From the Quad

Let's GOOOOOOOO Demon Deacon Nation!

Opening Night at Allegacy Financial Stadium is 24 hours away and like Demon Deacon faithful everywhere, I can't wait! Tomorrow afternoon I'll be tightening up the laces on my gameday Nikes, heading out of my office here in Manchester Athletic Center, walking south down Dolly McPherson Road, hanging a left on Faculty Drive, pressing the button on our new University Parkway crosswalk, strolling along the brand new Grounds walking trail, and on into Allegacy Financial Stadium.

But the real fun starts tonight, as in just a few hours with the setting sun we'll WAKE THE DEMONS presented by BUBBL'R on Hearn Plaza, continuing a great Wake Forest tradition. From first-years learning the ropes to seniors savoring every last moment, we'll pack the Quad to celebrate the beginning of another unforgettable season. Then, when the clock strikes 8:00 p.m., it will be time to WAKE THE DEMONS!

This annual pep rally, collaboratively produced by Wake Forest Campus Life and Athletics, begins at 7:00 p.m. with food trucks on the Quad, a live DJ, and free Wake The Demons t-shirts for students provided by Cookout and BUBBL'R. The volume turns up at 8:00 p.m. as the action shifts to the stage and we welcome President Rodriguez, Vice President for Campus Life Shea Kidd Brown, Head Football Coach Jake Dickert and student-athletes from multiple Demon Deacon teams. The Wake Forest Dance Team and Cheer Squad and the Spirit of the Old Gold and Black will be in full form bringing the Class of 2030 up to speed on our gameday songs and chants!

The evening will conclude with our traditional "Night Before the Game Fireworks" so if you live near campus be sure to remind your neighbors to expect a little extra noise about 9:00 p.m. or so tonight – and every night-before-the-home-game this fall!

Tomorrow, it's the real thing: 30,000-plus Demon Deacons packed into Allegacy Financial Stadium for Opening Night under the lights.

Things You Need to Know Before You Go – Opening Night at Allegacy Financial Stadium

Arrive Early! Parking lots open at 2:00 p.m., the Lowes Fan Zone at 4:00 p.m., and stadium Gates at 5:30 p.m.. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. we have an awesome pregame show including the biggest Deacon Dash ever, as our record-setting Class of 2030 sprints across the field and into the stands before President Rodriguez Opens the Gate on the Demon Deacon's motorcycle!
The Grounds Walking Path is Open for Gameday: Construction continues on The Grounds, the transformative new mixed use district taking shape in the heart of Winston-Salem's sports and entertainment complex. A special community amenity of The Grounds will be the new walking path adjacent to the beautifully restored Silas Creek. The longest stretch of the path connects to the main Reynolda campus, via the new University Parkway crosswalk and Faculty Drive. Check out the path options here and remember to watch your speed as you drive on University Parkway. You can also grab your friends and join our Fan Experience team and me tomorrow for a 4:30 p.m. walk from Manchester Plaza to Allegacy Stadium and the student tailgate zone.
Scoreboard Enhancements: One thing you won't be able to miss tomorrow: the new Bob McCreary Video Board and upgraded stadium sound system make their debut as the latest additions to the Best Fan Experience in North Carolina. The difference is unbelievable!
Halftime Highlight – SOTOGAB and the Red Sea of Sound Rock Allegacy Together: For just the third time ever, Winston-Salem State University's marching band, the Red Sea of Sound, and Wake Forest's own Spirit of the Old Gold & Black will march together for a joint halftime performance. It's one of my favorite gameday experiences at Allegacy Financial Stadium!

A special thank you goes to the Chris Paul Family Foundation which provided a generous donation of tickets for WSSU students, faculty and staff to attend the game!

Before You Start the Car: Deacon Boulevard's gameday traffic restrictions from last season are still in effect, so check the latest here before you head over.
Stay Hydrated! We're going to have fun, but it's going to be warm early, so we remind you that all fans may bring into the stadium one factory sealed bottle of water or an empty plastic water bottle. Free water fountains located at sections 2, 5, 6, 9, 12, 19, and the Pollard Center.

This fall, we have six chances to defend our home field, sing the Alma Mater, and stand shoulder to shoulder with family, friends, neighbors, and fellow Deacs as we rally behind Coach Dickert's Deacons. That means we have six opportunities to make Allegacy Financial Stadium the loudest, toughest, and most electric environment in the ACC. And it all starts tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m.

After our trip to Purdue next Saturday, we'll be back in Allegacy on Friday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. when the Deacs host a University of Miami team that played for the national championship last season, in front of a huge national ESPN audience. Limited tickets are still available, but a sell-out is expected, so remind your fellow fans to grab 'em before they're gone!

A Full Weekend of Demon Deacon Home Competition Follows Opening Night!

Wake Forest fans – as well as our operations staff and in-house ACC Network crew – have a packed weekend of home action on deck. Coming off a big win over Big 12 foe Houston, Coach Hulsmeyer and the Demon Deacon volleyball team battle Davidson Friday at 6:30 p.m., host Central Florida Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and serve up the final match of the Wake Forest Invitational on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. versus Georgetown, all in Varsity Arena.

