Staff Directory
Currie, John
John Currie
- Title:
- Vice President & Director of Athletics
- Email:
- Phone:
- 336-758-3140
John Currie Photo Gallery
John Currie was introduced as the sixth Director of Athletics at Wake Forest University on March 4, 2019 and was promoted to Vice President by current Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente on June 27, 2024. One of the most experienced athletics directors in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the 2025-26 academic year will mark his 16th as a Power - 4 athletics director, as he previously held the top position at Tennessee and Kansas State. Recognized in both 2022 and 2013 as a National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Athletics Director of the Year, Currie also received the Bobby Dodd Athletic Director Award in 2013 and was a Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 winner in 2011. His 32-year career has been spent entirely in the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 and he currently serves as the ACC’s representative on the NCAA Division I Council.
Building on the foundation laid by hall of fame Wake Forest athletics directors Dr. Gene Hooks (1964-1992) and Ron Wellman (1992-2019), Currie’s team has focused on delivering A Model Intercollegiate Athletics Program centered on five core goals:
On December 7, 2024, a key Currie-driven initiative took a huge step toward delivery as Wake Forest and master plan development partner Carter Front Street celebrated the groundbreaking of the mixed-use entertainment district “The Grounds” (www.visitthegrounds.com) after five years of behind-the-scenes work and planning. The first phase of The Grounds is estimated to have a $1.2 billion economic impact, with experiential retail and dining, multifamily housing and condominiums, a community amenity walking trail, and enhanced connectivity for the Winston-Salem community and Wake Forest’s Reynolda campus on the 100 acres adjacent to Allegacy Stadium, Joel Coliseum, Couch Ballpark, the Intercollegiate Tennis Center, and the City of Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. In 2023, together with Representative Donny Lambeth, Mayor Allen Joines, and other University and community leaders, Currie helped the City of Winston-Salem secure a $35 million infrastructure grant for the project.
On Dec. 18, 2025, Currie introduced Jake Dickert as just the third Demon Deacon head football coach of the 21st century following the resignation of longtime coach Dave Clawson on Dec. 16. Previously, Coach Dickert led the Washington State Cougars to three-straight bowl appearances and mentored seven NFL Draft picks in three years. Building on Wake Forest’s status as the winningest ACC football program in North Carolina this century, Dickert has reinvigorated Demon Deacon Nation with his Built in the Dark program philosophy.
During Currie’s tenure, Wake Forest has captured the 2023 NCAA women’s golf and 2025 men’s tennis team national championships, eight ACC team championships, the 2021 ACC Football Atlantic Division title, four bowl game appearances, and seven individual ACC titles. Seven Demon Deacon head coaches have been named ACC Coach of the Year a combined nine times since 2021, with national honors earned by women’s golf coach Kim Lewellen, baseball head coach Tom Walter, and men’s tennis coach Tony Bresky. In 2023, Wake Forest baseball captivated the nation—rising to a No. 1 national ranking and advancing to the College World Series for the first time since 1955. Six Demon Deacons have been selected in the first round of the MLB Draft over the past three seasons, making Wake Forest the first program in MLB Draft history to have multiple first-round picks in three consecutive years. In 2024, Wake Forest was named a “Best College Athletics Departments” winner by Front Office Sports.
Meanwhile, academically in 2024-25, Wake Forest student-athletes continued to excel in the classroom. Wake Forest had 11 programs score a perfect 1,000 in the latest Yearly Academic Progress Rate scores for 2023-24 and two programs earn perfect multi-year rates for the academic years 2020-21 through 2023-24.
Grassroots fan engagement, innovative partnerships, strengthening community connections, and delivering The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina are also hallmarks of Currie’s tenure. Opening Night of the 2019 football season featured the first-ever joint marching band performance by Wake Forest’s Spirit of the Old Gold and Black and Winston-Salem State University’s famous Red Sea of Sound. The Demon Deacons have sold out Allegacy Stadium 11 times since 2021 while compiling a home record of 24-13 over that span. In the fall of 2021, Inside Higher Ed provided national acclaim for Wake Forest’s innovative student pregame tailgate zone, which brought together 29 campus organizations and over 80 percent of the Wake Forest student body at multiple football games. Collaboration with Wake’s in-house Communications & External Relations staff led to the launch of the popular DEACTOWN concept, and for the first time ever, Wake Forest hosted ESPN’s College GameDay on Sept. 12, 2020, generating exposure value to the University in excess of $13 million.
