Thank You! Giving to Wake Forest Athletics Crosses $30 Million Threshold for Fourth-Straight Year In Support of Demon Deacons Student-Athletes
8/6/2024 8:00:00 AM | Baseball, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's Soccer, Men's Tennis, Men's Track and Field, Track and Field, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Golf, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Women's Track and Field, Women's Volleyball, Student Services, Spirit Program (Cheer/Dance/Mascot), Les Johns, Gold Rush
Continued philanthropic support by loyal Deacon Club Members enables Wake Forest Athletics to deliver on its goal of providing World Class Student-Athlete Experience.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest University continues to stand out thanks in large part to its remarkable $30 million in cash gifts to Athletics this past year, contributing to a four-year total of $131 million—a 19% increase from the previous four years.
This support highlights the university's blend of world-class academics, an unrivaled campus experience, a close-knit learning environment, and Power 4 athletics within a rapidly growing metro area. When the Demon Deacons triumph on the field or court, the entire Deacon Nation revels in the shared pride and excitement of their success—especially those who have championed the achievements of students at Wake Forest's beautiful Reynolda campus.
"I am deeply grateful to our loyal and generous Deacon Club members, parents, alumni athletes, fans, and friends," said Vice President & Director of Athletics John Currie. "In a time of seismic change in intercollegiate athletics, your unwavering support is more crucial than ever. Your contributions have not only helped us set new records but have also enabled the young men and women on our beautiful Reynolda campus to excel both competitively and academically. As we navigate these transformative changes, we remain committed to being careful stewards of the hard-earned dollars you have entrusted to us. Your support fuels strategic investments in academics, technology, health, strength training, summer school, and top-notch facilities, ensuring we continue to provide a World Class Student-Athlete Experience at Wake Forest."
Here's a summary of the remarkable giving that helped Wake Forest collectively achieve outstanding successes from the past year:
Wake Forest Athletics remains focused on building upon this success and ensuring a world-class experience for all Demon Deacon student-athletes. For those interested in supporting Wake Forest Athletics, please visit the Deacon Club website to contribute and help us achieve our goals.
As we conclude the 2023-24 academic year, Wake Forest Athletics was proud to provide its 400-plus student-athletes with an opportunity to compete during the year in front of record crowds full of Demon Deacon faithful. A total of 470,792 fans and 48,945 students attended 147 Demon Deacons home
contests in Winston-Salem. Throughout the year, eight teams were ranked in the top-25 and seven teams earned postseason berths as men's tennis earned a spot in the Final Four with a Winston-Salem Super Regional title, women's and men's golf competed in the NCAA championship and men's soccer extended their ACC-best NCAA tournament appearances streak.
About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is known for its distinctive combination of world-class academics, unrivaled campus experience, intimate learning environment and Power 4 athletics in a top-growing metro market. A Charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Demon Deacons have won 57 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.
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 has campuses across Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Washington, DC – providing many academic offerings to students from across the nation and around the world.
Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu and at GoDeacs.com.
This support highlights the university's blend of world-class academics, an unrivaled campus experience, a close-knit learning environment, and Power 4 athletics within a rapidly growing metro area. When the Demon Deacons triumph on the field or court, the entire Deacon Nation revels in the shared pride and excitement of their success—especially those who have championed the achievements of students at Wake Forest's beautiful Reynolda campus.
"I am deeply grateful to our loyal and generous Deacon Club members, parents, alumni athletes, fans, and friends," said Vice President & Director of Athletics John Currie. "In a time of seismic change in intercollegiate athletics, your unwavering support is more crucial than ever. Your contributions have not only helped us set new records but have also enabled the young men and women on our beautiful Reynolda campus to excel both competitively and academically. As we navigate these transformative changes, we remain committed to being careful stewards of the hard-earned dollars you have entrusted to us. Your support fuels strategic investments in academics, technology, health, strength training, summer school, and top-notch facilities, ensuring we continue to provide a World Class Student-Athlete Experience at Wake Forest."
