Wake Forest Athletics
Friday, October 30
Winston-Salem, N.C.
6:30 p.m.
Wake Forest University
vs
Pitt
10/29/2026 3:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Demon Deacons host the Panthers on Friday, Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m. before taking on the Mustangs on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Coming off a Big Four win over NC State last Sunday, the Wake Forest volleyball team continues its three-match homestand with a pair of top-five matchups as it faces No. 2 Pitt and No. 5 SMU this weekend at Varsity Arena.
The Demon Deacons host the Panthers on Friday, Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m. before concluding their homestand against the Mustangs on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. in the annual We Are Wake Green match.
Admission is free for all spectators, and both matches will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
The Matches
Friday, Oct. 30
Wake Forest (9-12, 3-7 ACC) vs. No. 2 Pitt (19-1, 9-1 ACC)
Varsity Arena – 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 1
Wake Forest vs. No. 5 SMU (16-4, 8-2 ACC)
Varsity Arena – 1 p.m.
Accessibility Information
Wake Forest Athletics strives to provide content at all home events, on social media and GoDeacs.com accessible to all fans. As part of its continued effort to improve accessibility of the technology and digital content at volleyball home matches this fall, fans can access closed captions here for the public address announcer and in-venue content.
Wake Forest Athletics is always open to learning about new ideas and ways we can improve. Please report accessibility challenges, identify content you find inaccessible, or give us general feedback at maddenr@wfu.edu.
Fan Information
There will continue to be free general admission seating for all home volleyball matches. The team plays each home contest in Varsity Arena, located on the third level of Reynolds Gymnasium (21 Wingate Road, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109).
Due to increased campus traffic, parking will be available on a first-come, first-served basis Friday evening. Fans will not be allowed to park in Parking Lots B, C, D, P, a portion of Lot Q, and a portion of Wake Forest Road in front of Wait Chapel.
Fans planning on attending Friday's match should plan on parking in either lots Z4 or Z5. Additional parking is available at 2400 Reynolda Road, with shuttle service provided to campus. The shuttle pickup point will be located on the right side as you enter from Reynolda Road. Shuttles will run continuously throughout the day from 7:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. and will drop off at the centrally located shuttle hub near Kitchin and Poteat Halls.
A complete parking map of campus is here.
Weekend Promotions
Come celebrate Volloween with the Demon Deacons as they face No. 2 Pitt on Friday at Varsity Arena. Fans are welcome to dress up in their Halloween costumes at the match, which will also feature a candy toss and many more Halloween themed activities. Please be aware that masks and full-face paint is prohibited at all Wake Forest athletic events.
Additionally, the Deacs will be hosting their annual We Are Wake Green match on Sunday against No. 5 SMU. We Are Wake will be tabling and handing out free green rally towels to all spectators. Wake Forest will also be signing autographs after the conclusion of the match.
Last Time Out
Can You Dig It?
Senior libero Andrea Roman has been one of the top defensive players in the ACC this season. Roman, who ranked second in the country in digs last season, has tallied 313 total digs, the most in the ACC. Additionally, the Humacao, Puerto Rico, native ranks sixth in the conference with an average of 3.60 digs per set.
ACC Digs Leaders
Stirring the Stew
Freshman Lyla Stewart has been stellar for the Demon Deacons in her debut season, having totaled 236 kills and 170 digs this season, both of which rank second on the team. Stewart has also logged 22 blocks, 16 assists and 13 service aces.
The Powell, Ohio, native has been on a hot streak as she has recorded double-digit kills in five of the last six matches, totaling 76 during that stretch.
Series History
Versus Pitt
Versus SMU
Scouting the Panthers
Scouting the Mustangs
Up Next
The Deacs hit the road the next weekend as they face Clemson on Friday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m., and Georgia Tech on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m.
The Demon Deacons host the Panthers on Friday, Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m. before concluding their homestand against the Mustangs on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. in the annual We Are Wake Green match.
Admission is free for all spectators, and both matches will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
The Matches
Friday, Oct. 30
Wake Forest (9-12, 3-7 ACC) vs. No. 2 Pitt (19-1, 9-1 ACC)
Varsity Arena – 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 1
Wake Forest vs. No. 5 SMU (16-4, 8-2 ACC)
Varsity Arena – 1 p.m.
Accessibility Information
Wake Forest Athletics strives to provide content at all home events, on social media and GoDeacs.com accessible to all fans. As part of its continued effort to improve accessibility of the technology and digital content at volleyball home matches this fall, fans can access closed captions here for the public address announcer and in-venue content.
Wake Forest Athletics is always open to learning about new ideas and ways we can improve. Please report accessibility challenges, identify content you find inaccessible, or give us general feedback at maddenr@wfu.edu.
Fan Information
There will continue to be free general admission seating for all home volleyball matches. The team plays each home contest in Varsity Arena, located on the third level of Reynolds Gymnasium (21 Wingate Road, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109).
