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From the Quad
8/30/2023 10:37:00 AM | General
Presented by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Good Morning Demon Deacon Nation:
We are one more sleep away from Opening Night at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium and I am fired up for the actual PLAYING OF ACC FOOTBALL GAMES! Of course, when you are coming off a big Demon Deacons weekend that featured seven women's soccer, men's soccer, volleyball and field hockey victories - it is easy to be excited! This past Sunday's wins included Coach Tony Da Luz and our women's soccer team vanquishing Purdue on the road and a triumph over No. 4 Michigan by Coach Jen Averill's field hockey squad. We are appreciative of our sports medicine, strength & conditioning, fan experience, communications, creative, facilities and operations and ACCN crews who all worked together to pull off fun and safe environments for our student-athletes and fans all weekend long!
Meanwhile, yesterday in uptown Charlotte, the Demon Deacon was on hand for the ceremonial flag raising of the colors of the 15 Atlantic Coast Conference institutions at the new ACC headquarters on Tryon Street! The ACC is integral to the fabric of our state and an important symbol of our past, present and future. As the winds of conference realignment continue to swirl, President Susan R,. Wente, Ph.D. and I are in regular communication with Commissioner Jim Phillips and our colleagues across the college athletics landscape as the ACC assesses options. Regardless, the ACC already rates as the best overall academic and athletic conference in the country and we are ready to host seven-straight hours of nationally televised ACC Network action beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday live from Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium!
And now, let's jump into all the news and notes ahead of Opening Night at Allegacy Stadium.
Best Fan Experience in North Carolina Awaits Capacity Crowd at Allegacy Stadium
Opening Night at Allegacy Stadium Presented by Allegacy Federal Credit Union is almost here and the festivities kick off with the annual Wake the Demons Pep Rally on Hearn Plaza tonight along with our traditional night-before-the-first game fireworks!
The sports fever in Winston-Salem and for Demon Deacons Athletics is running hot as witnessed by the record crowd inside Varsity Arena last weekend and our earlier announcement that Thursday's football game is SOLD OUT. Fans love winning and exciting football and evidence of that is that this is our sixth sold out crowd since the 2021 season. Opening Night at Allegacy Stadium will feature a capacity crowd to watch the best football program in the state of North Carolina return to the gridiron for a new season, right next door to the site where record crowds were held at last week's ATP 250 Winston-Salem Open at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.
We do ask everyone to bring a little extra patience and grace as we ramp up our full gameday operations for Thursday's game. Allow plenty of time for your drive so you can enjoy your tailgate or the live music in the upgraded DEACTOWN Fan Zone and get to the entry gates early. Also, it is the first Demon Deacons football gameday for our new concessionaire partner, Proof of the Pudding. And with the Class of 2027, which includes students from 45 states and 32 countries, continuing our annual "Deacon Dash" tradition by storming the field pregame as Allegacy Federal Credit Union President & CEO Cathy Pace Opens the Gate on the 2023 season – you'll definitely be glad you are in your seat for all the pregame excitement.
Remember, DEACTOWN is digital so download your mobile tickets for entry into Allegacy Stadium and remember to bring your credit or debit card as most sales points are now cashless. Our Fan Experience and ticketing staff along with our hard working Rhino partners will be circulating and are available at numerous guest information booths inside and around the stadium. Our staff welcomes feedback and encourages you to email gameday@wfu.edu or call 336-758-GAME with those thoughts.
Speaking of feedback and awareness, we have many new fan experience and safety enhancements in store for our capacity crowd on Thursday night. Responding to the requests of many faithful longtime Deacon fans, we have installed handrails in all Allegacy Stadium aisles, and we are also debuting a new playing surface with an infill technology designed to lower the field surface temperature, new energy efficient (but brighter) LED lighting and new permanent stair cases on each corner of Deacon Hill.
Speaking of Deacon Hill, fans should be aware that some areas of the Hill will be off-limits Thursday night as the freshly laid grass sod and significant rain in the last week present a combination that just does not permit foot traffic or reasonable seating. Deacon Hill ticket holders should have received an email yesterday directly from the ticket office with more information, including the opportunity to switch out Hill tickets for reserved stadium seats.
