MEN’S TENNIS SEEKS TO REPEAT
IN LAB THE
Wake Forest Baseball and Wake Forest Baptist Health make their pitch to be partners in new stateof-the-art facility
MARCH 2019
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VOL. 28 // ISSUE 6 (USPS 014-373) EDITOR
Jim Buice PHOTOGRAPHERS
Brian Westerholt, WFU Athletics and others as noted WRITERS
Sam Walker, Stephanie Hudson, Rachael Bari, Lauren Close Design & Layout
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CONTENTS
THREE IN A ROW: Gene Hooks, who served as Wake Forest's athletic director from 1964 to 1992, stands between Ron Wellman and John Currie at the March 4 press conference when Wellman announced his retirement as athletic director after 27 years at Wake Forest (from 1992 to 2019) and Currie was introduced as the new athletic director. See Page 4 for more details.
4 22 Gold Rush is published eight times a year in August, October, November, December, February, March, May and June by Learfield IMG College in conjunction with Wake Forest Athletics. Periodicals postage paid at Winston-Salem, NC 27102 and at additional mailing offices. The price of an annual subscription is $20. Members of the Deacon Club receive a oneyear subscription as part of their membership. Persons wishing to subscribe to Gold Rush should send a check or money order (credit cards not accepted) to:
// M A R C H 2 0 1 9
FROM THE AD INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
26 30
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? COMPLIANCE CORNER
// 6 NEW PITCHING LAB Wake Forest Baseball and Wake Forest Baptist Health combine forces to do research and advance care for pitchers.
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Led by the nation’s top-ranked singles player Petros Chrysochos, the Deacon men’s tennis team entered the new season ranked No. 1 and is hoping for a repeat of the 2018 championship season.
POSTMASTER: Please send all address changes to the attention of Stephanie Hudson, Wake Forest Athletics, 519 Deacon Blvd. Winston-Salem, NC 27105.
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ON THE COVER Morgan McSweeney fires a pitch during the unveiling of the new pitching lab in January.
CONTINUING THE TRADITION Kim Lewellen, the first-year coach of the Wake Forest women’s golf team, brings an impressive resume and many of the same values of Dianne Dailey – the coach she is replacing.
// 20 HALL OF FAME 2018-19 The seven inductees include Tyson Clabo (football), Steve Justice (football), Kyle Sleeth (baseball), Webb Simpson (golf), Claire Laubach (field hockey), Todd Paul (tennis) and John Zeglinski (football and baseball).
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FROM THE A.D.
// R O N W E L L M A N
Student-athletes making the grades Dear Demon Deacons,
RON WELLMAN DIRECTOR O F AT H L E T I C S
Last month I wrote to you about completing the best fall we have ever had competitively. Not only did we excel competitively, our student-athletes also performed very well in the classroom. • A ll seven of the women’s teams had a semester GPA of 3.0 or greater and all have cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or greater. • Ten of 14 teams had semester GPAs of 3.0 or greater. • Women’s soccer, women’s golf and women’s cross country/ track & field all had semester GPAs of 3.4 or greater. • M en’s cross country/track & field took the honors in the classroom for men’s sports with a GPA of 3.285. • M en’s basketball also performed well with a semester GPA of 3.0. • T hirteen student-athletes had a perfect 4.0 for the fall semester. As I am writing this article, all sophomore students have just declared their majors. To help prepare student-athletes
to make their choice, StudentAthlete Services partnered with the University and Student Government to hold a Major/ Minor Madness where students from across campus, including student-athletes, participated in panel discussions that provided guidance on how to select a major and also how to use the major selected after graduation. Do you know what the top four majors were of student-athletes that graduated last year? I think the answer will surprise you. The top four majors of last year’s graduating class were… • Communication • B usiness and Enterprise Management and Finance • Economics • H ealth and Exercise Science Not only are student-athletes engaged in challenging majors, they are equally interested in preparing for their future. Over 280 studentathletes along with 35 employers and 15 alumni participated in the sixth annual Student-Athlete Career and Networking Night. The
event allows student-athletes to gain insight, inspiration and opportunities in industries of interest. Student-Athlete Development is also busy building a network of employers and alumni who are passionate about connecting our student-athletes to career paths. Keeping with tradition, this spring, the department will host its annual Black and Golden Globes. An iconic event for our student-athletes to celebrate the many accomplishments we share – all part of creating the legacy of being a Demon Deacon. This year there will also be a special recognition of our senior student-athletes and a surprise for anyone who supports Wake Forest Athletics. Stay tuned… I applaud all of our studentathletes and hope that you will continue cheering them on both competitively and academically. Proud To Be A Deacon! Go Deacs! Ron Wellman
RON WELLMAN TO RETIRE, JOHN CURRIE NAMED AD
Ron Wellman and John Currie Ron Wellman announced his plans to retire as Athletic Director at Wake Forest on March 3 after nearly 27 years of outstanding service.. Wake Forest President Nathan O. Hatch selected John Currie to succeed Wellman as the University’s sixth athletic director.