Since 2021, Wake’s social media presence has grown rapidly, with more than 150 million impressions and a 28% increase in followers in one year alone. The introduction of fan-first elements like the DEACTOWN Fan Zone at Allegacy Stadium and the student-driven Screamin’ Demon Fan Zone at LJVM Coliseum has elevated the in-venue experience across sports. Men’s basketball has posted back-to-back record-setting seasons at LJVM Coliseum, including the program’s first sellout since 2017 and a building-record 14,744 fans for a win over No. 8 Duke in 2024. Wake Forest Baseball has shattered attendance and revenue records, including drawing 77,000 fans and eight sellouts in 2024.
Taking on the task of resurrecting Wake Forest’s treasured men’s basketball program, Currie hired Steve Forbes as head coach in 2020 during the depths of the pandemic. Under Forbes, the Deacs have posted four straight winning seasons and four consecutive years with double-digit ACC victories — a program first — and have reached the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals three straight years for the first time since 2005–07. The Deacs tied a program record with 13 ACC wins in 2024-25, and Forbes has produced four straight First Team All-ACC honorees.
Currie has also made strategic moves across other programs, including the hires of women’s basketball head coach Megan Gebbia in 2022 and volleyball head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer this year.
Wake Forest Athletics has experienced record-setting philanthropic momentum under Currie’s leadership, with Deacon Club donors contributing more than $187 million in cash gifts over the last six years. Membership in the International Leadership Circle (ILC), launched to recognize donors who give at least $15,000 in cash annually for operations and scholarships, has soared from 113 at inception in 2020 to 359 members in FY25. The innovative “In Her Wake” $100 million initiative to benefit Demon Deacon women's athletics exceeded $39 Million in its second year too. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Wake Forest set an all-time cash giving record of $37.5 million in FY21, followed by record participation with over 5,300 donors in FY22. And, donor investments enabled Wake Forest Athletics to sprint out of the pandemic and deliver the Dr. Caryl Guth and Chris Paul Family Women’s & Men’s Basketball Clubhouses in 2022 and the new McCreary Football Complex in 2023. These aforementioned projects are completely donor funded and free of long term debt.
In June 2023, Wake Forest and hometown Allegacy Federal Credit Union announced a historic stadium naming partnership. Additionally, a groundbreaking agreement was established with Truist as an Official Banking Partner of Wake Forest Athletics and Presenting Partner of Wake Forest Women’s Athletics And, recognizing the heroes of Wake Forest’s role in desegregating major college sports in the South, Currie’s staff created the Robert Grant and Kenneth “Butch” Henry Trailblazer Award in 2021.
During his 2009–17 run at Kansas State, Currie turned a program with an inherited deficit into one of the NCAA’s most financially solvent and sustainable. He conceived and built $210 million in new state-of-the-art facilities, benefitting all 16 Wildcat sports, entirely funded without state tax, University tuition, or fee dollars. In 2016, Kansas State’s Bill Snyder Family Stadium was one of five finalists for the Sports Business Journal Facility of the Year. During his K-State tenure, the Wildcats won Big 12 championships in football, men’s basketball, and baseball, appeared in seven consecutive bowl games, had 17 teams earn NCAA berths, and won 11 individual NCAA titles. Currie’s career fundraising accomplishments include record private gifts of $50 million at Tennessee in 2008 and $60 million at K-State in 2014. His head coaching hires include Bruce Weber at K-State, who led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight and two men’s basketball Big 12 championships, and Tony Vitello, who led the Tennessee Volunteers to their first-ever NCAA baseball national championship in 2024. Currie began his career as a Deacon Club intern in 1993 and later spent 11 total years in three stints at Tennessee.
Currie serves as a member of the Forsyth County Tourism and Development Authority and has been named to Business North Carolina Magazine’s Power List multiple times. He taught a graduate sports management class annually at Columbia University from 2018–2022 and is a life member of the Fiesta Bowl Board of Directors.