Here's a summary of the remarkable giving that helped Wake Forest collectively achieve outstanding successes from the past year:
- Innovative "In Her Wake" Initiative Launches & Hits $25 Million Milestone En Route to $100M Goal in Support of Demon Deacons Women's Athletics:
- As one of seven schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 10 NCAA Championships, including a title just over a year ago by the Demon Deacons women's golf program in May 2023, Wake Forest University has a proud and storied tradition of intercollegiate athletics. Women's athletics and the broad-based success of those programs have helped Wake Forest become the fastest-growing brand in the Power 5 since 2019 with 2.7 million fans worldwide.
- Back in February, on National Girls & Women's in Sports Day, Wake Forest Athletics announced a $100 million initiative to further transform opportunities for female student-athletes. Specifically, this effort enhances scholarships, personal development, and investments for women's sports programs.
- With that, following the tremendous leadership and generosity of Wake Forest Athletics' International Leadership Circle members and the benevolent support of countless other Demon Deacon fans, the "In Her Wake" initiative has surpassed its first milestone, eclipsing the $27 million mark! These extraordinary efforts include 25 new scholarships and three named coaching positions.
- Ignited by the 50th Anniversary of Wake Forest Women's Athletics Celebration in the 2021-22 academic year, Wake Forest philanthropic efforts for women's programs have soared. During the celebration, Wake Athletics raised $4.1 million, allowing for a launching pad to raise another $25 million+ in the following two years —a staggering increase of nearly 520%. This remarkable growth underscores the incredible support and commitment from the Wake Forest community towards empowering Demon Deacon female student-athletes.
- Those interested in learning more or in supporting the In Her Wake initiative can visit this website. Truist and other lead investors have already committed over $25 million to the In Her Wake initiative this past year, as Wake Forest Athletics aims to surpass $100 million by 2029.
- MAKE A GIFT: https://deaconclub.com/pages/in-her-wake
- SPREAD THE MESSAGE: https://app.godeacs.com/InHerWake
- Recent Impactful In Her Wake Initiative Investments:
- Women's Basketball:
- Women's basketball will embark on their first international trip to Croatia and Greece later this summer. The journey will be filled with international games, immersive visits to landmarks, and enriching experiences that will help them excel off the court.
- Women's Cross Country/Track:
- To prepare for the third annual Wake Forest Invitational and the 2025 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championship, the track at Kentner Stadium was resurfaced. This upgrade enhances the training environment with a state-of-the-art surface that boosts performance and reduces injury risk.
- Field Hockey:
- The Wake Forest field hockey team had an extraordinary journey to the Netherlands, competing in international matches, exploring historic landmarks, and enjoying unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
- Women's Golf:
- The Wake Forest women's golf team received a transformative gift from the Lyons Family, providing immediate and lasting impact to build on its ongoing success, most recently seen as the 2024 ACC Champions.
- Women's Soccer:
- Wake Forest women's soccer embarked on an unforgettable trip to Spain. Between international friendly matches, the team spent their time visiting landmarks, creating everlasting memories, and having once in a lifetime experiences.
- Spirit Squads:
- The Wake Forest spirit squad participated in two collegiate competitions this past year, showcasing their talent and fostering team growth and school pride on a national stage.
- Women's Tennis:
- Wake Forest women's tennis has received substantial scholarship support, enhancing resources for comprehensive academic and athletic support for student-athletes.
- Volleyball:
- Jeff and Laurie Triplette have jointly endowed the Triplette Family Volleyball Assistant Coach position — providing a historical commitment to the program that will live in perpetuity and make an annual ongoing impact.
- Women's Basketball:
- International Leadership Circle:
- The International Leadership Circle (ILC) has expanded significantly, now comprising 300 members—a 20% increase from the previous fiscal year. This group's new and increased contributions have generated over $4 million in revenue, further enhancing Wake Forest Athletics' capacity to support a World Class Student-Athlete Experience.
