Photo by: © Abby Smith
Wake Forest Volleyball Releases 2024 Fall Schedule
5/10/2024 10:41:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Demon Deacons will hold competition in Reynolds Gymnasium 15 times throughout the fall.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest volleyball will make its return to the court in the incoming months for another season of action, as the team's 2024 fall schedule was unveiled on Friday, May 10, announced by the program and head coach Randi Smart.
A total of 31 matches compose the Demon Deacons' fall slate, including participation in four invitationals during the non-conference portion – Wake Forest will host two of these such events.
"We are looking forward to pushing ourselves with the schedule this fall," said head coach Randi Smart. "Our preseason focus is to challenge ourselves at home and on the road. We open up at home and can't wait to bring back the standing-room-only crowds and again make Varsity Arena a fun place to be. Then, we head to Iowa State and South Carolina for weekend tournaments, where we will be challenged each match. We will wrap up our non-conference, preseason at home, and then get ready for the ACC, which will be better and stronger this fall. Every day and every match is an opportunity for us to reach new heights and continue to build on who we are and what we do."
Admission is free for all home matches held inside Varsity Arena, located in Reynolds Gymnasium.
Through the Fall
In annual fashion, the Deacs will get the fall campaign going with a hosted, three-day invitational. Contests versus Hofstra, West Virginia and Navy are set to make up the weekend of action (Aug. 30-Sept. 1). Wake Forest's first week of September involves an out-of-state trip to Ames for a tournament held by Iowa State (Sept. 6-8). The team again is scheduled to play a match a day while in the Midwest, facing the host Cyclones, Toledo and Illinois.
Mid-September has Wake Forest traveling to the University of South Carolina, as the Gamecocks tally a pool of the Deacons, Florida International and Stetson for competition in Columbia (Sept. 13-15). The team will have the opportunity to face each of the three opponents through the three days.
The Deacs return to Winston-Salem for a second invitational later during the month (Sept. 20-22), bringing in in-state foes App State and Davidson. Each side will step up against the other for a match apiece.
Likewise to a year ago, the Deacons will kick off Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play at home, facing Virginia (Sept. 27) and Virginia Tech (Sept. 29) during the university's 2024 Family Weekend.
Road trips to league newcomers Cal-Berkeley and Stanford headline the opening days of October before Wake Forest turns its attention to a Big Four weekend at home, taking on Duke (Oct. 11) and North Carolina (Oct. 13).
Two weeks out of state will wrap the second half of October for the Deacs – a stretch that includes visiting Louisville, Notre Dame, Clemson and Georgia Tech.
Wake Forest will split the first pair of weekends within November, first hosting Boston College (Nov. 1) and Syracuse (Nov. 3) before traveling to The Sunshine State for matchups at Florida State (Nov. 8) and Miami (Nov. 10).
The team's first midweek test of the season happens on Wednesday, Nov. 13, featuring a drive to nearby Raleigh for a road tilt at NC State. Merely three days later, the Wolfpack and Deacons will match up again, on the latter's court for a Saturday evening showing.
For the penultimate weekend of the regular season, Wake Forest is set to host Pitt (Nov. 22) and SMU (Nov. 24), the latter being another new face to the conference this upcoming school year.
The Deacs will travel to Duke for a final midweek match on Wednesday, Nov. 27, before quickly returning home for the regular-season finale versus Florida State on Friday, Nov. 29.
Recent Campaign
With the Deacs finishing 17-12 overall in fall 2023, it marked the first time the program has posted back-to-back seasons of 17 or more wins since 2000-01. Wake Forest also tallied eight wins in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play -- standing at two consecutive years of at least eight victories against ACC opponents. That such feat was a first for Wake Forest throughout program history since 2009-10. The team began the 2023 campaign with a 6-0 mark, its best undefeated start since 2019.
Against non-conference competition, Wake Forest finished 9-2 overall in the earlier half of the 2023 season. The team was tabbed No. 21 in the first NCAA RPI rankings list of the season released on Oct. 2, 2023 -- its highest nod in program history.
A total of three Deacs have landed nods on the ACC All-Freshman Team through the last two seasons (2022-23). The three selections are the most for Wake Forest in a two-year span since 1997-98. Standout libero Emma Farrell also collected two ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2023 (Aug. 28 & Oct. 9). For her young career, she has earned four total ACC weekly awards.
Non-Con Notes
Since 2019, with head coach Randi Smart leading the way, the program has totaled a 36-8 record versus non-conference foes through the regular season. Additionally, the Deacs have posted an 11-1 clip at home through that same four-year stretch against such opponents. Non-conference action did not take place during the spring 2020 season.
Who's Back?
The Deacs are looking to return 10 players from the 2023 roster, headlined by a rising senior trio of Olivia Franke, Kalani Whillock and Kendall Phillips.
Entering her fifth season, Franke is one of the most experienced players to don the Black and Old Gold – having appeared in 100 matches throughout her tenure. She has led Wake Forest in hitting percentage for each of the last two years and ranks in the top 15 within the program's all-time career individuals for total blocks, solo blocks and assisted blocks. Whillock and Phillips both play as defensive specialists, as the former reached over 800 career digs near the conclusion of this past fall while serving as a team captain for the last two seasons. Phillips competed in 20 contests during the 2023 campaign.