Currie earned his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University in 1993 and holds a master’s in sports administration from the University of Tennessee. He and his wife of 27 years, Mary Lawrence, are the proud parents of three children—Jack, Gigi, and Mary-Dell—and King Charles Cavaliers named Chase and Scout.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quotes Upon Long-Term Contract Extension on June 27, 2024
"The University continues to benefit from the tremendous reach, brand identity, and engagement Wake Forest Athletics enables for our institution and wider communities. Over the past five years, John Currie has built a championship culture and promoted excellence across all of our sports. He has recruited an exceptional athletics administrative team, hired and retained outstanding coaches, and always ensures that the focus remains on our more than 400 student-athletes and the exceptional education they receive at Wake Forest. John continues to provide extraordinary leadership for Wake Forest Athletics during what undoubtedly will be looked back upon as one of the most turbulent periods in college sports’ long history. His appointment also as Vice President reflects his broad collaborations across the University as a whole; for example, his recent leadership role in the Baity Street project. John is always looking for solutions and for ways to move Wake Forest forward, for Athletics and for the University as a whole.”
Dr. Susan R. Wente
President
Wake Forest University
"I have frequently described John Currie to everyone, including our past and present university presidents, as a ‘3T’ leader; as he is tireless, thoughtful, and transparent. From the day John started at Wake Forest, I have been impressed with his tireless energy and the effort he dedicates as our AD. John is a very inclusive and thoughtful leader and he is someone who helped elevate Wake Forest's during his transformation tenure at his alma mater. I was thrilled to hear this well-deserved news for a valued leader within our community."
Dr. Peter Burbaker
Faculty Athletics Representative
Wake Forest University
“Mary Lawrence, our children and I are extremely grateful to call Wake Forest and Winston-Salem home. The unwavering support our Athletics staff and student-athletes receive from President Wente, the Board of Trustees and faculty and staff is second-to-none. Thanks to the cumulative efforts, accomplishments and contributions of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, donors, past leaders like Ron Wellman and Dr. Gene Hooks, and 2.7 million Demon Deacon fans nationwide, Wake Forest has the fastest growing brand in the ACC and Power conferences and we are stronger than at any point in our University’s history. I’m especially lucky to work on behalf of our 13 elite head coaches who truly provide the leadership to ensure a World Class Student-Athlete Experience for all 425 competitors in our programs.”
John Currie
Vice President & Director of Athletics
Wake Forest University
Quotes Upon Hiring on March 4, 2019
“I am delighted to welcome John Currie and his wife, Mary Lawrence, back home to their alma mater, Wake Forest. I’ve long followed John’s career. He comes highly recommended by a long list of academic leaders, commissioners, coaches, former student-athletes and staff throughout higher education and college athletics. As a Wake Forest grad, North Carolina native and accomplished athletic director, John is the perfect fit to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, Ron Wellman.”
Nathan O. Hatch
President Emeritus
Wake Forest University
“John Currie is widely viewed as one of the brightest leaders in college sports. He has magnificent experience and frankly, what he accomplished in his time at Kansas State is nothing short of extraordinary. He is highly regarded by his peers around the NCAA as one of the most innovative leaders in college athletics. I know John will bring great vision, incredible energy and work ethic to this job and be a terrific representative for our alma mater.”
Ben C. Sutton, Jr., Wake Forest trustee
Founder and former Chairman|CEO, IMG College
Chairman, Teall Capital
“While I was a student-athlete, John consistently made himself available to me and others and was laser focused on doing whatever he could to improve the student-athlete experience. John is a guy that gets it.”
Chris Merriewether
Guard, 2010 Kansas State Elite Eight basketball team
Wharton School of Business MBA, Class of 2018
Exeter Property Group
“John did many great things for K-State as well as me personally. He was a great leader for the university and mentor for student-athletes. Even after I graduated he has contributed to my personal growth. I will always consider John a mentor and friend.”
Rodney McGruder
Former Kansas State student-athlete
Current Los Angeles Clippers Guard
“John Currie is one of the most dynamic and talented executives in college sports. Wake Forest is very fortunate to have his leadership and skills. He will be a great asset to his alma mater.”
Tom McMillen
CEO
Lead 1 Association
“I deeply appreciate John Currie’s dedication to the enhancement of the student-athlete experience and his long-standing commitment to the advancement of women and minorities.”
Danielle M. Donehew
Executive Director
Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
“I enjoyed my time working with John. One thing I really appreciate about him is the emphasis he placed on enhancing the student-athlete experience and ensuring that our young men and women had positive, transformative experiences. He also did a great job fostering relationships across campus and making it clear that the entire campus community played a major role in the success of the athletic department. I really appreciated the way he supported our program, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with him and build a friendship with Mary Lawrence and him.”