- Overall Cash Contributions:
- With over $30 million in total cash gifts this past year, Wake Forest Athletics has achieved a four-year total of $131 million, reflecting a 19% increase over the previous four years. This extraordinary level of support highlights the unwavering dedication of the Wake Forest community.
- Specific Announced Investments:
- In the sustained effort to be A Model Intercollegiate Athletics Program and ensure Wake Forest is providing a World Class Student-Athlete Experience, Mit Shah ('91) and his family generously made yet another transformational gift to the Demon Deacons Men's Basketball program. The Shah family made this latest multimillion-dollar commitment in the spring of 2023 and it was announced in January 2024 after he authorized the University to announce it. This gift focuses on intensifying Wake Forest's strategic pursuit of basketball excellence in a highly competitive landscape and provides head coach Steve Forbes and his staff a broader means to invest in Wake's student-athlete experience, sports performance, medicine and wellness, innovation, and advanced technology. Previously, Mit Shah provided the lead investment for the $12 million Shah Basketball Complex and helped drive the creation of the Chris Paul Family Men's Basketball Clubhouse. The Shah Basketball Complex is renowned as one of America's foremost practice, training, and player development facilities, featuring 40,000 state-of-the-art square feet dedicated solely to Wake Forest Basketball.
- Following a generous multi-million dollar gift from Pam ('79) and Jeff ('78) Kentner and their family, Wake Forest Athletics was proud to unveil a state-of-the-art video board for Deacon Nation ahead of the 2024 baseball season.
- Support from Far & Near:
- This year, Wake Forest Athletics witnessed an extraordinary level of engagement from our community, with more than 5,000 individual donors stepping up to support Wake Forest Athletics. Specifically, a remarkable 5,066 dedicated supporters contributed, demonstrating an unparalleled commitment to the mission of being A Model Intercollegiate Athletics Program.
- Initiatives:
- A new highlight for this year is the introduction of the Annual Seat Rights Program, which supports Men's Basketball and Football. The program has engaged 401 donors, raising $741,000 to enhance these key athletic programs.
- The Wake Forest Athletics Excellence Funds program was launched in 2018 as an avenue for alumni, family, and friends to directly impact a specific program of their choice through a budget-enhancing gift specifically to that program. Total giving to sport-specific excellence funds increased by 10 percent in FY24.
- Facility Investments:
- In August 2023, Wake Forest dedicated the McCreary Football Complex ahead of the football season marking the latest tally in $175 million invested in world-class athletics facilities over the last 10 years.
- In the continued effort to provide a World Class Student-Athlete Experience and bring Value to the Wake Forest Community, a new track surface was installed this spring by Beynon inside Kentner Stadium on Wake Forest's Reynolda Campus.
Wake Forest Athletics remains focused on building upon this success and ensuring a world-class experience for all Demon Deacon student-athletes. For those interested in supporting Wake Forest Athletics, please visit the Deacon Club website to contribute and help us achieve our goals.
As we conclude the 2023-24 academic year, Wake Forest Athletics was proud to provide its 400-plus student-athletes with an opportunity to compete during the year in front of record crowds full of Demon Deacon faithful. A total of 470,792 fans and 48,945 students attended 147 Demon Deacons home
contests in Winston-Salem. Throughout the year, eight teams were ranked in the top-25 and seven teams earned postseason berths as men's tennis earned a spot in the Final Four with a Winston-Salem Super Regional title, women's and men's golf competed in the NCAA championship and men's soccer extended their ACC-best NCAA tournament appearances streak.
About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is known for its distinctive combination of world-class academics, unrivaled campus experience, intimate learning environment and Power 4 athletics in a top-growing metro market. A Charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Demon Deacons have won 57 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.
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 has campuses across Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Washington, DC – providing many academic offerings to students from across the nation and around the world.
Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu and at GoDeacs.com.
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