Wake Forest Athletics
Deacs Announce Support Staff Promotions & Additions
7/13/2023 8:40:00 AM | Football
Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson has hired one new staff member and announced two promotions within football recruiting, and Athletics has announced the hiring of two members .
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - In the midst of the summer classes and workouts, Wake Forest Athletics has hired three new staff members and announced two promotions.
Katie Bason, Director of Football Recruiting Operations
Katie Bason joined the Demon Deacons staff in June 2023 as the director of football recruiting operations and she will run on-campus visits for prospective student-athletes and their families. She comes to Winston-Salem after spending the last year as an Assistant AD / Chief of Staff at FIU. She managed all day-to-day operational and logistical components for the Panthers football program. Her duties included, but were not limited to, being the liaison to the compliance office, maintained teamworks and CARA calendars and was the point of contact for all current and future player families.
Prior to spending the 2022 season at FIU, Bason served as the director of player development and operations at Ole Miss in 2020 and 2021. Her myriad of duties during her time in Oxford included creating a program to help the student-athletes successfully transition from high school to college from an academic and social / emotional perspective. Additionally, she organized small and large group leadership opportunities through community service events and she assisted in all on-campus recruiting tasks. She was also in Oxford, Miss. for the 2019 season where she served as the Rebels Assistant Director for On-Campus Recruiting.
She went to Ole Miss after spending six seasons at the University of Colorado, Boulder as the Buffaloes' Director of Football Academics. In that role, Bason led the CU Summer Bridge Program, established individual academic plans for all student-athletes and served as the primary junior college academic evaluator.
Bason began her career in college athletics with a three-year stint (2010-12) as the football learning specialist at San Jose State University.
Prior to her career in intercollegiate athletics, Bason was a high school teacher at Myers Park in Charlotte (2005-07), East Mecklenburg (2007-08) and Paisley IB Magnet School in Winston-Salem (2008-10).
A 2005 Wake Forest graduate with a B.A. in secondary education, Bason earned her M.A. in education policy from the University of Colorado in 2016. While she was an undergraduate student at Wake Forest, Bason served as a student manager for the men's basketball program under legendary coach, Skip Prosser.
Russ Kieselhorst, Senior Director of Player Personnel
Russ Kieselhorst was recently promoted to Senior Director of Player Personnel after he spent the past three years (2020-22) as the Demon Deacons Director of Player Personnel.
He supervises the day-to-day operation of the recruiting office.
Kieselhorst joined the Wake Forest staff in 2019 as a recruiting assistant while also helping then former director of player personnel Greg Jones with the Demon Deacons offensive personnel. In this role, he helped coordinate transcript evaluations and managed the recruiting and transfer database.
Kieselhorst joined the Demon Deacons after five seasons at Marshall. He began in 2014 as a recruiting intern before being promoted to the Director of High School Relations in 2015. In 2017 Kieselhorst added the title of Director of Player Personnel.
At Marshall, he oversaw all aspects of the recruiting office and assisted the Herd recruit some of the top C-USA recruiting classes, win a conference championship and post four bowl victories over his five years.
The 2014 graduate of Wisconsin-Parkside earned a B.S. in sport management. He is a native of Manitowoc, Wisc.
Cory Martin, Director of Player Personnel / Offense
Cory Martin enters his second season at Wake Forest in 2023 and was promoted this summer to the Director of Player Personnel / Offense. He spent his first year in Winston-Salem as the Demon Deacons Recruiting/Personnel Assistant.
He previously spent the last seven years (2015-21) at New Mexico State where he coached the Aggie wide receivers and served as the program's recruiting coordinator. Martin oversaw the development of some of New Mexico State's most accomplished pass catchers, including OJ Clark and Jaleel Scott, during his coaching tenure in Las Cruces.
Clark finished his Aggie career ranked third on the team's all-time receptions list with 201 and eighth on the all-time receiving yards leaderboard with 1,804. The Wichita Falls, Texas, native is one of just three NM State receivers to eclipse 200 career receptions (A.J. Harris - 269, Chris Williams - 246).
