Wake Forest Athletics
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11/5/2026 3:00:00 PM | General
It’s Homecoming Week, Demon Deacon Nation!
Last week, we talked about setting the table for a November to Remember in our quest for Goal No. 4 – Win Championships... and the Deacs answered the bell. Coach Jake Dickert’s team rolled past Virginia 51-7 for its fifth straight win, our men’s cross country team brought home an ACC championship from Blacksburg, field hockey claimed a share of its second straight ACC regular-season title, and Coach Bobby Muuss’ men’s soccer team survived and advanced in the ACC Tournament.
Now the 7-1 Demon Deacons, ranked No. 14 in the AP poll and No. 16 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, come home for Homecoming against Merrimack on Saturday before heading back out on the road for two huge games at SMU and Georgia Tech. It sure was fun to see the Deacs pop up on the screen during Tuesday night’s CFP rankings show!
Tonight is a big one: our No. 4 women’s soccer team closes its regular season against Clemson at 5 p.m. on ESPNU, while men’s basketball visits No. 24 Vanderbilt at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 and women’s basketball hosts Presbyterian at the Joel at 6 p.m.
And this week, we proudly launched something truly special... H3ISMAN, the official Heisman Trophy campaign for our quarterback, Gio Lopez!
H3ISMAN: Leadership, Character and a Whole Lot of Touchdowns
Gio’s numbers on Saturdays speak for themselves: 24 total touchdowns to just one interception, three ACC Quarterback of the Week honors and the biggest QBR jump of any quarterback in the country. But his leadership, character and intellect are what make him such a fitting Heisman candidate. Gio is a team captain and a lifelong reader who credits his mom for making him read every day growing up. He’s still a self-described “hard copy guy,” with interests ranging from philosophy to history. And when asked on the Heisman Trophy’s podcast what he’d tell others about his experience at Wake Forest, Gio said it best: it’s a place where “people know you by your name and not just a jersey number, and actually care about you as a person.”
That combination of excellence and integrity is exactly what Wake Forest is all about. For nearly two centuries, this University has been committed to developing leaders of character who put their knowledge to work in service to others. Pro Humanitate. Gio embodies that, and I can’t think of a better young man to represent Wake Forest on the national stage.
Launching H3ISMAN was a true team effort, with input from constituencies across campus, the Heisman Trust itself, our talented internal creative team and many local and national partners who were critical in bringing this project to life. Deacon fans will soon begin to see H3ISMAN billboards (like the one below) popping up around North Carolina, including in Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh-Durham... and even down in Gio’s hometown of Madison, Alabama!
Gio has a chance to make history. Brian Piccolo (’65), who finished 10th in the 1964 Heisman voting, remains the only Demon Deacon ever to finish in the top 10. And Deacon Nation is already making some noise! Since H3ISMAN launched Wednesday night, Gio has climbed from 37th to sixth on the overall Heisman Hopefuls leaderboard, and from 16th to third among quarterbacks. Here’s how you can keep him climbing: visit godeacs.com/H3ISMAN, watch the highlights and cast your vote for Gio in the Heisman fan vote. Then, share it with everyone you know.
This is just the start, and we can’t wait to see Gio back on the field soon. As Coach Dickert said on his coach’s show last night, “Everyone in DEACTOWN, take a big breath... he’s right on track.”
Becoming Together: Reflections on President Rodriguez’s Inauguration
Last Friday afternoon, after getting back from Blacksburg, I had the honor of joining so many members of our Wake Forest family in Wait Chapel as Dr. Peter Rodriguez was formally installed as our University’s 15th president. It was a truly special day, and one I won’t soon forget.
In his remarks, President Rodriguez shared a thought that has stuck with me all week: “We are continuously evolving, changing, growing, and becoming. What we read matters. What we see. Who we meet. Who we love. And where we travel. All of it doesn’t merely happen to us. We do not just experience it — we become it.”