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Wellman has served as Wake Forest’s Athletic Director since 1992. In that time, Wake Forest has emerged as a national power in golf, tennis, men’s soccer and field hockey, and the football team recently made history with bowl wins in three consecutive years. Accomplishments under Wellman’s leadership include five team and seven individual national titles, 22 ACC championships and the renaissance of our athletics facilities. During his tenure, Wake Forest has raised over $400 million in philanthropic support for athletics. Wellman’s retirement is effective May 1, when Currie, a 1993 Wake Forest graduate, assumes the role as Athletic Director. Currie served his alma mater for six years in the 1990’s as assistant director of the Deacon Club, and assistant AD. Currie has nine years of service as a NCAA Division I level athletics director, at Kansas State University from 2009-17 and most recently at Tennessee.
We’ll have more details on the announcement and the pending transition in the next issue of Gold Rush.
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BASEBALL
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NEW PITCHING LAB,
NEW PARTNERS WAKE FOREST BASEBALL, WAKE FOREST BAPTIST HEALTH TEAM UP IN STATE-OF-THE ART BIOMECHANICS LAB TO HELP PREVENT PITCHING INJURIES AND ENHANCE PERFORMANCE By Jim Buice
W
hen describing Wake Forest Baseball’s new state-of-the art pitching lab and a partnership with Wake Forest Baptist Health, head coach Tom Walter said, “Nobody has everything we have here. Nobody has the people we have. And nobody has it under one roof collaborating on everything.”
The organizations will combine forces in the biomechanics lab in the Chris Hurd Player Development Center at David F. Couch Ballpark – the first partnership of its kind in college baseball. "This is truly a groundbreaking partnership," Walter said. "First and foremost, this ensures that the development and health of the Wake Forest pitching staff will be second to none in professional and amateur baseball. Equally important, however, is the opportunity to improve the game of baseball as a whole and put Winston-Salem at the epicenter of cutting-edge pitching analytics." The lab, which will eventually be expanded to analyze athletes from various youth baseball organizations, utilizes 16 high-speed cameras and motion-captures markers to record each detail of a pitcher’s delivery. The additional data gathered from the young athletes will be combined with that of the college athletes to help identify the root causes of baseball injuries and hopefully prevent many of them. Dr. Brian Waterman, who is the Demon Deacon team physician and an associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at Wake Forest Baptist, specializes in shoulder and elbow care and works with the players on injury prevention and recovery.
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"Helping athletes prevent injuries is a major focus of our sports medicine team, and we are thrilled to be able to bring the expertise and research capabilities of Wake Forest Baptist's academic medical center directly to the players who will use this facility," he said. Dr. Andrew Koman, who is head of orthopaedics at Wake Forest Baptist, added, “We’ve been the sports medicine physicians for the university for 45, 50 years. But we were just the doctors. Now we are partners. This gives us a way to do research and advance care for all student-athletes.” Athletics Director Ron Wellman said that the structure and the lab is unique, but what really makes this initiative so special is the partnership with Wake Forest Baptist Health. “There isn’t another baseball program or athletic program that is so closely tied to an academic medical center,” he said. “What we gain would not be possible if it weren’t for that partnership and what they’re going to be able to give us to help our players.”
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long with the lab comes a true team approach to working with the pitching staff, including the return of John Hendricks as pitching coach. Hendricks, a 2000 graduate of Wake Forest who still ranks as the program’s all-time leader with 34 career wins and 409.2 innings pitched, spent more than nine years working in Major League Baseball, including the last five seasons with the New York Mets. After two years as the Area Supervisor of the Carolinas, Hendricks was promoted to National Pitching Supervisor in 2015. “It was a dream job to be a scout for nine years, and I never ever thought about being a college coach again,” he said. “I certainly wouldn’t be a college coach anywhere except for Wake Forest.” In his last position with the Mets, he was responsible for evaluating and drafting pitchers across the country. He also served
“ SO ALL THE THINGS I WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT WE NEEDED OUR PITCHERS AND PITCHING COACHES TO WORK ON (WITH THE METS), WE CAN FIND OUT NOW IF IT ACTUALLY HELPS THE ELBOW AND SHOULDER WHILE WE TRY TO THROW HARDER AND MAKE — JOHN HENDRICKS, WAKE FOREST PITCHING COACH BETTER PITCHES.”
Pitching coach John Hendricks (right) looks on as freshman Ryan Cusick throws a pitch.
The new pitching lab is part of the Chris Hurd Player Development Center, which opened in February of 2017 and was completed this past fall. Constructed for more than $12 million, the Player Development Center includes a new dugout and bullpen, locker room, equipment room, training room, team lounge, and nutrition area in addition to the pitching lab (Phase One), as well as a team meeting room, dedicated video room, coaches' offices, a biomechanist's office, a conference room, game day suites, and a baseball heritage area (Phase Two, completed this fall).