Scott, a junior-college product, quickly developed into the Aggies' top receiving threat under Martin's coaching. He posted 99 receptions for 1,362 yards (13.8 avg.) and 14 touchdowns during his two seasons in Las Cruces, earning All-Sun Belt First Team honors after ranking first in the conference in receiving touchdowns (9) and second in receiving yards (1,079) in 2017.
Scott, meanwhile, was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round (132nd overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, becoming the first Aggie chosen in the draft since the Jacksonville Jaguars took defensive back Jeremy Harris in the seventh round (208th overall) in 2013. The wideout was the highest Aggie selected in the draft since defensive back Davon House was picked up by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round (131st overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Martin was part of the coaching staff that guided the Aggies to history in 2017, as NM State snapped its 57-year bowl drought with a trip to the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. The Aggies defeated Utah State, 26-20, in overtime to put the finishing touches on the historic campaign.
During the 2017 season, Martin coached the explosive NM State wide receivers unit to one of the best offensive outputs in program history. The Aggies' aerial attack saw 10 student-athletes make double-digit receptions and 10 student-athletes haul in a touchdown pass on the year.
In 2016, nine NM State wide receivers recorded double-digit catches for the season under Martin's tutelage. Clark caught a team-leading 34 passes while Scott and wideout Johnathan Boone shared the team lead in touchdown receptions with four.
Martin worked with the outside receivers during the 2015 campaign - his first season on the Aggie coaching staff. Seven student-athletes posted double-digit catches, led by wideout Teldrick Morgan's 44 receptions for 543 yards and four touchdowns. Eight Aggies caught touchdowns on the year, and wide receiver Jordan Bergstrom led the team in touchdown receptions with seven.
Martin arrived at NM State after working as the wide receivers coach at FCS powerhouse San Diego for two years.
In 2014, Martin, who also served as San Diego's recruiting coordinator, led wide receiver Brandon White to 57 receptions for 828 yards and nine touchdowns. White earned All-Pioneer Football League First Team recognition, and wideout Reggie Bell was named to the All-PFL Second Team.
During his first season with the Toreros in 2013, Martin guided Bell to 65 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards and helped White to 47 catches and 12 touchdowns. Three of Martin's wide receivers earned All-PFL honors, including Bell (First Team), Sam Hoekstra (Second Team) and White (Honorable Mention).
Before his stint at San Diego, Martin was an offensive graduate assistant at Boston College in 2012, joining the staff as a video and special teams graduate assistant before he was named an offensive graduate assistant. Martin served as a volunteer assistant coach on the NM State staff in 2011, where he worked with the offensive and recruiting coordinators as well as with the team's wide receivers.
Martin, a 2011 graduate of Kent State, earned his bachelor's degree in sport administration. He is married to the former Carissa Grebner.
Samantha Schipfer (PT / DPT / ATC), Associate Athletic Trainer/Rehabilitation Coordinator, Football
Samantha Schipfer (PT, DPT, ATC) joined Wake Forest Athletics in the summer of 2023 as Associate Athletic Trainer/Rehabilitation Coordinator and will work with the football program.
She came to Winston-Salem from the University of Miami where Schipfer spent the past year as a physical therapy sports resident. Schipfer is a 2019 graduate of the Ohio State University, receiving her bachelor's degree in Athletic Training. As an undergraduate student, she assisted with the football, women's rowing, and the women's gymnastics teams.
Schipfer is also a 2022 graduate from the University of Miami, where she completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. During her time in school, she was able to assist in establishing an athletic training department for the Herbert Wellness Center and act as a graduate assistant for Musculoskeletal Examination.
Laura Antonelli, Intern Athletic Trainer, Football
Laura Antonelli was hired as Intern Athletic Trainer, Football in summer of 2023 to work with the Demon Deacons football team. Antonelli spent last season with the New York Jets and previously worked with the Miami Dolphins.