Be sure and visit the Wake Forest Athletics gameday information website for a full timetable and schedule for the day and all our gameday policies and procedures for Allegacy Stadium.
Wake The Demons Pep Rally & Wake Forest Student Engagement
Opening Night festivities begin 22 hours before kickoff with the Wake the Demons Pep Rally tonight at 9 p.m. on Hearn Plaza. All students are welcome on the Quad as we introduce the Class of 2027 to gameday traditions with our cheer and dance teams and the Spirit of Old Gold & Black. We'll have a special welcome (and entrance!) from President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D., head football coach Dave Clawson, head baseball coach Tom Walter and head women's golf coach Kim Lewellen, Vice President for Campus Life Dr. Shea Kidd Brown and me. The event will conclude with our traditional night-before-home-football-game dynamic fireworks display over Wait Chapel!
Remember, the fireworks display has become a fun element of our campus football tradition, just as they are for the Carolina Classic Fair and Winston-Salem Dash. If you live close to campus, please be sure and remind your neighbors and friends to expect a little noise around 10 p.m.
Our fan experience staff has been working in collaboration with Dr. Kidd Brown's Student Life folks, which means that FREE "We Are Wake" t-shirts will be provided tonight to raise awareness of student care and wellbeing on our campus. First-year students are encouraged to wear these shirts during the aforementioned "Deacon Dash" before the game tomorrow.
From the student tailgate, Deacon Dash and the free transportation for students via shuttles from Reynolda campus to Allegacy Stadium, our fan experience staff and the Wake Forest's Office of Student Life are working together closely to provide fun for students throughout the season! Students are encouraged to download the Screamin' Demon Rewards App and follow @ScrDemonRewards on Twitter for more information.
Calling All Demon Deacons Football Alumni!
Wake Forest football alumni are always welcome to gather at the "Big Daddy's Tailgate" beginning at 5 p.m. - two hours before kickoff. For former players and their families, it's always a special place to meet up with old teammates, in the corner of the Gold Lot right across from the Wake Forest football Bridger Field House locker room. For more information, contact the Deacon Club's Kevin Smith (smithka@wfu.edu, 336-758-5101) or director of football player development Wendell Dunn (dunnw@wfu.edu, 336-758-5632).
Building Community: Thursday's Game is Faculty & Staff Night at Allegacy Stadium
While we just reviewed in great detail all the unique and innovative items for our students, we are also excited to host a Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night at Allegacy Stadium in partnership with the Provost's Office and Wake Forest Human Resources. We encourage registered guests to get there early to enjoy the pregame tailgate sponsored by Allegacy Federal Credit Union, with serving lines open at 4:30 p.m.to allow time to enjoy the party and then head to the gates by 6:30 p.m. to be inside for the pregame festivities.
It's an honor to host our world-class faculty and staff members and their families for community and fellowship. Remember, all Wake Forest employees are eligible for special offers at Wake Forest Athletics events. Check out the offers on this webpage and contact the Wake Forest ticket office at (336) 758-3322 ext. 1 or tix@wfu.edu to redeem your deal today!
World Class Student-Athlete Experience on Display at "Deac Bash"
Wake Forest Athletics hosted over 380 student-athletes as well as coaches and administrators to celebrate the start of the new semester on the first day of classes on Monday, Aug. 28. From music, food, games and fellowship, it was an exciting and relaxing event for our student-athletes as they began a new semester! I encourage you to watch this inspiring message from President Wente to students and the University community as we begin the new academic year!
From the Quad Big 3
Here are today's Big 3 ways to help the Deacs:
And, now, hug your loved ones, get your Black and Gold ready and…
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Director of Athletics
Good Morning Demon Deacon Nation:
We are one more sleep away from Opening Night at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium and I am fired up for the actual PLAYING OF ACC FOOTBALL GAMES! Of course, when you are coming off a big Demon Deacons weekend that featured seven women's soccer, men's soccer, volleyball and field hockey victories - it is easy to be excited! This past Sunday's wins included Coach Tony Da Luz and our women's soccer team vanquishing Purdue on the road and a triumph over No. 4 Michigan by Coach Jen Averill's field hockey squad. We are appreciative of our sports medicine, strength & conditioning, fan experience, communications, creative, facilities and operations and ACCN crews who all worked together to pull off fun and safe environments for our student-athletes and fans all weekend long!