Rick Barnes
Head Men’s Basketball Coach
University of Tennessee
“I am impressed by John's proven record of building strong senior leadership teams and hiring winning coaches, while always being committed to integrity and the student-athlete experience. As a leader he is distinguished by his energy, collaborative approach and a strong set of values that have enabled him to build enduring relationships with senior university administrators, faculty, coaches, student-athletes, alumni and all the stakeholders with whom he engages.”
Gerald F. Roach
Chair, Board of Trustees
Wake Forest University
“John is a visionary leader and an even better human being. Best in class coaches want to be on his team and student-athletes excel under his mentorship. John leads through teamwork and inclusiveness in recruiting, developing and empowering those around him to achieve their greatest potential with unwavering integrity. John is an innovator and will be a trailblazer for Wake Forest Athletics as a national model for excellence as well as a steward for our Winston Salem community in advocating for our collective future. At his core, John is a true servant leader with tremendous passion, energy and a boundless ambition for the long-term success of Wake Forest University.”
Mit Shah
Noble Investment Group
Vice Chair, Board of Trustees
Wake Forest University
“I am excited about the opportunity to work with John Currie and welcome him back to Wake Forest. I have known John for over a decade and have always been impressed with his work ethic, intelligence, and dedication to his profession. He understands Wake Forest as a student and administrator. I look forward to working with John and continuing to build our football program and athletic department with him.”
Dave Clawson
Head Football Coach
Wake Forest University
“Not often in life do you find a perfect match. John Currie is a perfect fit for Wake Forest. He is an alum, his wife is an alum, and he is one of the brightest young people in college athletics. For him to have a chance to come home to his alma mater is special. It is big news for John Currie, but even bigger news for Wake Forest. John is prepared to lead Wake Forest into the future.”
Chris Del Conte
Vice President & Director of Athletics
University of Texas
John Currie was introduced as the sixth Director of Athletics at Wake Forest University on March 4, 2019 and was promoted to Vice President by current Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente on June 27, 2024. One of the most experienced athletics directors in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the 2025-26 academic year will mark his 16th as a Power - 4 athletics director, as he previously held the top position at Tennessee and Kansas State. Recognized in both 2022 and 2013 as a National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Athletics Director of the Year, Currie also received the Bobby Dodd Athletic Director Award in 2013 and was a Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 winner in 2011. His 32-year career has been spent entirely in the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 and he currently serves as the ACC’s representative on the NCAA Division I Council.
Building on the foundation laid by hall of fame Wake Forest athletics directors Dr. Gene Hooks (1964-1992) and Ron Wellman (1992-2019), Currie’s team has focused on delivering A Model Intercollegiate Athletics Program centered on five core goals:
- A World Class Student-Athlete Experience
- Integrity in Academics, Compliance, Finance, Inclusion and Safety
- Value to the University, Winston-Salem and Triad Communities
- Win Championships
- The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina
On December 7, 2024, a key Currie-driven initiative took a huge step toward delivery as Wake Forest and master plan development partner Carter Front Street celebrated the groundbreaking of the mixed-use entertainment district “The Grounds” (www.visitthegrounds.com) after five years of behind-the-scenes work and planning. The first phase of The Grounds is estimated to have a $1.2 billion economic impact, with experiential retail and dining, multifamily housing and condominiums, a community amenity walking trail, and enhanced connectivity for the Winston-Salem community and Wake Forest’s Reynolda campus on the 100 acres adjacent to Allegacy Stadium, Joel Coliseum, Couch Ballpark, the Intercollegiate Tennis Center, and the City of Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. In 2023, together with Representative Donny Lambeth, Mayor Allen Joines, and other University and community leaders, Currie helped the City of Winston-Salem secure a $35 million infrastructure grant for the project.
On Dec. 18, 2025, Currie introduced Jake Dickert as just the third Demon Deacon head football coach of the 21st century following the resignation of longtime coach Dave Clawson on Dec. 16. Previously, Coach Dickert led the Washington State Cougars to three-straight bowl appearances and mentored seven NFL Draft picks in three years. Building on Wake Forest’s status as the winningest ACC football program in North Carolina this century, Dickert has reinvigorated Demon Deacon Nation with his Built in the Dark program philosophy.
