitting at 17-6 overall and 8-6 in the conference after a comeback win at North Carolina last Sunday - a win that marked the Demon Deacons first victory in Chapel Hill since 2019. It's a quick venue flip as the Tar Heels are coming to Winston for Graduate & Senior Night inside Varsity Arena at 7 p.m. The Deacs have captured eight ACC victories in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2009-10 and we are in the hunt for our first NCAA Tournament berth in program history!
Admission is free to watch this fun team and the match will be broadcast on ACCNX.
Men's and Women's Basketball Hit the Road Following Exciting Opening Night Doubleheader Inside Joel Coliseum
It was an exciting night on Monday evening at LJVM Coliseum as thousands of fans poured into the home of Wake Forest basketball and witnessed a sweep of Wofford and Elon by our women's and men's teams, respectively!
Coach Megan Gebbia's team utilized a balanced offensive attack and stellar defense to earn Wake Forest's 17th-consecutive season-opening home win dating back to the 2007-08 campaign. Meanwhile, Coach Steve Forbes' team dominated the second half by 35 points to secure a double-digit victory over Elon!
We unveiled a number of enhancements in the Joel, including moving our boisterous student section closer to the court than ever before!. Meanwhile, we have launched a new intense fan leader group to help take our gamedays to the next level inside Joel Coliseum – click here for more information on how you can apply!
Coach Megan Gebbia's squad makes the short jaunt down to Davidson for a 1 p.m. game tomorrow that will be broadcast on ESPN+. Additionally, following the aforementioned game in Athens tonight, our men's team is back on the road next week at the Charleston Classic where they open competition on Thursday against Utah in a highly-competitive tournament.
Remember, if you are in the area when the Deacs are on the road, even a handful of passionate fans wearing the Old Gold & Black and showing their support can make a difference!
Finally, make your plans now to see these two squads back in person inside Joel Coliseum as the women host North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, Nov. 15 and the men welcome Charleston Southern to Winston-Salem on Black Friday, Nov. 24, for a 1 p.m. tipoff.
New Locker Room for Demon Deacons Women's Basketball Inside Joel Coliseum
Following an open practice on Nov. 4, our student-athletes and fans were able to view our renovated women's basketball game day locker room inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. This 1,500 square foot space includes a team lounge space with enhanced video capabilities for film review, a separate enhanced locker room space, an upgraded sound system, fresh branding and brand new restrooms and individual showers. This is all part of providing a World Class Student-Athlete Experience!
Graduates & Seniors Day, National Broadcast on The CW Highlight Saturday's Home Football Finale Inside Allegacy Stadium
Another exciting and fun ACC home football season comes to a close tomorrow as we honor a group of very special senior and graduate student-athletes, band members, cheerleaders, Dazzling Deacs and football student staffers who have persevered to raise the standard of excellence for both Wake Forest football and the overall Demon Deacons gameday experience! I'm proud of our coaching staff and team for continuing to battle despite some very close losses and tough breaks - as one of the winningest programs in the Atlantic Coast Conference since 2016, including four wins over the Wolfpack in the past six seasons, we have three more opportunities to capture the wins necessary to extend the league's second-longest bowl streak to eight years. Help our players feel the energy from Deacon Nation tomorrow afternoon that has helped the Demon Deacons produce a 23-6 record in Allegacy Stadium since 2019!
Please arrive at Allegacy Stadium early on Saturday to help recognize an incredible group of student-athletes who are completing 70 graduate and undergraduate degrees this year! With a near-capacity crowd expected for the 2:00 p.m. kickoff , Wake Forest Athletics will open all stadium parking and tailgate lots at 9 a.m. Great food and beverages and free live music and games for all ages are available beginning at 11 a.m. in the DEACTOWN Fan Zone.
Additionally, we have a special evening planned for tonight with our International Leadership Circle members and we look forward to honoring this esteemed group of Demon Deacons supporters on the field tomorrow! To learn more about the ILC, click here.