She was a graduate assistant at FIU from 2020-22.
Antonelli earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Georgia in 2019. She earned her Master of Science in Athletic Training from FIU in 2022.
Katie Bason, Director of Football Recruiting Operations
Katie Bason joined the Demon Deacons staff in June 2023 as the director of football recruiting operations and she will run on-campus visits for prospective student-athletes and their families. She comes to Winston-Salem after spending the last year as an Assistant AD / Chief of Staff at FIU. She managed all day-to-day operational and logistical components for the Panthers football program. Her duties included, but were not limited to, being the liaison to the compliance office, maintained teamworks and CARA calendars and was the point of contact for all current and future player families.
Prior to spending the 2022 season at FIU, Bason served as the director of player development and operations at Ole Miss in 2020 and 2021. Her myriad of duties during her time in Oxford included creating a program to help the student-athletes successfully transition from high school to college from an academic and social / emotional perspective. Additionally, she organized small and large group leadership opportunities through community service events and she assisted in all on-campus recruiting tasks. She was also in Oxford, Miss. for the 2019 season where she served as the Rebels Assistant Director for On-Campus Recruiting.
She went to Ole Miss after spending six seasons at the University of Colorado, Boulder as the Buffaloes' Director of Football Academics. In that role, Bason led the CU Summer Bridge Program, established individual academic plans for all student-athletes and served as the primary junior college academic evaluator.
Bason began her career in college athletics with a three-year stint (2010-12) as the football learning specialist at San Jose State University.
Prior to her career in intercollegiate athletics, Bason was a high school teacher at Myers Park in Charlotte (2005-07), East Mecklenburg (2007-08) and Paisley IB Magnet School in Winston-Salem (2008-10).
A 2005 Wake Forest graduate with a B.A. in secondary education, Bason earned her M.A. in education policy from the University of Colorado in 2016. While she was an undergraduate student at Wake Forest, Bason served as a student manager for the men's basketball program under legendary coach, Skip Prosser.
Russ Kieselhorst, Senior Director of Player Personnel
Russ Kieselhorst was recently promoted to Senior Director of Player Personnel after he spent the past three years (2020-22) as the Demon Deacons Director of Player Personnel.
He supervises the day-to-day operation of the recruiting office.
Kieselhorst joined the Wake Forest staff in 2019 as a recruiting assistant while also helping then former director of player personnel Greg Jones with the Demon Deacons offensive personnel. In this role, he helped coordinate transcript evaluations and managed the recruiting and transfer database.
Kieselhorst joined the Demon Deacons after five seasons at Marshall. He began in 2014 as a recruiting intern before being promoted to the Director of High School Relations in 2015. In 2017 Kieselhorst added the title of Director of Player Personnel.
At Marshall, he oversaw all aspects of the recruiting office and assisted the Herd recruit some of the top C-USA recruiting classes, win a conference championship and post four bowl victories over his five years.
The 2014 graduate of Wisconsin-Parkside earned a B.S. in sport management. He is a native of Manitowoc, Wisc.
Cory Martin, Director of Player Personnel / Offense
Cory Martin enters his second season at Wake Forest in 2023 and was promoted this summer to the Director of Player Personnel / Offense. He spent his first year in Winston-Salem as the Demon Deacons Recruiting/Personnel Assistant.
He previously spent the last seven years (2015-21) at New Mexico State where he coached the Aggie wide receivers and served as the program's recruiting coordinator. Martin oversaw the development of some of New Mexico State's most accomplished pass catchers, including OJ Clark and Jaleel Scott, during his coaching tenure in Las Cruces.
Clark finished his Aggie career ranked third on the team's all-time receptions list with 201 and eighth on the all-time receiving yards leaderboard with 1,804. The Wichita Falls, Texas, native is one of just three NM State receivers to eclipse 200 career receptions (A.J. Harris - 269, Chris Williams - 246).
