Wake Forest to Open 2026 Home Slate with Wake Forest Invitational

Friday, September 4

Winston-Salem, N.C.

6:30 p.m.

Wake Forest University

Davidson

Wake Forest to Open 2026 Home Slate with Wake Forest Invitational

9/3/2026 10:27:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

The Demon Deacons will host Davidson, UCF and Georgetown from Sept. 4-6 to kick off a seven-match homestand.

By: KJ Smith

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After splitting its first two matches of the season on the road, the Wake Forest volleyball team is set to open its 2026 home schedule this weekend as it hosts the Wake Forest Invitational from Sept. 4-6 at Varsity Arena.

The Demon Deacons, who enter a seven-match homestand, will host Davidson, UCF and Georgetown over the three-day tournament. The Deacs face the Wildcats on Friday at 6:30 p.m., the Knights on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and the Hoyas on Sunday at 2 p.m. Each team will play three matches throughout the weekend.

Admission is free for all spectators, and all three of Wake Forest's matches will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.

The Matches
Friday, Sept. 4
Wake Forest vs. Davidson - 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 5
Wake Forest vs. UCF - 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 6
Wake Forest vs. Georgetown - 2 p.m.

Accessibility Information
Wake Forest Athletics strives to provide content at all home events, on social media and on GoDeacs.com that is 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).

Alumni Weekend
The Wake Forest Invitational will also headline Wake Forest volleyball's Alumni Weekend festivities. Former members of the Wake Forest volleyball program will be honored throughout the weekend, including an on-court recognition during the Deacs' home opener against Davidson.

Last Time Out

The Demon Deacons opened the season with a pair of five-set thrillers at the LSU Home Tournament.
- Wake Forest dropped its opening match to LSU on Friday evening.
  - Graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle recorded 18 kills and a career-high 10 blocks against the Tigers.
  - Freshman outside hitter Lyla Stewart added 14 kills in her first career match.
  - Redshirt junior Catherine Burke logged a career-high nine blocks, while redshirt senior Sanaa Williams added seven blocks of her own.
  - Junior setter Becca Bellows logged a team-high 26 assists.
  - Freshman Emma Keeping added 20 assists and three service aces.
- The Deacs bounced back with a 3-2 win over Houston on Saturday afternoon.
  - Senior Patrycja Lagida led the way with a 14-kill, 13-dig double-double against the Cougars.
  - Williams matched her career-high with nine kills.
  - Whitekettle notched seven kills and six blocks against Houston.
  - Bellows and Keeping combined for 47 assists and five service aces on Saturday.

Block Party
The Demon Deacons combined for 25 total blocks over the first two matches of the 2026 season. Notably, the Deacs totaled 16 blocks in their season opener against LSU, the most in a single match since they blocked 17 attacks against East Carolina on Sept. 16, 2025.

Looking at the League Numbers
Entering this weekend, a trio of Demon Deacons sit inside the top 10 in the ACC in several statistical categories:

Andrea Roman - 7th in digs (3.80/set)
Emma Keeping - 9th in service aces (0.50/set)
Ryleigh Whitekettle - 9th in blocks (1.60/set)

Series History
Versus Davidson

Series: Wake Forest leads, 12-3
Last Meeting: Sept. 12, 2025
Result: W, 3-0

Versus UCF

Series: Wake Forest leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 2, 2023
Result: W, 3-2

Versus Georgetown

Series: Wake Forest leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 16, 2005
Result: W, 3-1

Scouting the Wildcats

Davidson enters the weekend with a 1-2 record, having defeated Winthrop in the opening match of the season, 3-2.
- The Wildcats also faced North Carolina and Wofford.
Three Wildcats logged over 25 kills through the first three matches of the season.
- Senior Elena Garcia-Guerrios totaled 20 of her 37 kills over opening weekend in Davidson's win over Winthrop.
- Sophomore Ariyana Johnson logged back-to-back matches with double-digit kills, tallying 13 kills against the Tar Heels and 12 kills against the Terriers.
- Junior Meile Songaila added 28 kills over the first three matches.
Junior Kinsey Smith recorded 93 of Davidson's 132 assists in the first three matches.
- Smith notched 44 assists in the win over the Eagles.

Scouting the Knights

UCF finished its opening weekend with a 3-0 record, picking up wins against Robert Morris, Stony Brook and NC State.
The Knights tallied 36 blocks over their first three matches.
- Redshirt junior Sasha Cohen tallied 23 blocks, including 10 blocks against Robert Morris.
  - The Lakewood, Colo., native also recorded nine kills against the Colonials.
Senior Avah Armour led UCF in kills during opening weekend with 54 kills.
- Armour opened the season with a 25-kill performance against Robert Morris and added 21 kills in the sweep over NC State.
Redshirt senior Abby Schomers has totaled 114 of the Knights' 146 assists this season.
- The Omaha, Neb., native is currently averaging 11.4 assists per set, having logged 39 assists against the Colonials, 37 against the Seawolves and 38 against the Wolfpack.

Scouting the Hoyas

Georgetown opened the season with a 2-1 record, picking up wins over American and George Mason at the D.C. Challenge.
Four Hoyas logged over 20 kills during the first three matches of the season.
- Senior Kamryn Lee-Caracci and junior Dionna Mitchell both recorded 29 kills over the opening weekend.
  - Mitchell tallied 14 kills against American and 11 kills against George Mason.
  - Lee-Caracci logged 11 kills on a .733 hitting percentage in the loss to Northwestern.
- Sophomore Katherine McGregor added 25 kills, including 12 kills against the Patriots.
- Senior Grace Albaugh finished the first three matches with 21 kills.

Up Next
The Demon Deacons continue their seven-match homestand as they host Mississippi State on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m. as part of the 2026 Shriners Children's "Showdown at the Net" ACC/SEC Challenge.

Admission is free, and the match will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.