Meanwhile, yesterday in uptown Charlotte, the Demon Deacon was on hand for the ceremonial flag raising of the colors of the 15 Atlantic Coast Conference institutions at the new ACC headquarters on Tryon Street! The ACC is integral to the fabric of our state and an important symbol of our past, present and future. As the winds of conference realignment continue to swirl, President Susan R,. Wente, Ph.D. and I are in regular communication with Commissioner Jim Phillips and our colleagues across the college athletics landscape as the ACC assesses options. Regardless, the ACC already rates as the best overall academic and athletic conference in the country and we are ready to host seven-straight hours of nationally televised ACC Network action beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday live from Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium!
And now, let's jump into all the news and notes ahead of Opening Night at Allegacy Stadium.
Best Fan Experience in North Carolina Awaits Capacity Crowd at Allegacy Stadium
Opening Night at Allegacy Stadium Presented by Allegacy Federal Credit Union is almost here and the festivities kick off with the annual Wake the Demons Pep Rally on Hearn Plaza tonight along with our traditional night-before-the-first game fireworks!
The sports fever in Winston-Salem and for Demon Deacons Athletics is running hot as witnessed by the record crowd inside Varsity Arena last weekend and our earlier announcement that Thursday's football game is SOLD OUT. Fans love winning and exciting football and evidence of that is that this is our sixth sold out crowd since the 2021 season. Opening Night at Allegacy Stadium will feature a capacity crowd to watch the best football program in the state of North Carolina return to the gridiron for a new season, right next door to the site where record crowds were held at last week's ATP 250 Winston-Salem Open at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.
We do ask everyone to bring a little extra patience and grace as we ramp up our full gameday operations for Thursday's game. Allow plenty of time for your drive so you can enjoy your tailgate or the live music in the upgraded DEACTOWN Fan Zone and get to the entry gates early. Also, it is the first Demon Deacons football gameday for our new concessionaire partner, Proof of the Pudding. And with the Class of 2027, which includes students from 45 states and 32 countries, continuing our annual "Deacon Dash" tradition by storming the field pregame as Allegacy Federal Credit Union President & CEO Cathy Pace Opens the Gate on the 2023 season – you'll definitely be glad you are in your seat for all the pregame excitement.
Remember, DEACTOWN is digital so download your mobile tickets for entry into Allegacy Stadium and remember to bring your credit or debit card as most sales points are now cashless. Our Fan Experience and ticketing staff along with our hard working Rhino partners will be circulating and are available at numerous guest information booths inside and around the stadium. Our staff welcomes feedback and encourages you to email gameday@wfu.edu or call 336-758-GAME with those thoughts.
Speaking of feedback and awareness, we have many new fan experience and safety enhancements in store for our capacity crowd on Thursday night. Responding to the requests of many faithful longtime Deacon fans, we have installed handrails in all Allegacy Stadium aisles, and we are also debuting a new playing surface with an infill technology designed to lower the field surface temperature, new energy efficient (but brighter) LED lighting and new permanent stair cases on each corner of Deacon Hill.
Speaking of Deacon Hill, fans should be aware that some areas of the Hill will be off-limits Thursday night as the freshly laid grass sod and significant rain in the last week present a combination that just does not permit foot traffic or reasonable seating. Deacon Hill ticket holders should have received an email yesterday directly from the ticket office with more information, including the opportunity to switch out Hill tickets for reserved stadium seats.
Be sure and visit the Wake Forest Athletics gameday information website for a full timetable and schedule for the day and all our gameday policies and procedures for Allegacy Stadium.
Wake The Demons Pep Rally & Wake Forest Student Engagement
Opening Night festivities begin 22 hours before kickoff with the Wake the Demons Pep Rally tonight at 9 p.m. on Hearn Plaza. All students are welcome on the Quad as we introduce the Class of 2027 to gameday traditions with our cheer and dance teams and the Spirit of Old Gold & Black. We'll have a special welcome (and entrance!) from President Susan R. Wente, Ph.D., head football coach Dave Clawson, head baseball coach Tom Walter and head women's golf coach Kim Lewellen, Vice President for Campus Life Dr. Shea Kidd Brown and me. The event will conclude with our traditional night-before-home-football-game dynamic fireworks display over Wait Chapel!
