Opportunities Abound: Quartet of Columbia Graduates Join Wake Forest for 2024-25 Season
9/2/2024 2:14:00 PM | Field Hockey, General, Men's Golf, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis
Anabelle Brodeur (field hockey), DJ Francey (men’s golf), Paige Nurkin (women’s soccer) and Anna Zhang (women’s tennis) all join the Demon Deacons from a prestigious Ivy League Institution.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest University was the right fit for four standout Columbia University graduates to pursue graduate degrees and compete for championships in their respective sports for the 2024-25 athletic year. Anabelle Brodeur (field hockey), DJ Francey (men's golf), Paige Nurkin (women's soccer), and Anna Zhang (women's tennis) are making the move from the Ivy League to join the Atlantic Coast Conference with the Demon Deacons.
These transfers underscore how Wake Forest's blend of top-tier academics, exceptional campus life, and Power 4 athletics creates an environment where student-athletes can truly thrive. The university's commitment to excellence in all areas provides a unique platform for these talented individuals to reach their full potential.
Anabelle Brodeur | Field Hockey | Master's in Project Management from the School of Professional Studies
Brodeur was a three-year letterwinner, where she majored in Psychology and minored in Political Science, tallying 43 starts across 50 appearances for the Lions. The Essex Fells, New Jersey product finished her career at Columbia netting six goals and dished out six assists. She started all 16 matches in her final season, recording three assists, putting 16 shots on goal and netting a goal against James Madison on the road.
Why Wake Forest?
"I chose Wake Forest because it was the perfect combination of top-tier academics and a competitive team that's led by a legendary coaching staff. I'm looking forward to competing for championships while having fun and making lifelong memories with my new teammates."
Anna Zhang | Women's Tennis | Master of Science in Management
Zhang helped pace Columbia as one of the top women's tennis programs in the Ivy League while enjoying notable individual success and majoring in Economics. During her tenure with the Lions, she was named First Team All-Ivy and Second Team All-Ivy in singles as a junior and sophomore, respectively. In doubles, she partnered with Sophia Wang for her final two years to notch first team all-league honors this past spring. In 2022-23, the pair ranked as high as No. 5 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Northeast Regional section, as Zhang earned a No. 9 ranking within that same region during her junior campaign as well. The McKinney, Texas, native spent most of her time primarily playing at the No. 1 singles spot for Columbia.
Why Wake Forest?
"The program Wake offered was what I was seeking in a graduate program. I also wanted to experience playing in one of the strongest leagues in the NCAA with my last year of eligibility!"
DJ Francey | Men's Golf | Master's in Project Management from the School of Professional Studies
The three-time GCAA All-America Scholar claimed two individual titles during his 2023-24 campaign, along with six top-10 finishes. Francey earned Second Team All-Ivy League honors at the 2024 Ivy League Men's Golf Championship. The All-Ivy honors are the second of Francey's respective career – as he was named a First Team member as a sophomore in 2022. During his 2022-23 season, Francey ranked second on the team with a 72.52 stroke average. He posted three top-10 and six top-25 finishes in nine tournaments.
Why Wake Forest?
"Wake Forest offered a perfect balance between school and golf for my last year of eligibility. Being able to get developed by Coach Haas and Williams while completing a masters in one year is an incredible opportunity. I'm looking forward to competing as a Deac."
Paige Nurkin | Women's Soccer | Master's of Arts in Sustainability
In 2023 for Columbia, Nurkin started 18 games and allowed just 13 goals all season for a 0.75 goals against average. She totaled 61 saves for an 82.4 save percentage and finished the season with a 10-5-3 record including seven shutouts. Her performances saw her named First Team All-Ivy League and Academic All-Ivy. She played a major role in helping Columbia lead the nation in goals against average, save percentage and shutout percentage at points during the season. Nurkin tallied four saves to help lead Columbia past Rutgers for the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. She made her Wake Forest debut on August 22 in a 4-0 clean sheet victory over Temple.
Why Wake Forest?
"I decided to come to Wake Forest not only because of the elite and competitive level of soccer, the great coaching staff, and the high level of academics, but also because of the incredibly close community and welcoming atmosphere. After spending the last 4 years at a school in a big city with an overall lack of enthusiasm around athletics and school spirit, I was ready for a change to a more connected environment.