During Currie’s tenure, Wake Forest has captured the 2023 NCAA women’s golf and 2025 men’s tennis team national championships, eight ACC team championships, the 2021 ACC Football Atlantic Division title, four bowl game appearances, and seven individual ACC titles. Seven Demon Deacon head coaches have been named ACC Coach of the Year a combined nine times since 2021, with national honors earned by women’s golf coach Kim Lewellen, baseball head coach Tom Walter, and men’s tennis coach Tony Bresky. In 2023, Wake Forest baseball captivated the nation—rising to a No. 1 national ranking and advancing to the College World Series for the first time since 1955. Six Demon Deacons have been selected in the first round of the MLB Draft over the past three seasons, making Wake Forest the first program in MLB Draft history to have multiple first-round picks in three consecutive years. In 2024, Wake Forest was named a “Best College Athletics Departments” winner by Front Office Sports.
Meanwhile, academically in 2024-25, Wake Forest student-athletes continued to excel in the classroom. Wake Forest had 11 programs score a perfect 1,000 in the latest Yearly Academic Progress Rate scores for 2023-24 and two programs earn perfect multi-year rates for the academic years 2020-21 through 2023-24.
Grassroots fan engagement, innovative partnerships, strengthening community connections, and delivering The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina are also hallmarks of Currie’s tenure. Opening Night of the 2019 football season featured the first-ever joint marching band performance by Wake Forest’s Spirit of the Old Gold and Black and Winston-Salem State University’s famous Red Sea of Sound. The Demon Deacons have sold out Allegacy Stadium 11 times since 2021 while compiling a home record of 24-13 over that span. In the fall of 2021, Inside Higher Ed provided national acclaim for Wake Forest’s innovative student pregame tailgate zone, which brought together 29 campus organizations and over 80 percent of the Wake Forest student body at multiple football games. Collaboration with Wake’s in-house Communications & External Relations staff led to the launch of the popular DEACTOWN concept, and for the first time ever, Wake Forest hosted ESPN’s College GameDay on Sept. 12, 2020, generating exposure value to the University in excess of $13 million.
Since 2021, Wake’s social media presence has grown rapidly, with more than 150 million impressions and a 28% increase in followers in one year alone. The introduction of fan-first elements like the DEACTOWN Fan Zone at Allegacy Stadium and the student-driven Screamin’ Demon Fan Zone at LJVM Coliseum has elevated the in-venue experience across sports. Men’s basketball has posted back-to-back record-setting seasons at LJVM Coliseum, including the program’s first sellout since 2017 and a building-record 14,744 fans for a win over No. 8 Duke in 2024. Wake Forest Baseball has shattered attendance and revenue records, including drawing 77,000 fans and eight sellouts in 2024.
Taking on the task of resurrecting Wake Forest’s treasured men’s basketball program, Currie hired Steve Forbes as head coach in 2020 during the depths of the pandemic. Under Forbes, the Deacs have posted four straight winning seasons and four consecutive years with double-digit ACC victories — a program first — and have reached the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals three straight years for the first time since 2005–07. The Deacs tied a program record with 13 ACC wins in 2024-25, and Forbes has produced four straight First Team All-ACC honorees.
Currie has also made strategic moves across other programs, including the hires of women’s basketball head coach Megan Gebbia in 2022 and volleyball head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer this year.
Wake Forest Athletics has experienced record-setting philanthropic momentum under Currie’s leadership, with Deacon Club donors contributing more than $187 million in cash gifts over the last six years. Membership in the International Leadership Circle (ILC), launched to recognize donors who give at least $15,000 in cash annually for operations and scholarships, has soared from 113 at inception in 2020 to 359 members in FY25. The innovative “In Her Wake” $100 million initiative to benefit Demon Deacon women's athletics exceeded $39 Million in its second year too. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Wake Forest set an all-time cash giving record of $37.5 million in FY21, followed by record participation with over 5,300 donors in FY22. And, donor investments enabled Wake Forest Athletics to sprint out of the pandemic and deliver the Dr. Caryl Guth and Chris Paul Family Women’s & Men’s Basketball Clubhouses in 2022 and the new McCreary Football Complex in 2023. These aforementioned projects are completely donor funded and free of long term debt.
