Wake Forest Athletics
Photo by: Bryce Mitchell / Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Athletics Announces ‘Ace Club’ Volleyball Space Inside Varsity Arena
9/12/2025 9:24:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest Athletics has announced a new space, The Ace Club, inside Varsity Arena, home to Demon Deacons volleyball. The latest in-venue addition will help continue to enhance the team's electrifying atmosphere that consistently gives Wake Forest volleyball a strong homecourt advantage.
The Ace Club will be located in the upper balcony, above the gym floor and across from the new state-of-the-art videoboard that completed installation over the summer. The space will act as a credentialed area for VIP guests of Wake Forest University and the volleyball program. For more information, contact our Volleyball Development liaison Gerard McMahon at mcmahogg@wfu.edu.
New Upgrades inside Varsity Arena
Showcasing Wake Forest's commitment to The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina, a new state-of-the-art HD videoboard, balcony ribbon board and digital scorers table are all set to debut inside Varsity Arena this fall. One of the largest volleyball-specific displays in the country, the Daktronics videoboard will be centered on the baseline brick wall closest to the home team bench and feature more than 2.6 million pixels of high definition graphics.
The features of a balcony ribbon board and digital scorers tables will allow the in-game content and live scores to be presented in different areas within the venue. These displays also feature 3.9-millimeter pixel spacing and provide the opportunity to share additional game information, graphics and sponsorship messaging throughout events.
This enhancement represents the most recent impact of Wake Forest Athletics' In Her Wake campaign, which aims to surpass $100 million by 2029 as the Deacon Club worked with a group of dedicated volleyball donors and supporters to help fund its development.
Wake Forest Volleyball Overview
The Demon Deacons entered their 46th season in program history this fall, with a roster featuring eight returners and seven newcomers. Four veteran players pace the group – Emma Farrell, Paige Crawford, Rian Baker and Olivia Murphy. Olivia Fish and Elena Dragani come back into the fold as additional upperclassmen, stepping into their third seasons on the roster, while Becca Bellows and Dhru Lalaji enter their sophomore years.
New to the team includes a trio of transfers: Ryleigh Whitekettle (New Mexico State), Sanaa Williams (Mississippi State) and Patrycja Lagida (Chicago State). Four freshmen also enter the mix: Sadie Poeck, Kelis Hawkins, Ivana Cvetkovic and Anya Santrac.
Head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer will begin his first season at the helm of the program, bringing over three decades worth of coaching experience at the collegiate volleyball level. His arrival to Winston-Salem came following 10 seasons at Florida State, where he served as associate head coach. In addition to his time in Tallahassee, Hulsmeyer previously was the offensive and recruiting coordinator of Kansas State volleyball for six years, following head coaching stints at both Georgetown College and Purdue. The late 1990s involved him being an assistant coach at Illinois, preceded by three years apiece as head coach of Arkansas State and Western Kentucky, where he began his coaching journey as a graduate assistant for the latter.
The team's full fall 2025 schedule can be found here.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
The Ace Club will be located in the upper balcony, above the gym floor and across from the new state-of-the-art videoboard that completed installation over the summer. The space will act as a credentialed area for VIP guests of Wake Forest University and the volleyball program. For more information, contact our Volleyball Development liaison Gerard McMahon at mcmahogg@wfu.edu.
New Upgrades inside Varsity Arena
Showcasing Wake Forest's commitment to The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina, a new state-of-the-art HD videoboard, balcony ribbon board and digital scorers table are all set to debut inside Varsity Arena this fall. One of the largest volleyball-specific displays in the country, the Daktronics videoboard will be centered on the baseline brick wall closest to the home team bench and feature more than 2.6 million pixels of high definition graphics.
The features of a balcony ribbon board and digital scorers tables will allow the in-game content and live scores to be presented in different areas within the venue. These displays also feature 3.9-millimeter pixel spacing and provide the opportunity to share additional game information, graphics and sponsorship messaging throughout events.
This enhancement represents the most recent impact of Wake Forest Athletics' In Her Wake campaign, which aims to surpass $100 million by 2029 as the Deacon Club worked with a group of dedicated volleyball donors and supporters to help fund its development.
Wake Forest Volleyball Overview
The Demon Deacons entered their 46th season in program history this fall, with a roster featuring eight returners and seven newcomers. Four veteran players pace the group – Emma Farrell, Paige Crawford, Rian Baker and Olivia Murphy. Olivia Fish and Elena Dragani come back into the fold as additional upperclassmen, stepping into their third seasons on the roster, while Becca Bellows and Dhru Lalaji enter their sophomore years.
New to the team includes a trio of transfers: Ryleigh Whitekettle (New Mexico State), Sanaa Williams (Mississippi State) and Patrycja Lagida (Chicago State). Four freshmen also enter the mix: Sadie Poeck, Kelis Hawkins, Ivana Cvetkovic and Anya Santrac.
Head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer will begin his first season at the helm of the program, bringing over three decades worth of coaching experience at the collegiate volleyball level. His arrival to Winston-Salem came following 10 seasons at Florida State, where he served as associate head coach. In addition to his time in Tallahassee, Hulsmeyer previously was the offensive and recruiting coordinator of Kansas State volleyball for six years, following head coaching stints at both Georgetown College and Purdue. The late 1990s involved him being an assistant coach at Illinois, preceded by three years apiece as head coach of Arkansas State and Western Kentucky, where he began his coaching journey as a graduate assistant for the latter.
The team's full fall 2025 schedule can be found here.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
Players Mentioned
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