I love the sense of community at Wake Forest, both on campus and with the surrounding Winston-Salem community. In my time here so far, I have truly felt welcome by the team, the professors, and the local community and I love how everyone at Wake cares about getting to know you and brings energy and passion to what they do."
These transfers underscore how Wake Forest's blend of top-tier academics, exceptional campus life, and Power 4 athletics creates an environment where student-athletes can truly thrive. The university's commitment to excellence in all areas provides a unique platform for these talented individuals to reach their full potential.
Anabelle Brodeur | Field Hockey | Master's in Project Management from the School of Professional Studies
Brodeur was a three-year letterwinner, where she majored in Psychology and minored in Political Science, tallying 43 starts across 50 appearances for the Lions. The Essex Fells, New Jersey product finished her career at Columbia netting six goals and dished out six assists. She started all 16 matches in her final season, recording three assists, putting 16 shots on goal and netting a goal against James Madison on the road.
Why Wake Forest?
"I chose Wake Forest because it was the perfect combination of top-tier academics and a competitive team that's led by a legendary coaching staff. I'm looking forward to competing for championships while having fun and making lifelong memories with my new teammates."
Anna Zhang | Women's Tennis | Master of Science in Management
Zhang helped pace Columbia as one of the top women's tennis programs in the Ivy League while enjoying notable individual success and majoring in Economics. During her tenure with the Lions, she was named First Team All-Ivy and Second Team All-Ivy in singles as a junior and sophomore, respectively. In doubles, she partnered with Sophia Wang for her final two years to notch first team all-league honors this past spring. In 2022-23, the pair ranked as high as No. 5 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Northeast Regional section, as Zhang earned a No. 9 ranking within that same region during her junior campaign as well. The McKinney, Texas, native spent most of her time primarily playing at the No. 1 singles spot for Columbia.
Why Wake Forest?
"The program Wake offered was what I was seeking in a graduate program. I also wanted to experience playing in one of the strongest leagues in the NCAA with my last year of eligibility!"
DJ Francey | Men's Golf | Master's in Project Management from the School of Professional Studies
The three-time GCAA All-America Scholar claimed two individual titles during his 2023-24 campaign, along with six top-10 finishes. Francey earned Second Team All-Ivy League honors at the 2024 Ivy League Men's Golf Championship. The All-Ivy honors are the second of Francey's respective career – as he was named a First Team member as a sophomore in 2022. During his 2022-23 season, Francey ranked second on the team with a 72.52 stroke average. He posted three top-10 and six top-25 finishes in nine tournaments.
Why Wake Forest?
"Wake Forest offered a perfect balance between school and golf for my last year of eligibility. Being able to get developed by Coach Haas and Williams while completing a masters in one year is an incredible opportunity. I'm looking forward to competing as a Deac."
Paige Nurkin | Women's Soccer | Master's of Arts in Sustainability
In 2023 for Columbia, Nurkin started 18 games and allowed just 13 goals all season for a 0.75 goals against average. She totaled 61 saves for an 82.4 save percentage and finished the season with a 10-5-3 record including seven shutouts. Her performances saw her named First Team All-Ivy League and Academic All-Ivy. She played a major role in helping Columbia lead the nation in goals against average, save percentage and shutout percentage at points during the season. Nurkin tallied four saves to help lead Columbia past Rutgers for the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. She made her Wake Forest debut on August 22 in a 4-0 clean sheet victory over Temple.
Why Wake Forest?
"I decided to come to Wake Forest not only because of the elite and competitive level of soccer, the great coaching staff, and the high level of academics, but also because of the incredibly close community and welcoming atmosphere. After spending the last 4 years at a school in a big city with an overall lack of enthusiasm around athletics and school spirit, I was ready for a change to a more connected environment.
I love the sense of community at Wake Forest, both on campus and with the surrounding Winston-Salem community. In my time here so far, I have truly felt welcome by the team, the professors, and the local community and I love how everyone at Wake cares about getting to know you and brings energy and passion to what they do."
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Field Hockey
/ Men's Golf
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
/ Women's Tennis
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