Meanwhile, ACC men's soccer action gets real fast: Saturday night at 7 p.m., our longtime Big Four rivals from Durham roll into Spry Stadium to face Coach Bobby Muuss' 2-1-1 squad, who just returned home from a strong win at Bowling Green on Monday night.

Following a 2-0 win over #14 Michigan this past weekend, Coach Jennifer Averill's #7 Demon Deacon field hockey team hosts Ohio, Sunday, Sept. 6 at noon in Kentner Stadium. We are excited to welcome Mia Schoenbeck back onto the pitch after she co-led Team USA in scoring during her recent stint in the FIH Hockey World Cup.

With six home contests from tomorrow through Sunday, there is all kinds of fun to be had in DEACTOWN! Come join us in Allegacy, Varsity Arena, Spry and Kentner or watch 'em all wherever you are on ACCN and ACCNX!

No. 5 Women's Soccer In the Sunshine State - Back to Face the Wahoos September 12th in Spry

Tomorrow night in the Kutteh Family AD's Suite in McCreary Tower we'll have a television tuned to ESPN+ as our undefeated and unblemished women's soccer team takes their shut out streak on the road to Tampa to battle South Florida at 7:00 p.m.. Ranked No. 5 in the nation, Tony DaLuz's charges will then travel up to Gainesville Sunday for a noon match at Florida, looking for a third victory of the season over an SEC foe. The Deacons open ACC play September 12 when Virginia comes to town for a Saturday night 7:00 p.m. showdown in Spry. Go Deacs!

Great Crowds, Intense Competition and Deacons Rising Highlight 2026 Winston-Salem Open

In its 15th year, the Winston-Salem Open once again brought world-class tennis and an international stage to the Wake Forest Tennis Complex. Four Demon Deacons earned their way into this ATP 250 tournament this year, including alum Jakob Schnaitter in doubles, along with Luca Pow, Mees Rottgering and alum DK Suresh in singles. Rottgering delivered one of the tournament's most memorable performances, making an inspired run through qualifying and earning straight-set victories over world No. 77 Jan Choinski and world No. 58 Tomas Machac. I'm looking forward to seeing how Luca and Mees write the next chapter of Coach Tony Bresky's elite program this year, and wish Jakob and DK continued success in their professional careers!

Rottgering defeated No. 77 Jan Choinski and No. 58 Tomas Macha to reach the WSO Round of 16

Cross Country Ranked, Men Favored to Win ACC, Women's Golf Heads to the Annika Monday

Wake Forest men's cross country opens the year ranked at No. 8 nationally, the only ACC team in the top 10, and No. 1 in the Southeast Region and is picked to win the ACC while our women check in at No. 30.

Best of luck as well to our No. 7 women's golf team on Monday as they tee it up and defend their 2025 title at the Annika Intercollegiate in Minnesota. This year's squad is led by a trio of Preseason All-American selections in senior Macy Pate, junior Chloe Kovelesky and freshman Benedicte Brent-Petersen. Pate and Kovelesky were also recently named to the Preseason ANNIKA Award Watch List while Brent-Petersen arrives in Winston-Salem as the No. 92 ranked amateur in the world!

Kicking Back With The Wake Forest Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

Last night, Mary Lawrence and I continued our tradition of hosting the Wake Forest Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.) in our home for their first meeting of the semester. Between games, conversations about the first week of classes, and a great dinner from Harvest Table, it was a fun night with student-athletes from across our programs. It was a special treat to have President Rodriguez and his wife Kathleen stop by for a visit too! Led by President Aubrey Nisbet (Women's Tennis) and VP Brooke Wilson (Women's Track & Field), this group of leaders is another reason I'm "Proud to be a Deacon!"

Innovation and Performance on Display at Kentner Stadium

I loved seeing Wake Forest's extraordinary people and facilities on display as one of the world's top marathoners, John Korir, came to Kentner Stadium for advanced performance testing ahead of the Valencia Marathon. He worked with former Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Peter Brubaker, Assistant Track & Field Coach John LePino, and a team of Wake Forest experts. It's a great example of the collaboration that makes this place special.

From the Quad Big 3

Finally, here are today's Big 3 ways to help the Deacs:

Be in your seats early tomorrow to welcome President Rodriguez and Wake Forest's Class of 2030 as they storm the field! Need a refresher on the fight song? Find the lyrics to O Here's To Wake Forest here.
On Friday, September 11, come join first responders in full uniform, students and community members at 0600 for the annual Climb to Remember at Allegacy Financial Stadium. An incredibly meaningful tradition, led by the No Fear Battalion of ROTC cadets from Wake Forest, Winston-Salem State, and Salem College – participants will climb 2,997 steps, one for each life lost in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. See you there (and remember to stretch your calf muscles – trust me)!
As we charge full-speed ahead into the 2026-27 campaign spread the word about all the great action happening in DEACTOWN. Book marking this composite schedule is a great way to keep track of the "next game up!"

That's it for this edition of FTQ! Time to get ready for WAKE THE DEMONS and Opening Night! Let me know your favorite moment of this upcoming stretch of Deacon action and send your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions to me at wfuad@wfu.edu.

As always, thank you for your support of Wake Forest student-athletes.

Go Deacs!

John Currie

Wake Forest Athletics

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