Due to increased campus traffic, parking will be available on a first-come, first-served basis Friday evening. Fans will not be allowed to park in Parking Lots B, C, D, P, a portion of Lot Q, and a portion of Wake Forest Road in front of Wait Chapel.
Fans planning on attending Friday's match should plan on parking in either lots Z4 or Z5. Additional parking is available at 2400 Reynolda Road, with shuttle service provided to campus. The shuttle pickup point will be located on the right side as you enter from Reynolda Road. Shuttles will run continuously throughout the day from 7:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. and will drop off at the centrally located shuttle hub near Kitchin and Poteat Halls.
A complete parking map of campus is here.
Weekend Promotions
Come celebrate Volloween with the Demon Deacons as they face No. 2 Pitt on Friday at Varsity Arena. Fans are welcome to dress up in their Halloween costumes at the match, which will also feature a candy toss and many more Halloween themed activities. Please be aware that masks and full-face paint is prohibited at all Wake Forest athletic events.
Additionally, the Deacs will be hosting their annual We Are Wake Green match on Sunday against No. 5 SMU. We Are Wake will be tabling and handing out free green rally towels to all spectators. Wake Forest will also be signing autographs after the conclusion of the match.
Last Time Out
- Wake Forest earned a Big Four win on Sunday, defeating NC State at Varsity Arena by a score of 3-1.
- Graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle and freshman Lyla Stewart recorded double-digit kills against the Wolfpack.
- Stewart notched a team-high 14 kills, nine digs, a block and an assist.
- Whitekettle added 12 kills, four blocks and four digs in the win.
- Graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle and freshman Lyla Stewart recorded double-digit kills against the Wolfpack.
Can You Dig It?
Senior libero Andrea Roman has been one of the top defensive players in the ACC this season. Roman, who ranked second in the country in digs last season, has tallied 313 total digs, the most in the ACC. Additionally, the Humacao, Puerto Rico, native ranks sixth in the conference with an average of 3.60 digs per set.
ACC Digs Leaders
| Rank | Name | School | Total Digs |
| 1. | Andrea Roman | Wake Forest | 313 |
| 2. | Maya Evens | Notre Dame | 310 |
| 3. | Payton Petersen | Louisville | 308 |
| 4. | Ivy Cooper | Virginia Tech | 293 |
| 5. | Sophia Johnson | Cal | 284 |
Freshman Lyla Stewart has been stellar for the Demon Deacons in her debut season, having totaled 236 kills and 170 digs this season, both of which rank second on the team. Stewart has also logged 22 blocks, 16 assists and 13 service aces.
The Powell, Ohio, native has been on a hot streak as she has recorded double-digit kills in five of the last six matches, totaling 76 during that stretch.
Series History
Versus Pitt
- Series: Pitt leads, 14-2
- Last Meeting: Oct. 26, 2025
- Result: L, 0-3
Versus SMU
- Series: SMU leads, 2-0
- Last Meeting: Nov. 2, 2025
- Result: L, 0-3
Scouting the Panthers
- No. 2 Pitt enters the weekend with a 19-1 overall record and a 9-1 record in conference play.
- The Panthers are currently on a five-match win streak and have not given up a set since they lost to SMU by a score of 3-1 on Oct. 7.
- Pitt leads the ACC in points per set (18.86), hitting percentage (.332), assists per set (13.08), kills per set (14.20) and blocks per set (3.18)
- Senior Olivia Babcock leads the country with an average of 5.06 kills per set.
- Overall, Babcock has totaled 324 kills this season.
- Three Panthers sit inside the top five in the conference in blocks per set.
- Freshman Maaike Heilig leads the Panthers with 78 blocks and is currently averaging 1.53 blocks per set, which ranks third in the ACC and eighth nationally.
- Sophomore Abbey Emch is averaging 1.49 blocks per set, the ninth-best mark in the country.
Scouting the Mustangs
- No. 5 SMU holds a 16-4 overall record and currently sits fourth in the ACC at 8-2 in conference play.
- The Mustangs recently swept both Georgia Tech and Clemson last weekend.
- Sophomore Suli Davis leads the Mustangs with 325 kills, including 152 against ACC opponents.
- Davis' 4.45 kills per set ranks third in the ACC this season.
- Redshirt freshman Hannah Beauford has totaled 385 assists this season, the third-most in the conference.
- Beauford sits second in the ACC with an average of 10.68 assists per set.
- Junior Favor Anyanwu leads the conference and ranks sixth nationally with 114 total blocks.
Up Next
The Deacs hit the road the next weekend as they face Clemson on Friday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m., and Georgia Tech on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
RS/OH
/ Women's VolleyballFriday, October 30
Wednesday, October 28
Wednesday, October 28
Tuesday, October 27