This Week in Wake Forest Women’s Athletics – Presented by Truist (Nov. 13-19)
11/14/2023 12:04:00 PM | General, Women's Basketball, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball
This weekly feature is brought to you by Truist - The Presenting Partner of Wake Forest Women’s Athletics.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Truist, a longstanding partner of Wake Forest University who is An Official Banking Partner of Wake Forest Athletics and the Presenting Partner of Wake Forest Women's Athletics brings Deacon Nation this weekly update from the Demon Deacons women's programs:
Truist Financial Corporation is a purpose-driven financial services company committed to inspiring and building better lives and communities. Truist has leading market share in many high-growth markets in the country, and offers a wide range of products and services through our retail and small business banking, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, insurance, wealth management, and specialized lending businesses. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Truist is a top 10 U.S. commercial bank with total assets of $574 billion as of March 31, 2023. Truist Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at Truist.com.
About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a combination of world-class academics, unrivaled campus experience, intimate learning environment and Power 5 athletics in a top-growing metro market. A Charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Demon Deacons have won 56 conference titles and are one of only seven ACC schools to win 10 or more national championships, along with Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia, Duke, Syracuse and Florida State. Additionally, Wake Forest anchors the Winston-Salem and Triad market, which includes 1.3M residents and was ranked as ESPN's seventh-best market from a viewership perspective.
Specifically since Aug. 1, 2019, Wake Forest has been the fastest growing and hottest brand in the Power 5 (and the ACC), with a 115 percent growth in its fan base during this span. Across the nation, over 2.7 million people now identify as Wake Forest fans, which ranks ninth in the league and ahead of Virginia Tech and just trailing NC State.
- Women's Basketball:
- After an Opening Night win over defending SoCon champions Wofford, the Demon Deacons are set to play their second home game of the season against NC A&T on Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m.
- In the home opener, redshirt sophomore forward Malaya Cowles tallied 19 points and seven rebounds, while shooting a stellar 8-of-12 from the floor, finishing just one point shy of her career-high set against ETSU during the 2021-22 season.
- Redshirt freshman guard Kate Deeble set a new career-highs with 19 points (8-of-16 shooting) and five rebounds in addition to two steals and an assist. Deeble connected on a team-high three triples.
- Graduate guard Kaia Harrison goes into Wednesday with a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. She is one of just 88 players nationally and one of just six in the ACC to have a perfect free throw percentage.
- Last week, coach Megan Gebbia inked her first international signee in Norwegian guard Aurora Sørbye.
- Sørbye has been an integral part of the Norwegian national system and has shined on the international stage during competitions over the last two years.
- Sørbye led Norway on the international stage at both the 2023 U20 and U18 European Championships, finishing with double-digit points per game in both events while also leading Norway in assists.
- She becomes the first Norwegian signee, the first European signee since 2021 and the 11th overall in program history.
- After an Opening Night win over defending SoCon champions Wofford, the Demon Deacons are set to play their second home game of the season against NC A&T on Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m.
- Volleyball:
- A final week of road matchups in the 2023 regular season has arrived for Wake Forest, as the team will travel out of state later this week for two ACC tests.
- The Demon Deacons first visit Notre Dame on Friday evening before heading over to Virginia Tech for an early Sunday afternoon showing.
- Wake Forest is at 17-9 overall and 8-7 against conference foes – a mark that is tied for seventh in the ACC.
- This past weekend against North Carolina, senior middle blocker Olivia Franke moved into the top-15 of individuals in career blocks throughout program history, currently tied for 15th with 267.
- Additionally, fellow seniors Emmy Ogogor and Ashley Slater notched the 400th and 100th blocks of their careers in the North Carolina outing.
- Three Demon Deacons currently hold top-10 individual rankings within various ACC categories:
- Senior middle blocker Olivia Franke: 10th in hitting percentage (.381)
- Sophomore libero Emma Farrell: 7th in digs (3.72/set)
- Sophomore setter Rian Baker: 8th in assists (8.20/set)
- Last Wednesday, coach Randi Smart announced the program's Class of 2024 on National Signing Day, as a quartet of Cy Rae Campbell, Becca Bellows, Ana Vetter and Dhru Lalaji will join the team next school year.
- A final week of road matchups in the 2023 regular season has arrived for Wake Forest, as the team will travel out of state later this week for two ACC tests.
- Women's Tennis:
- The Deacs competed in four events through their fall season, most recently finishing with a final showing in Raleigh, N.C. with multiple wins at the NC State Duals.
- Six schools competed in the event, with four of them (including Wake Forest) splitting into two teams. For the Demon Deacons, senior Mia Ahmad and freshman Sankavi Gownder made up one team, while sophomores Whitley Pate and Nevena Carton made up another.
- Wake Forest ultimately collected four wins apiece in singles and doubles throughout the weekend.
- For the fall, the team totaled 23 singles victories and 20 in doubles.
- Spring competition is next up for the Deacons, starting with the South Carolina Duals from Jan. 13-15 in Columbia, S.C.
- Senior standout Casie Wooten was named team captain earlier this week.
- The Deacs competed in four events through their fall season, most recently finishing with a final showing in Raleigh, N.C. with multiple wins at the NC State Duals.
Truist Financial Corporation is a purpose-driven financial services company committed to inspiring and building better lives and communities. Truist has leading market share in many high-growth markets in the country, and offers a wide range of products and services through our retail and small business banking, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, insurance, wealth management, and specialized lending businesses. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Truist is a top 10 U.S. commercial bank with total assets of $574 billion as of March 31, 2023. Truist Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at Truist.com.
About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a combination of world-class academics, unrivaled campus experience, intimate learning environment and Power 5 athletics in a top-growing metro market. A Charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Demon Deacons have won 56 conference titles and are one of only seven ACC schools to win 10 or more national championships, along with Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia, Duke, Syracuse and Florida State. Additionally, Wake Forest anchors the Winston-Salem and Triad market, which includes 1.3M residents and was ranked as ESPN's seventh-best market from a viewership perspective.
Specifically since Aug. 1, 2019, Wake Forest has been the fastest growing and hottest brand in the Power 5 (and the ACC), with a 115 percent growth in its fan base during this span. Across the nation, over 2.7 million people now identify as Wake Forest fans, which ranks ninth in the league and ahead of Virginia Tech and just trailing NC State.
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
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/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Tennis
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Tennis
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
MB/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Tennis
OH/RS
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