Best Fan Experience in North Carolina = Incredible Efforts By All
Please join me in giving a tip of the Deacon top hat to our game day event and operations staff, traffic, security and concessions workers! We are grateful for the synchronized effort of more than a thousand dedicated folks from the following production partners who provide safe and festive game day environment and deliver The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina:
- ASM Wake Forest
- The Budd Group
- City of Winston-Salem Fairgrounds
- Forsyth County Emergency Medical Services
- Forsyth County Sheriff's Office
- Frank L. Blum
- Golden Event Solutions
- Guilford County Sheriff's Office
- H&R Tours
- Learfield
- Proof of the Pudding
- Random Task Management
- Rhino Sport and Entertainment Services
- REVELXP
- Special Event Services
- Triad Industrial
- Winston-Salem Department of Transportation
- Winston-Salem Fire Department
- Winston-Salem Police Department
- Deacon Onecard Office
- Wake Forest Facilities and Campus Services
- Wake Forest Office of Diversity and Inclusion
- Wake Forest Office of Student Engagement
- Wake Forest Police Dept. and Emergency Management
- Wake Forest University Advancement
- Wake Line
- Allegacy Federal Credit Union
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
- Kelly Office Solutions
- Kenda/Parrish Tire Company
- Lowes Foods
- NC Education Lottery
- Pepsi
- R&D Brewing
ACC Announces Football Schedule Model for 2024-30
Last week's announcement from the ACC fits right into our Wake Forest Athletics goal of offering The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina. Wake Forest's primary partners for the 2024-30 scheduling cycle will be Duke and NC State. Additionally, the Demon Deacons will play North Carolina four times (2024, 2025, 2027, 2028). I want to commend senior associate commissioner Michael Strickland and AD chair John Wildhack from Syracuse as they did a remarkable job leading us through a complex jigsaw puzzle process that will add to the excitement of ACC football and continue our growth in attendance at Allegacy Stadium, which has hosted an average of 30,680 fans per game this season, our highest home mark since 2011.
Packed Scales Fine Arts Center Awaits President Wente's Annual Address
It's hard to believe that President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D. is in the midst of her third academic year at Wake Forest University and I know everyone in our community is excited about her annual presidential address on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at 4 p.m. inside the Scales Fine Arts Center in Brendle Recital Hall. I encourage all who wish to attend to utilize this RSVP form and all are welcome to watch her address online here.
Community Enhancing Plans for Wake Forest University Child Care Center Move Forward
One of the many special topics President Susan R. Wente Ph.D. is likely to cover in her address next week is the news that Wake Forest University is establishing a child care and early education center that will open next fall. Recently approved at the October Board of Trustees meeting, the child care and early education center will serve infants through preschool care and will be designed for 5-Star NC quality-rated licensure and NAEYC accreditation. Wake Forest faculty, staff and students will receive priority enrollment, while other details will be available to share with the University community early in 2024.
Pro Humanitate at its finest!
Championship Season is Here!
Our Demon Deacons cross country student-athletes are in Spartanburg, S.C. today as they compete at the NCAA Southeast Regionals later this morning. The women's 6k will begin at approximately 11:00 a.m., followed by the men's 10k at 12:00 p.m. Live results for both races can be found here. Our Demon Deacons are competing for a spot in next Saturday's NCAA Championship race! Coach John Hayes and his staff have our student-athletes ready to run smart and run fast!
Meanwhile, on the pitch, Coach Bobby Muuss has been training and getting ready for Monday's NCAA Tournament announcement that will be streamed on NCAA.com after a regular season where the Demon Deacons won the Atlantic Division title for the fifth time in the last nine seasons and they are unbeaten in 12 of their last 13 matches. Wake Forest currently possesses the ACC's longest active NCAA Tournament appearance streak at 12-straight years and third nationally behind only Indiana and Maryland.
Welcome to Wake Forest! Over Two Dozen New Demon Deacons Recently Announced
Wake Forest men's golf, women's golf, men's basketball, women's basketball, volleyball, baseball, women's soccer, men's soccer and track and field / cross country all announced signees as a part of the fall semester national signing day! GoDeacs.com and all our sports social media accounts will continue to share more signing news! Our coaches spend countless hours over several years evaluating and identifying the right young men and women to join our Wake Forest and Winston-Salem community. All of these future Demon Deacons chose our premiere institution because we can check the "boxes" that are most important to them!
From the Quad Big 3
Here are today's Big 3 ways to help the Deacs:
- Read about our latest member of the ACC Football Honors Class – Bill Ard – and our recent Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame induction class! These seven esteemed Demon Deacons exemplify the best qualities that Wake Forest University offers!
- Speaking of the best, Old Town Club was ranked as the No. 84 course in the world in Golf Magazine's world premier top-100 list. Congratulations to Charles Frost and all our friends at Old Town and we are so proud to have this course in our backyard! Speaking of golf, it was special to see our own Rachel Kuehn recognized as one of The Fifty Most Interesting Athletes!
- Did you see our talented colleagues from the Office of Communications & External Relations rolled out this content to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Wake Forest dawning our nickname, Demon Deacons?
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Director of Athletics
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