I think the same is true of our shared athletics experiences. Every season, every practice, every road trip and every Saturday in the stands shapes who our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans become, both as individuals and as a collective. As you think about our teams and their journeys this fall, it’s okay to sit quietly every once in a while and reflect on the growth and progress we’re seeing all around us. There’s never been a better time to be a Demon Deacon, and I come to work every day filled with gratitude for the people and the places that make this moment so special.
HOW ‘BOUT THAT HALLOWEEN IN DEACTOWN!
What a weekend it was on campus! The fun started Friday afternoon on Manchester Plaza with Bussin’ & Pate on Campus and ACC PM, and it continued Saturday morning with ACC Huddle. More than 1,000 students packed Manchester Plaza across the three shows, and our friends at ESPN told us it was one of the best experiences they’ve ever had on a campus. They were blown away by Coach Dickert, our fans, the pageantry and the beauty of our campus. Thank you to everyone who came out and showed the country what Deacon Nation is all about!
Then on Saturday afternoon, I loved seeing so many new faces at Allegacy Financial Stadium. Thanks to the success of this team, folks from throughout the Winston-Salem community who may have been attending their first Wake Forest football game, or who don’t make it out very often, joined us in full costume for DEACTOWN Halloween. Seeing the smiles on the faces of kids and parents trick-or-treating and cheering together is exactly why we work so hard to deliver the Best Fan Experience in North Carolina. And the Deacs gave them plenty to cheer about, as Gio Lopez, Carlos Hernandez (eight catches, 136 yards and a touchdown) and Ty Clark III (a career-high three rushing touchdowns) powered a 51-7 rout of the Cavaliers.
Let’s do it again this Saturday! There’s nothing quite like Homecoming at Wake Forest, and the Deacs host Merrimack at 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network. Get your tickets here, bring the whole family and help us welcome our alumni home.
Women’s Soccer Closes the Regular Season Tonight on ESPNU
Coach Tony da Luz’s No. 4 women’s soccer team wraps up the regular season tonight at 5 p.m. against Clemson at Spry Stadium on ESPNU, coming off a 2-1 comeback win at Pitt when captains Sammi Wiemann and Dempsey Brown scored 45 seconds apart. The Deacs have already clinched a top-four finish in the ACC regular season and a spot in the ACC Championship, which begins this weekend, with their seed and match dates and times to be determined by tonight’s results across the conference. Come out to Spry and cheer them on!
Basketballs Bouncing... Both Deacs Open With Wins
Both of our basketball teams started the season with wins at the Joel on Monday night. Freshman Oshauna Holland scored 19 points in her collegiate debut as Coach Megan Gebbia’s team beat USC Upstate 65-58 for its sixth straight season-opening win, and Coach Steve Forbes’ team followed with a balanced 83-62 win over Maryland Eastern Shore. Tonight, the men visit No. 24 Vanderbilt at 6 p.m. on ESPN2, while the women host Presbyterian at the Joel at 6 p.m. on ACCNX, with free parking and general admission seating.
The Original Golden Girls: Meet Elinor and Jean
I was touched by the story of Elinor Starling and Jean Burroughs (P ’80, ’83) in “The Original Golden Girls” in Wake Forest Magazine. Their families became season ticket holders in 1958, when their late husbands, Bill Starling (’57) and Julian Burroughs (’51), joined Wake Forest. Elinor has cheered from the stands for 68 straight years, with Jean just a few rows away for 66. They’ve stayed to the final whistle in good years and tough ones, and both families traveled to the 1979 Tangerine Bowl and the 2007 Orange Bowl. Elinor still makes her rounds in the Gold Lot visiting friends she’s known for decades. If you haven’t read it yet, please take a few minutes. It’s a beautiful reminder of what Saturdays at Wake Forest mean to so many families.
Jean and Elinor represent the best of Deacon Nation: families who have made Wake Forest football part of who they are, across generations and through every era of this program. We are grateful to them for helping build the community that makes Saturdays here a family tradition... and I hope to see many more families like theirs at Homecoming this weekend!
Calling All Road Warriors: Dallas and Atlanta Await!