In June 2023, Wake Forest and hometown Allegacy Federal Credit Union announced a historic stadium naming partnership. Additionally, a groundbreaking agreement was established with Truist as an Official Banking Partner of Wake Forest Athletics and Presenting Partner of Wake Forest Women’s Athletics And, recognizing the heroes of Wake Forest’s role in desegregating major college sports in the South, Currie’s staff created the Robert Grant and Kenneth “Butch” Henry Trailblazer Award in 2021.
During his 2009–17 run at Kansas State, Currie turned a program with an inherited deficit into one of the NCAA’s most financially solvent and sustainable. He conceived and built $210 million in new state-of-the-art facilities, benefitting all 16 Wildcat sports, entirely funded without state tax, University tuition, or fee dollars. In 2016, Kansas State’s Bill Snyder Family Stadium was one of five finalists for the Sports Business Journal Facility of the Year. During his K-State tenure, the Wildcats won Big 12 championships in football, men’s basketball, and baseball, appeared in seven consecutive bowl games, had 17 teams earn NCAA berths, and won 11 individual NCAA titles. Currie’s career fundraising accomplishments include record private gifts of $50 million at Tennessee in 2008 and $60 million at K-State in 2014. His head coaching hires include Bruce Weber at K-State, who led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight and two men’s basketball Big 12 championships, and Tony Vitello, who led the Tennessee Volunteers to their first-ever NCAA baseball national championship in 2024. Currie began his career as a Deacon Club intern in 1993 and later spent 11 total years in three stints at Tennessee.
Currie serves as a member of the Forsyth County Tourism and Development Authority and has been named to Business North Carolina Magazine’s Power List multiple times. He taught a graduate sports management class annually at Columbia University from 2018–2022 and is a life member of the Fiesta Bowl Board of Directors.
Currie earned his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University in 1993 and holds a master’s in sports administration from the University of Tennessee. He and his wife of 27 years, Mary Lawrence, are the proud parents of three children—Jack, Gigi, and Mary-Dell—and King Charles Cavaliers named Chase and Scout.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quotes Upon Long-Term Contract Extension on June 27, 2024
"The University continues to benefit from the tremendous reach, brand identity, and engagement Wake Forest Athletics enables for our institution and wider communities. Over the past five years, John Currie has built a championship culture and promoted excellence across all of our sports. He has recruited an exceptional athletics administrative team, hired and retained outstanding coaches, and always ensures that the focus remains on our more than 400 student-athletes and the exceptional education they receive at Wake Forest. John continues to provide extraordinary leadership for Wake Forest Athletics during what undoubtedly will be looked back upon as one of the most turbulent periods in college sports’ long history. His appointment also as Vice President reflects his broad collaborations across the University as a whole; for example, his recent leadership role in the Baity Street project. John is always looking for solutions and for ways to move Wake Forest forward, for Athletics and for the University as a whole.”
Dr. Susan R. Wente
President
Wake Forest University
"I have frequently described John Currie to everyone, including our past and present university presidents, as a ‘3T’ leader; as he is tireless, thoughtful, and transparent. From the day John started at Wake Forest, I have been impressed with his tireless energy and the effort he dedicates as our AD. John is a very inclusive and thoughtful leader and he is someone who helped elevate Wake Forest's during his transformation tenure at his alma mater. I was thrilled to hear this well-deserved news for a valued leader within our community."
Dr. Peter Burbaker
Faculty Athletics Representative
Wake Forest University
“Mary Lawrence, our children and I are extremely grateful to call Wake Forest and Winston-Salem home. The unwavering support our Athletics staff and student-athletes receive from President Wente, the Board of Trustees and faculty and staff is second-to-none. Thanks to the cumulative efforts, accomplishments and contributions of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, donors, past leaders like Ron Wellman and Dr. Gene Hooks, and 2.7 million Demon Deacon fans nationwide, Wake Forest has the fastest growing brand in the ACC and Power conferences and we are stronger than at any point in our University’s history. I’m especially lucky to work on behalf of our 13 elite head coaches who truly provide the leadership to ensure a World Class Student-Athlete Experience for all 425 competitors in our programs.”
John Currie
Vice President & Director of Athletics
Wake Forest University
Quotes Upon Hiring on March 4, 2019
“I am delighted to welcome John Currie and his wife, Mary Lawrence, back home to their alma mater, Wake Forest. I’ve long followed John’s career. He comes highly recommended by a long list of academic leaders, commissioners, coaches, former student-athletes and staff throughout higher education and college athletics. As a Wake Forest grad, North Carolina native and accomplished athletic director, John is the perfect fit to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, Ron Wellman.”