In another area of the roster, Emma Farrell, Paige Crawford, Rian Baker and Olivia Murphy combine to make up a quartet of rising juniors for the Deacons. Farrell has audiences aware of her defensive prowess as a reliable libero – her accomplishments include a nod as the ACC Freshman of the Year back in 2022. Up to date, she has played and started in every match since her debut collegiate season and recorded 941 digs through two years. Crawford, a Texas native, is a strong arm and finished as the team leader in kills during both 2023 and 2022. She additionally led Wake Forest in service aces last season while resting in the top 10 among ACC individuals in both kills and points during a midway stretch of the fall. Baker took over as a primary setter as a sophomore, reaching her 1,000th career assist on Sept. 24, 2023. She finished eighth in the conference in assists (8.35/set) while leading the squad with 943 on the year. Murphy will work to make an impact back on the hardwood after redshirting last season due to injury.
Dior Charles, Olivia Fish and Elena Dragani all are set to slide back in as sophomores this fall. Charles brings notable athleticism at the middle blocker position, being second on the roster in total blocks (80.0) as a freshman and contributing five or more in nine separate showings. Fish fits into the Deacs' core of hitters, as she had quite a few impressive performances during 2023 while appearing in 24 matches. Dragani plays at the setter spot and will look to make a leap in her second year.
2024 Fall Schedule
*Home games in BOLD
*All times in ET unless otherwise denoted
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
A total of 31 matches compose the Demon Deacons' fall slate, including participation in four invitationals during the non-conference portion – Wake Forest will host two of these such events.
"We are looking forward to pushing ourselves with the schedule this fall," said head coach Randi Smart. "Our preseason focus is to challenge ourselves at home and on the road. We open up at home and can't wait to bring back the standing-room-only crowds and again make Varsity Arena a fun place to be. Then, we head to Iowa State and South Carolina for weekend tournaments, where we will be challenged each match. We will wrap up our non-conference, preseason at home, and then get ready for the ACC, which will be better and stronger this fall. Every day and every match is an opportunity for us to reach new heights and continue to build on who we are and what we do."
Admission is free for all home matches held inside Varsity Arena, located in Reynolds Gymnasium.
Through the Fall
In annual fashion, the Deacs will get the fall campaign going with a hosted, three-day invitational. Contests versus Hofstra, West Virginia and Navy are set to make up the weekend of action (Aug. 30-Sept. 1). Wake Forest's first week of September involves an out-of-state trip to Ames for a tournament held by Iowa State (Sept. 6-8). The team again is scheduled to play a match a day while in the Midwest, facing the host Cyclones, Toledo and Illinois.
Mid-September has Wake Forest traveling to the University of South Carolina, as the Gamecocks tally a pool of the Deacons, Florida International and Stetson for competition in Columbia (Sept. 13-15). The team will have the opportunity to face each of the three opponents through the three days.
The Deacs return to Winston-Salem for a second invitational later during the month (Sept. 20-22), bringing in in-state foes App State and Davidson. Each side will step up against the other for a match apiece.
Likewise to a year ago, the Deacons will kick off Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play at home, facing Virginia (Sept. 27) and Virginia Tech (Sept. 29) during the university's 2024 Family Weekend.
Road trips to league newcomers Cal-Berkeley and Stanford headline the opening days of October before Wake Forest turns its attention to a Big Four weekend at home, taking on Duke (Oct. 11) and North Carolina (Oct. 13).
Two weeks out of state will wrap the second half of October for the Deacs – a stretch that includes visiting Louisville, Notre Dame, Clemson and Georgia Tech.
Wake Forest will split the first pair of weekends within November, first hosting Boston College (Nov. 1) and Syracuse (Nov. 3) before traveling to The Sunshine State for matchups at Florida State (Nov. 8) and Miami (Nov. 10).
The team's first midweek test of the season happens on Wednesday, Nov. 13, featuring a drive to nearby Raleigh for a road tilt at NC State. Merely three days later, the Wolfpack and Deacons will match up again, on the latter's court for a Saturday evening showing.
For the penultimate weekend of the regular season, Wake Forest is set to host Pitt (Nov. 22) and SMU (Nov. 24), the latter being another new face to the conference this upcoming school year.
The Deacs will travel to Duke for a final midweek match on Wednesday, Nov. 27, before quickly returning home for the regular-season finale versus Florida State on Friday, Nov. 29.
Recent Campaign
With the Deacs finishing 17-12 overall in fall 2023, it marked the first time the program has posted back-to-back seasons of 17 or more wins since 2000-01. Wake Forest also tallied eight wins in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play -- standing at two consecutive years of at least eight victories against ACC opponents. That such feat was a first for Wake Forest throughout program history since 2009-10. The team began the 2023 campaign with a 6-0 mark, its best undefeated start since 2019.