This team became the first and only program in the country with four Power Four road wins through the first seven weeks of the season, and nothing beats celebrating a road victory with a contingent of courageous Deacon fans. After Homecoming, we head to SMU on Saturday, Nov. 14, at noon ET (ESPN or ESPN2), followed by Georgia Tech on Saturday, Nov. 21 (kickoff time to be announced). If you live in Dallas or Atlanta, or can make the trip, get your tickets for SMU and Georgia Tech and join us! Our Deacon Takeover weekends in both cities also include official Wake Forest tailgates, a WAKEDallas-Ft. Worth reception featuring President Dr. Peter Rodriguez and a WAKEAtlanta gathering the Thursday before the Georgia Tech game. Let’s turn Gerald J. Ford Stadium and Bobby Dodd Stadium black and gold!
Goal No. 4 – Win Championships! Men’s Cross Country Captures ACC Title
Last Friday morning in Blacksburg, I had the privilege of watching our men’s cross country team win the 2026 ACC championship, the 61st ACC title in Wake Forest history and the program’s third in the last five seasons. Senior Rocky Hansen led the way with a runner-up finish, and the Deacs placed five runners in the top 20. Congratulations to the entire team and coaching staff! Next up, the Deacs head to Spartanburg, S.C., for the NCAA Southeast Regional on Friday, Nov. 13, with an eye on the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., on Nov. 21.
Survive and Advance: Men’s Soccer Hosts NC State Sunday at Spry
Coach Muuss’ team showed real grit Wednesday night at Spry Stadium. Down 1-0 to Boston College in the 89th minute, senior Jeffrey White set up Daniel Krueger for the equalizer, and the Deacs went on to advance 6-5 on penalties. Next up is an ACC Tournament quarterfinal against NC State on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Spry. Get your tickets here and help us pack the place!
Montag Makes History as Field Hockey Awaits NCAA Selection
Junior Mia Montag was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the second time, becoming the first two-time winner of the award in Wake Forest field hockey history. Bianca Rees-Gibbs and Mia Schoenbeck joined her on the All-ACC First Team, with Ava Moore on the Second Team. After earning a share of back-to-back ACC regular-season titles, Coach Jennifer Averill and her team now await the NCAA Tournament field. The 18-team bracket will be revealed during the selection show on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 10 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
Pro Humanitate in Action
Earlier this week, many of our student-athletes rolled up their sleeves to support A Bed and A Book, a local nonprofit that provides beds and books for children in need, at no cost to their families. Student-athletes across many of our teams built 50 new beds ensuring that fewer local children in our community have to sleep on the floor this holiday season. I’m so proud and grateful of the character of the young people who represent Wake Forest, and you’ll see more about their work soon on Deacon Sports Xtra.
Remember that godeacs.com and all our social media channels are great ways to keep up with all the action. Volleyball travels to Clemson on Friday and Georgia Tech on Sunday before hosting Virginia and Virginia Tech at Varsity Arena next weekend, while our tennis programs are busy with Claire Hill competing in Philadelphia and the men in Charlottesville and at the ITA Conference Masters in Rome, Ga. And check ESPN+ and ACCNX from wherever you are!
From the Quad Big 3
Here are this week’s Big 3 ways to help the Deacs:
- Vote daily for Gio in the Heisman fan vote, then share godeacs.com/H3ISMAN with everyone you know!
- Plan your Homecoming Saturday with our Know Before You Go guide. Lots open at 10:30 a.m., the Lowe’s Foods DEACTOWN Fan Zone opens at 12:30 p.m., the Deacon Walk steps off at 1:15 p.m. and gates open at 2 p.m. ahead of the 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Merrimack. Get your tickets here and bring a friend!
- Wake Forest and Vanderbilt will be rivals on the court tonight, but off it, our two universities are partners in research that’s improving lives. Wake Forest News tells the story in “Beyond the court.”
That’s it for today! Let me know your favorite Homecoming tradition, and if you see anything around our games that you especially like or that we need to tweak, send your thoughts, ideas and suggestions to me at wfuad@wfu.edu.
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