Lyons Family Makes Historic Impact for Men’s and Women’s Golf
5/4/2023 5:00:00 PM | General, Men's Golf, Women's Golf
After establishing connections with Wake Forest Athletics during their daughters' time as students, Rich and Gertrude Lyons have continued to enrich the lives of Demon Deacon student-athletes by serving on the Deacon Club, establishing matching scholarships and contributing to revolutionary facility upgrades.
The Lyons family have now moved forward by becoming the first to participate in the Coaching and Directorship Initiative at Wake Forest, establishing the The Lyons Family Men's Golf Associate Head Coach position and The Lyons Family Women's Golf Associate Head Coach position — providing a historical commitment to the two programs that will live in perpetuity and make an annual ongoing impact.
This transformational generosity started with just a simple, routine campus visit.
As Rich and Gertrude Lyons made the rounds with their eldest daughter Morgan in search for the perfect small, liberal arts university as she entered her senior year of high school, they found themselves completely entranced at Wake Forest.
"We're watching the video and we're crying," Gertrude said of the presentation.
"It was different than when I took Morgan and some of her friends to other schools," Rich said. "It felt like they just mailed it in. I was very disappointed.
"Wake Forest put time and energy into it, and you felt special. We've felt that throughout our experience — feeling seen and appreciated. This was very special."
Morgan applied to just Wake Forest, where she graduated in 2018. Her younger sister Hannah became a Demon Deacon as well, graduating in 2021. Although neither played intercollegiate sports at Wake Forest, athletics became a rallying point for the Chicago-based family to stay connected.
"In the beginning, the teams weren't all that good," Rich said with a bit of a laugh, likely recalling that the Deacs went 3-9 in coach Dave Clawson's first two seasons at the helm. "Our first year on campus, nobody went to the games.
"We go to football games. I went to Michigan, and we go to football games. We're going to watch it."
Of course, now Wake Forest Football has been to a program-record seven-straight bowl games and is one of the most successful programs in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
"To see the transformation has been incredible and I'm thrilled to help in any way I can," Rich said. "It makes a huge difference and it's exciting to see what's happening. Coach Clawson has done an amazing job."
That connection to football was key, as it was a gift to help access preferred seats at Truist Field. It was the first time the Lyons family made a connection in the Deacon Club and to Regional Director of Development, Alan Ashworth. Working with Ashworth, the Lyons became more engaged with the broader enterprise of Wake Forest Athletics and regular attendees at events. What started as access to good tickets for the Homecoming football game evolved into the start of a life-long relationship.
"It was a slow build. I appreciate the development program of Alan and his team," said Gertrude. "A love of the school and appreciation of Wake Forest for what it provided for our daughters, who didn't play sports. It was a place we could come in and be a part of what they were doing at the university, and was able to be a part of Wake Forest along with them."
That became the entry point for the Lyons, who continued to appreciate the educational excellence Hannah and Morgan experienced at Wake Forest. They invested in the football locker room, found ways to enhance development and personal growth for student-athletes, donated to the men's golf excellence fund and established five matching scholarships.
"Here it's so much more about the relationship," Rich said. "I have been blown away by the people at Wake Forest. We did some matching scholarships, which is a great program. Instead of doing one scholarship, we were able to be a part of five. It was awesome.
"We didn't expect it, but some people were excited to just be able to match, and they thanked us for the opportunity because they might not have been able to do a full scholarship, but were willing to do a match."
Along the way, the couple have developed an unbelievable relationship with Wake Forest men's golf coaches Jerry Haas and Aaron O'Callaghan.
"Jerry is probably the nicest guy I've ever been around," Rich said. "Jerry is just Jerry. He's always welcomed me with open arms. Coach Aaron is just amazing. Traveling with them and seeing those young men, watching how they work with them is just inspiring."
It's the small things that mean so much to Rich in terms of the men's golf team, like wearing slacks at events and having a phone-free environment for team meals.
"There's a development of young men that's happening, and I think that's super important," Rich said. "We have appreciated that with both Jerry and Aaron. It's been a great experience to be with them, get to know them and support them."
The Lyons were euphoric, as both the Wake Forest men's and women's golf teams earned ACC Championships last season. As they started working through this potential gift, it became important for them to include coach Kim Lewellen and the women's program as well.
"We wanted to support men's golf, for sure, but then with it being the 50th anniversary of women's athletics at Wake Forest and the trajectory of that program, we thought it was important for it to be both," Rich said. "To be able to support both was excellent. We were happy to come up with a solution to make this happen."
The gift from the Lyons kickstarts the new Wake Forest "$50 Million For the Next 50 Years for Women's Athletics" initiative.
"We had two women attend the school, even though they didn't play sports, that was still an important piece," Gertrude said. "Supporting women's athletics is important, even though the men's programs still tend to generate more of the spotlight. Personal growth and well-being come into play when we look at our giving.
"It feels very meaningful. Our names will be on that when we're not even around. It's going to be something that will keep giving and be available moving forward. It's exciting and humbling."
It certainly isn't lost on Rich that they're making such a historic gift to a school from which they did not attend themselves.
"Wake Forest took great care of our girls, and that can't be overstated," he said. "It's so important to have your daughters somewhere you know they're going to be well taken care of and educated.
"Neither of us went to Wake Forest, which is just a huge testament to the relationships that have been built. It's all of us, who are part of this naming and legacy that will go on. We've made memories at Wake Forest, and look forward to continuing to do that."