Against non-conference competition, Wake Forest finished 9-2 overall in the earlier half of the 2023 season. The team was tabbed No. 21 in the first NCAA RPI rankings list of the season released on Oct. 2, 2023 -- its highest nod in program history.
A total of three Deacs have landed nods on the ACC All-Freshman Team through the last two seasons (2022-23). The three selections are the most for Wake Forest in a two-year span since 1997-98. Standout libero Emma Farrell also collected two ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2023 (Aug. 28 & Oct. 9). For her young career, she has earned four total ACC weekly awards.
Non-Con Notes
Since 2019, with head coach Randi Smart leading the way, the program has totaled a 36-8 record versus non-conference foes through the regular season. Additionally, the Deacs have posted an 11-1 clip at home through that same four-year stretch against such opponents. Non-conference action did not take place during the spring 2020 season.
| Season | Non-Conference Record | Win Percentage |
| 2023 | 9-2 | .818 |
| 2022 | 8-3 | .727 |
| 2021 | 9-2 | .818 |
| 2019 | 10-1 | .909 |
Who's Back?
The Deacs are looking to return 10 players from the 2023 roster, headlined by a rising senior trio of Olivia Franke, Kalani Whillock and Kendall Phillips.
Entering her fifth season, Franke is one of the most experienced players to don the Black and Old Gold – having appeared in 100 matches throughout her tenure. She has led Wake Forest in hitting percentage for each of the last two years and ranks in the top 15 within the program's all-time career individuals for total blocks, solo blocks and assisted blocks. Whillock and Phillips both play as defensive specialists, as the former reached over 800 career digs near the conclusion of this past fall while serving as a team captain for the last two seasons. Phillips competed in 20 contests during the 2023 campaign.
In another area of the roster, Emma Farrell, Paige Crawford, Rian Baker and Olivia Murphy combine to make up a quartet of rising juniors for the Deacons. Farrell has audiences aware of her defensive prowess as a reliable libero – her accomplishments include a nod as the ACC Freshman of the Year back in 2022. Up to date, she has played and started in every match since her debut collegiate season and recorded 941 digs through two years. Crawford, a Texas native, is a strong arm and finished as the team leader in kills during both 2023 and 2022. She additionally led Wake Forest in service aces last season while resting in the top 10 among ACC individuals in both kills and points during a midway stretch of the fall. Baker took over as a primary setter as a sophomore, reaching her 1,000th career assist on Sept. 24, 2023. She finished eighth in the conference in assists (8.35/set) while leading the squad with 943 on the year. Murphy will work to make an impact back on the hardwood after redshirting last season due to injury.
Dior Charles, Olivia Fish and Elena Dragani all are set to slide back in as sophomores this fall. Charles brings notable athleticism at the middle blocker position, being second on the roster in total blocks (80.0) as a freshman and contributing five or more in nine separate showings. Fish fits into the Deacs' core of hitters, as she had quite a few impressive performances during 2023 while appearing in 24 matches. Dragani plays at the setter spot and will look to make a leap in her second year.
2024 Fall Schedule
*Home games in BOLD
*All times in ET unless otherwise denoted
| Date | Opponent | Time | Location |
| Aug. 30 | Hofstra | 6:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Aug. 31 | West Virginia | 6:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sept. 1 | Navy | 3:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sept. 6 | at Iowa State | 7:30 PM | Ames, Iowa |
| Sept. 7 | Toledo | 1:00 PM | Ames, Iowa |
| Sept. 8 | Illinois | 1:00 PM | Ames, Iowa |
| Sept. 13 | Florida International | 10:00 AM | Columbia, S.C. |
| Sept. 14 | Stetson | 3:00 PM | Columbia, S.C. |
| Sept. 15 | at South Carolina | 2:00 PM | Columbia, S.C. |
| Sept. 20 | App State | 7:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sept. 22 | Davidson | 2:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sept. 27 | Virginia | 7:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Sept. 29 | Virginia Tech | 1:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Oct. 4 | at Cal-Berkeley | 7:00 PM | Berkeley, Calif. |
| Oct. 6 | at Stanford | 1:00 PM | Palo Alto, Calif. |
| Oct. 11 | Duke | 7:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Oct. 13 | North Carolina | 1:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Oct. 18 | at Louisville | 7:00 PM | Louisville, Ky. |
| Oct. 20 | at Notre Dame | 1:00 PM | Notre Dame, Ind. |
| Oct. 25 | at Clemson | 7:00 PM | Clemson, S.C. |
| Oct. 27 | at Georgia Tech | 1:00 PM | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Nov. 1 | Boston College | 7:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Nov. 3 | Syracuse | 1:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Nov. 8 | at Florida State | 7:00 PM | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| Nov. 10 | at Miami | 1:00 PM | Miami, Fla. |
| Nov. 13 | at NC State | 7:00 PM | Raleigh, N.C. |
| Nov. 16 | NC State | 7:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Nov. 22 | Pitt | 7:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Nov. 24 | SMU | 12:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Nov. 27 | at Duke | 3:00 PM | Durham, N.C. |
| Nov. 29 | Florida State | 1:00 PM | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
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