Nathan O. Hatch
President Emeritus
Wake Forest University
“John Currie is widely viewed as one of the brightest leaders in college sports. He has magnificent experience and frankly, what he accomplished in his time at Kansas State is nothing short of extraordinary. He is highly regarded by his peers around the NCAA as one of the most innovative leaders in college athletics. I know John will bring great vision, incredible energy and work ethic to this job and be a terrific representative for our alma mater.”
Ben C. Sutton, Jr., Wake Forest trustee
Founder and former Chairman|CEO, IMG College
Chairman, Teall Capital
“While I was a student-athlete, John consistently made himself available to me and others and was laser focused on doing whatever he could to improve the student-athlete experience. John is a guy that gets it.”
Chris Merriewether
Guard, 2010 Kansas State Elite Eight basketball team
Wharton School of Business MBA, Class of 2018
Exeter Property Group
“John did many great things for K-State as well as me personally. He was a great leader for the university and mentor for student-athletes. Even after I graduated he has contributed to my personal growth. I will always consider John a mentor and friend.”
Rodney McGruder
Former Kansas State student-athlete
Current Los Angeles Clippers Guard
“John Currie is one of the most dynamic and talented executives in college sports. Wake Forest is very fortunate to have his leadership and skills. He will be a great asset to his alma mater.”
Tom McMillen
CEO
Lead 1 Association
“I deeply appreciate John Currie’s dedication to the enhancement of the student-athlete experience and his long-standing commitment to the advancement of women and minorities.”
Danielle M. Donehew
Executive Director
Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
“I enjoyed my time working with John. One thing I really appreciate about him is the emphasis he placed on enhancing the student-athlete experience and ensuring that our young men and women had positive, transformative experiences. He also did a great job fostering relationships across campus and making it clear that the entire campus community played a major role in the success of the athletic department. I really appreciated the way he supported our program, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with him and build a friendship with Mary Lawrence and him.”
Rick Barnes
Head Men’s Basketball Coach
University of Tennessee
“I am impressed by John's proven record of building strong senior leadership teams and hiring winning coaches, while always being committed to integrity and the student-athlete experience. As a leader he is distinguished by his energy, collaborative approach and a strong set of values that have enabled him to build enduring relationships with senior university administrators, faculty, coaches, student-athletes, alumni and all the stakeholders with whom he engages.”
Gerald F. Roach
Chair, Board of Trustees
Wake Forest University
“John is a visionary leader and an even better human being. Best in class coaches want to be on his team and student-athletes excel under his mentorship. John leads through teamwork and inclusiveness in recruiting, developing and empowering those around him to achieve their greatest potential with unwavering integrity. John is an innovator and will be a trailblazer for Wake Forest Athletics as a national model for excellence as well as a steward for our Winston Salem community in advocating for our collective future. At his core, John is a true servant leader with tremendous passion, energy and a boundless ambition for the long-term success of Wake Forest University.”
Mit Shah
Noble Investment Group
Vice Chair, Board of Trustees
Wake Forest University
“I am excited about the opportunity to work with John Currie and welcome him back to Wake Forest. I have known John for over a decade and have always been impressed with his work ethic, intelligence, and dedication to his profession. He understands Wake Forest as a student and administrator. I look forward to working with John and continuing to build our football program and athletic department with him.”
Dave Clawson
Head Football Coach
Wake Forest University
“Not often in life do you find a perfect match. John Currie is a perfect fit for Wake Forest. He is an alum, his wife is an alum, and he is one of the brightest young people in college athletics. For him to have a chance to come home to his alma mater is special. It is big news for John Currie, but even bigger news for Wake Forest. John is prepared to lead Wake Forest into the future.”
Chris Del Conte
Vice President & Director of Athletics
University of Texas
Sept. 27, 2025: Coach Jake Dickert Postgame Press Conference Following Game vs. Georgia Tech
Sunday, September 28
Dylan Hazen forces the fumble
Saturday, September 27
Demond Claiborne takes it 27 yards for the TD
Saturday, September 27
Robbie Ashford gets the Deacs' first score of the day
Saturday, September 27