Scott, a junior-college product, quickly developed into the Aggies' top receiving threat under Martin's coaching. He posted 99 receptions for 1,362 yards (13.8 avg.) and 14 touchdowns during his two seasons in Las Cruces, earning All-Sun Belt First Team honors after ranking first in the conference in receiving touchdowns (9) and second in receiving yards (1,079) in 2017.
Scott, meanwhile, was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round (132nd overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, becoming the first Aggie chosen in the draft since the Jacksonville Jaguars took defensive back Jeremy Harris in the seventh round (208th overall) in 2013. The wideout was the highest Aggie selected in the draft since defensive back Davon House was picked up by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round (131st overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Martin was part of the coaching staff that guided the Aggies to history in 2017, as NM State snapped its 57-year bowl drought with a trip to the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. The Aggies defeated Utah State, 26-20, in overtime to put the finishing touches on the historic campaign.
During the 2017 season, Martin coached the explosive NM State wide receivers unit to one of the best offensive outputs in program history. The Aggies' aerial attack saw 10 student-athletes make double-digit receptions and 10 student-athletes haul in a touchdown pass on the year.
In 2016, nine NM State wide receivers recorded double-digit catches for the season under Martin's tutelage. Clark caught a team-leading 34 passes while Scott and wideout Johnathan Boone shared the team lead in touchdown receptions with four.
Martin worked with the outside receivers during the 2015 campaign - his first season on the Aggie coaching staff. Seven student-athletes posted double-digit catches, led by wideout Teldrick Morgan's 44 receptions for 543 yards and four touchdowns. Eight Aggies caught touchdowns on the year, and wide receiver Jordan Bergstrom led the team in touchdown receptions with seven.
Martin arrived at NM State after working as the wide receivers coach at FCS powerhouse San Diego for two years.
In 2014, Martin, who also served as San Diego's recruiting coordinator, led wide receiver Brandon White to 57 receptions for 828 yards and nine touchdowns. White earned All-Pioneer Football League First Team recognition, and wideout Reggie Bell was named to the All-PFL Second Team.
During his first season with the Toreros in 2013, Martin guided Bell to 65 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards and helped White to 47 catches and 12 touchdowns. Three of Martin's wide receivers earned All-PFL honors, including Bell (First Team), Sam Hoekstra (Second Team) and White (Honorable Mention).
Before his stint at San Diego, Martin was an offensive graduate assistant at Boston College in 2012, joining the staff as a video and special teams graduate assistant before he was named an offensive graduate assistant. Martin served as a volunteer assistant coach on the NM State staff in 2011, where he worked with the offensive and recruiting coordinators as well as with the team's wide receivers.
Martin, a 2011 graduate of Kent State, earned his bachelor's degree in sport administration. He is married to the former Carissa Grebner.
Samantha Schipfer (PT / DPT / ATC), Associate Athletic Trainer/Rehabilitation Coordinator, Football
Samantha Schipfer (PT, DPT, ATC) joined Wake Forest Athletics in the summer of 2023 as Associate Athletic Trainer/Rehabilitation Coordinator and will work with the football program.
She came to Winston-Salem from the University of Miami where Schipfer spent the past year as a physical therapy sports resident. Schipfer is a 2019 graduate of the Ohio State University, receiving her bachelor's degree in Athletic Training. As an undergraduate student, she assisted with the football, women's rowing, and the women's gymnastics teams.
Schipfer is also a 2022 graduate from the University of Miami, where she completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. During her time in school, she was able to assist in establishing an athletic training department for the Herbert Wellness Center and act as a graduate assistant for Musculoskeletal Examination.
Laura Antonelli, Intern Athletic Trainer, Football
Laura Antonelli was hired as Intern Athletic Trainer, Football in summer of 2023 to work with the Demon Deacons football team. Antonelli spent last season with the New York Jets and previously worked with the Miami Dolphins.
She was a graduate assistant at FIU from 2020-22.
Antonelli earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Georgia in 2019. She earned her Master of Science in Athletic Training from FIU in 2022.
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