This Week in Wake Forest Women’s Athletics – Presented by Truist (Jan. 8-14)
1/10/2024 10:08:00 AM | General, Women's Basketball, Women's Tennis, Women's Track and Field, 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.
Wake Forest's comprehensive excellence includes its highly regarded school of medicine, business school, law school and an innovative department of engineering. Additionally, Wake Forest holds campuses across Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Washington, DC – providing academic offerings across the southeast.
Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu and at GoDeacs.com.
- Women's Basketball:
- Despite a career-high 29 points from junior guard Elise Williams and a strong third-quarter performance, the Wake Forest women's basketball team dropped an 82-73 contest to No. 13 Virginia Tech Thursday night at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
- She led the Deacs with 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting (55.6 percent), the most points scored by a Demon Deacon this season and most since February of last year. She also added three rebounds and three assists while shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.
- It also marked the most points against a ranked opponent by a Wake Forest player since Elisa Penna scored 34 points at NC State on Feb. 18, 2018.
- She led the Deacs with 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting (55.6 percent), the most points scored by a Demon Deacon this season and most since February of last year. She also added three rebounds and three assists while shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.
- After two double-digit efforts this week, the Deacs have forced double-digit turnovers in 27-consecutive games dating back to January of last year.
- Additionally, the Deacs limited themselves to just nine turnovers, their second-fewest mark of the season and fewest by a Virginia Tech opponent this campaign.
- The Demon Deacons return home for the annual School Day game as the Deacs host Syracuse for a Thursday matinee tipoff, before traveling to No. 15 Louisville on Sunday.
- The 11:30 a.m. start at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum against Syracuse can also be seen on ACC Network Extra.
- The 2:00 p.m. tipoff at Louisville will also air nationally on ACC Network.
- Despite a career-high 29 points from junior guard Elise Williams and a strong third-quarter performance, the Wake Forest women's basketball team dropped an 82-73 contest to No. 13 Virginia Tech Thursday night at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
- Track & Field/Cross Country:
- After a five-week hiatus, the Demon Deacons will resume the 2023-24 indoor slate Friday, traveling to Blacksburg, Va., for the Virginia Tech Invitational.
- Action is slated to begin at 2 p.m on Friday.
- At the Visit Winston-Salem College Kickoff last month, Emma Douglass, Amanda Schaare and Robbie Grace took home gold for the Deacs.
- With a 15.26m shot put, Schaare landed with the fifth best indoor shot put in Wake Forest history.
- Grace ended the day with the sixth spot on the Wake Forest all-time indoor long jump list with a 5.89m long jump.
- Additionally, Anna Bush ran a 8.67 60m hurdle for a second place finish and the fourth spot all-time at Wake Forest.
- At the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, Brooke Wilson set a top-three mark in the 5000m. Wilson notched the third spot for the Wake Forest all-time 5000m, running 15:59.35.
- After a five-week hiatus, the Demon Deacons will resume the 2023-24 indoor slate Friday, traveling to Blacksburg, Va., for the Virginia Tech Invitational.
- Women's Tennis:
- The 2024 spring season officially gets underway for the Demon Deacons this weekend, as the team will travel to the University of South Carolina's Carolina Kickoff event.
- Competition will run from Saturday to Monday, with opposing players having the opportunity to compete in both singles and doubles action.
- The field of participating teams also includes the host Gamecocks, Wisconsin and Auburn.
- Volleyball:
- Head coach Randi Smart and the program announced the signing of right-side hitter Laila Ricks earlier this week.
- Ricks will enter the 2024-25 school year as a graduate student, having spent her previous tenure at the University of Maryland for four the last seasons.
- Through her collegiate career, the Torrance, California native has totaled over 470 kills and notched a personal-best average of 1.84 kills per set in the 2023 campaign.
- Other accolades throughout Ricks' career include:
- Three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection (2021-23)
- 2022 Stony Brook Invitational All-Tournament Team
- 2021 Charm City Challenge All-Tournament Team
- 2021 Maryland Challenge MVP
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.
Wake Forest's comprehensive excellence includes its highly regarded school of medicine, business school, law school and an innovative department of engineering. Additionally, Wake Forest holds campuses across Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Washington, DC – providing academic offerings across the southeast.
Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu and at GoDeacs.com.
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Players Mentioned
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