The Lyons family have now moved forward by becoming the first to participate in the Coaching and Directorship Initiative at Wake Forest, establishing the The Lyons Family Men's Golf Associate Head Coach position and The Lyons Family Women's Golf Associate Head Coach position — providing a historical commitment to the two programs that will live in perpetuity and make an annual ongoing impact.
This transformational generosity started with just a simple, routine campus visit.
As Rich and Gertrude Lyons made the rounds with their eldest daughter Morgan in search for the perfect small, liberal arts university as she entered her senior year of high school, they found themselves completely entranced at Wake Forest.
"We're watching the video and we're crying," Gertrude said of the presentation.
"It was different than when I took Morgan and some of her friends to other schools," Rich said. "It felt like they just mailed it in. I was very disappointed.
"Wake Forest put time and energy into it, and you felt special. We've felt that throughout our experience — feeling seen and appreciated. This was very special."
Morgan applied to just Wake Forest, where she graduated in 2018. Her younger sister Hannah became a Demon Deacon as well, graduating in 2021. Although neither played intercollegiate sports at Wake Forest, athletics became a rallying point for the Chicago-based family to stay connected.
"In the beginning, the teams weren't all that good," Rich said with a bit of a laugh, likely recalling that the Deacs went 3-9 in coach Dave Clawson's first two seasons at the helm. "Our first year on campus, nobody went to the games.
"We go to football games. I went to Michigan, and we go to football games. We're going to watch it."
Of course, now Wake Forest Football has been to a program-record seven-straight bowl games and is one of the most successful programs in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
"To see the transformation has been incredible and I'm thrilled to help in any way I can," Rich said. "It makes a huge difference and it's exciting to see what's happening. Coach Clawson has done an amazing job."
That connection to football was key, as it was a gift to help access preferred seats at Truist Field. It was the first time the Lyons family made a connection in the Deacon Club and to Regional Director of Development, Alan Ashworth. Working with Ashworth, the Lyons became more engaged with the broader enterprise of Wake Forest Athletics and regular attendees at events. What started as access to good tickets for the Homecoming football game evolved into the start of a life-long relationship.
"It was a slow build. I appreciate the development program of Alan and his team," said Gertrude. "A love of the school and appreciation of Wake Forest for what it provided for our daughters, who didn't play sports. It was a place we could come in and be a part of what they were doing at the university, and was able to be a part of Wake Forest along with them."
That became the entry point for the Lyons, who continued to appreciate the educational excellence Hannah and Morgan experienced at Wake Forest. They invested in the football locker room, found ways to enhance development and personal growth for student-athletes, donated to the men's golf excellence fund and established five matching scholarships.
"Here it's so much more about the relationship," Rich said. "I have been blown away by the people at Wake Forest. We did some matching scholarships, which is a great program. Instead of doing one scholarship, we were able to be a part of five. It was awesome.
"We didn't expect it, but some people were excited to just be able to match, and they thanked us for the opportunity because they might not have been able to do a full scholarship, but were willing to do a match."
Along the way, the couple have developed an unbelievable relationship with Wake Forest men's golf coaches Jerry Haas and Aaron O'Callaghan.
"Jerry is probably the nicest guy I've ever been around," Rich said. "Jerry is just Jerry. He's always welcomed me with open arms. Coach Aaron is just amazing. Traveling with them and seeing those young men, watching how they work with them is just inspiring."
It's the small things that mean so much to Rich in terms of the men's golf team, like wearing slacks at events and having a phone-free environment for team meals.
"There's a development of young men that's happening, and I think that's super important," Rich said. "We have appreciated that with both Jerry and Aaron. It's been a great experience to be with them, get to know them and support them."
The Lyons were euphoric, as both the Wake Forest men's and women's golf teams earned ACC Championships last season. As they started working through this potential gift, it became important for them to include coach Kim Lewellen and the women's program as well.
"We wanted to support men's golf, for sure, but then with it being the 50th anniversary of women's athletics at Wake Forest and the trajectory of that program, we thought it was important for it to be both," Rich said. "To be able to support both was excellent. We were happy to come up with a solution to make this happen."
The gift from the Lyons kickstarts the new Wake Forest "$50 Million For the Next 50 Years for Women's Athletics" initiative.
"We had two women attend the school, even though they didn't play sports, that was still an important piece," Gertrude said. "Supporting women's athletics is important, even though the men's programs still tend to generate more of the spotlight. Personal growth and well-being come into play when we look at our giving.
"It feels very meaningful. Our names will be on that when we're not even around. It's going to be something that will keep giving and be available moving forward. It's exciting and humbling."
It certainly isn't lost on Rich that they're making such a historic gift to a school from which they did not attend themselves.
"Wake Forest took great care of our girls, and that can't be overstated," he said. "It's so important to have your daughters somewhere you know they're going to be well taken care of and educated.
"Neither of us went to Wake Forest, which is just a huge testament to the relationships that have been built. It's all of us, who are part of this naming and legacy that will go on. We've made memories at Wake Forest, and look forward to continuing to do that."
Matt Barrie SportsCenter at Wake Forest with Demond Claiborne
Wednesday, September 10
Matt Barrie SportsCenter on Wake Forest Campus (Arnold Palmer Complex)
Wednesday, September 10
Football Media Availability (9/9/25)
Wednesday, September 10
Wake Forest Football vs Western Carolina | Cinematic Recap
Tuesday, September 09