Remember, the fireworks display has become a fun element of our campus football tradition, just as they are for the Carolina Classic Fair and Winston-Salem Dash. If you live close to campus, please be sure and remind your neighbors and friends to expect a little noise around 10 p.m.
Our fan experience staff has been working in collaboration with Dr. Kidd Brown's Student Life folks, which means that FREE "We Are Wake" t-shirts will be provided tonight to raise awareness of student care and wellbeing on our campus. First-year students are encouraged to wear these shirts during the aforementioned "Deacon Dash" before the game tomorrow.
From the student tailgate, Deacon Dash and the free transportation for students via shuttles from Reynolda campus to Allegacy Stadium, our fan experience staff and the Wake Forest's Office of Student Life are working together closely to provide fun for students throughout the season! Students are encouraged to download the Screamin' Demon Rewards App and follow @ScrDemonRewards on Twitter for more information.
Calling All Demon Deacons Football Alumni!
Wake Forest football alumni are always welcome to gather at the "Big Daddy's Tailgate" beginning at 5 p.m. - two hours before kickoff. For former players and their families, it's always a special place to meet up with old teammates, in the corner of the Gold Lot right across from the Wake Forest football Bridger Field House locker room. For more information, contact the Deacon Club's Kevin Smith (smithka@wfu.edu, 336-758-5101) or director of football player development Wendell Dunn (dunnw@wfu.edu, 336-758-5632).
Building Community: Thursday's Game is Faculty & Staff Night at Allegacy Stadium
While we just reviewed in great detail all the unique and innovative items for our students, we are also excited to host a Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night at Allegacy Stadium in partnership with the Provost's Office and Wake Forest Human Resources. We encourage registered guests to get there early to enjoy the pregame tailgate sponsored by Allegacy Federal Credit Union, with serving lines open at 4:30 p.m.to allow time to enjoy the party and then head to the gates by 6:30 p.m. to be inside for the pregame festivities.
It's an honor to host our world-class faculty and staff members and their families for community and fellowship. Remember, all Wake Forest employees are eligible for special offers at Wake Forest Athletics events. Check out the offers on this webpage and contact the Wake Forest ticket office at (336) 758-3322 ext. 1 or tix@wfu.edu to redeem your deal today!
World Class Student-Athlete Experience on Display at "Deac Bash"
Wake Forest Athletics hosted over 380 student-athletes as well as coaches and administrators to celebrate the start of the new semester on the first day of classes on Monday, Aug. 28. From music, food, games and fellowship, it was an exciting and relaxing event for our student-athletes as they began a new semester! I encourage you to watch this inspiring message from President Wente to students and the University community as we begin the new academic year!
From the Quad Big 3
Here are today's Big 3 ways to help the Deacs:
- Expand #WFFriday into #WFThursday for Opening Night! Wear your Wake Forest gear, fly your Deacons flag and sport your Old Gold & Black this Thursday wherever in the world you are! Be in your seats early on Thursday at Allegacy Stadium to welcome WFU's Class of 2027 as they run the field for Deacon Dash! And if you need to brush up on the fight song lyrics, you can find them here.
- We've upgraded our accessibility as we strive to keep all fans updated. As you may have noticed at Kentner Stadium, Varsity Arena and Spry Stadium already, we now have closed captions for the hearing-impaired on the video boards for the public address announcer and in-venue content. This new initiative will be on display on Thursday night as well at Allegacy Stadium. We are always open to new ideas and ways we can improve. Please report accessibility challenges, identify content you find inaccessible, or give us general feedback at pantagw@wfu.edu.
- With all our fall sports programs now officially underway, they all have team goals and those always include Winning Championships! We will jump into our ongoing competitive tradition of hoisting trophies in a future edition of From the Quad, but you can review recaps of Goal No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 in the last three editions.
And, now, hug your loved ones, get your Black and Gold ready and…
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Director of Athletics
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