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Morgan McSweeney watches as sensors are placed on his body as part of the evaluation. as the voice on the staff regarding future pitching development and mentored a 20-person staff on the science of scouting pitchers. “I’m one of those guys whose brain gets really excited when there’s new stuff,” he said. “I don’t think Coach Walter would have hired somebody that would say we don’t need all this new stuff.” And he’s getting a great education working with Dr. Kristen Nicholson, a member of the Wake Forest Baptist sports medicine group who has a Ph.D in biomechanics and kinesiology and occupies an office in the Player Development Center. “Her office is right down there,” Hendricks said while pointing down the hall. “It’s sort of the hub of everything. She runs the motion capture, analyzes the data and builds the kinematic printouts. “My job is to look at the kinematic breakdown and see deficiencies like in hip movement, their legs, their trunk, their shoulder, their elbow and then to devise ways to work on their throwing patterns and their delivery patterns to enhance and maybe change some of the things that they’re doing poorly. “It’s not just the building and the cameras. I mean, this is our fulltime PhD. It’s not just somebody who comes by once a month like a physical therapist. We get together every day, and we talk about the pitchers on the team and brainstorm on new ways to help them. “So all the things I was talking about that we needed our pitchers and pitching coaches to work on (with the Mets), we can find out now if it actually helps the elbow and shoulder while we try to throw harder and make better pitches.” Then there’s what Hendricks calls “our double top secret weapons for our pitchers” in Jeff Strahm, the baseball athletic trainer, and Mark Seaver, the strength coach. Strahm is in his 21st year with the WFU Sports Medicine Department and is responsible for the team’s day-to-day care including prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. Seaver, a former pitcher for the Deacons from 1993-96 who pitched in the minor leagues for six seasons, is in his 13th season as coordinator of sports performance.
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“ THIS IS BIGGER THAN JUST WAKE FOREST. ARM INJURIES HAVE BAFFLED THE BASEBALL WORLD FOR DECADES. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHY THESE OCCUR AND USE THAT INFORMATION TO HELP THE NEXT GENERATION OF BASEBALL PLAYERS.” — TOM WALTER, WAKE FOREST HEAD BASEBALL COACH, ON THE NEW PITCHING LAB “With the lab, and our strength coach and arm care coach, who are two of the smartest people I know, a pitcher can’t go anywhere in the country and have a better situation,” Hendricks said.
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s one of the first students in Wake Forest’s pitching lab, Morgan McSweeney quickly realized the benefits of the new facility and all the scientific data being produced. McSweeney, a 6-4, 210-pound righthander from Hudson, Mass., who is one of two Deacon pitchers on D1Baseball's top-100 college draft prospects list for the 2019 MLB Draft at No. 58 (Colin Peluse is the other at No. 88), learned from the data that he needed to make an adjustment to avoid possible injury. “The big thing for me was hip/shoulder separation,” McSweeney said. “I learned I wasn’t firing my backside necessarily on time. So I know I’ve got to work on getting that more on time. This shows you things that you miss with just the naked eye.”
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MARCH 2019
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BASEBALL
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Dr. Kristen Nicholson, a member of the Wake Forest Baptist sports medicine group who occupies an office in the Player Development Center, is part of the team approach. Hendricks added, “Morgan was looking at some is now taking his changeup to another level. things shoulder- and elbow-wise that weren’t good. “He is an athlete and competitor,” Hendricks It could have been a possible injury down the road, said. “I scouted Morgan the last couple of years, but it also affects his performance and protects and he is learning to be a pitcher without losing his his top ability. If you’re not efficiently using your stuff. He is definitely a Major League prospect.” body, you can throw as hard as you can but not get ven when he was a standout pitcher two 94, 95. You’re going to pitch 91. So it helps on both decades ago for the Deacons, Hendricks sides, but it helps with the buy-in from the kids.” McSweeney said he knew a pitching lab was in was already a quasi-pitching coach and John Hendricks into the newest trends when Wake Forest won the works when he was recruited by Wake Forest. back-to-back ACC championships in 1998-99, “I wanted to go somewhere that was a good baseball school and had the academics, so I was looking for including a school-record 47 victories and finishing one step shy of a place with good balance,” said McSweeney, an economics the College World Series in 1999. major who picked Wake Forest over Boston College, Duke and “We were cutting edge because we had a video that you could Vanderbilt. “It came down to I fell in love with North Carolina roll the slo-mo back and forth,” Hendricks said with a laugh. “But and Winston-Salem, and when you look at all this stuff here, it’s a it was the beginning and foundation for what I do now because I pretty easy choice. It sells itself.” started watching different types of body movements. But it’s only changed because it’s fancier. It’s the same pioneering – what can McSweeney said that it was “pretty cool but a little strange when they put like 55 sensors all over your body, and then there’s we get better at. The passion for figuring out the deliveries and pressure plates in the mound and cameras all around. Then how to make them better already started then.” Kristen gets a computer and she can look at the strain being put on However, his contributions on the mound were significant, too, your body, and then we go back and analyze it before she prints out as the crafty southpaw was part of a strong staff that included Mike a biomechanics report. MacDougal and Dave Bush, who both pitched in the major leagues. “You really learn about yourself. The big thing is sort of evidence “I’m really, really proud of what we did,” Hendricks said. “We for the visual feedback you get. You can always go get hard-core played in the first-ever NCAA Super Regionals (in 1999). I’ve evidence. Then there’s the team approach to pitching. always been haunted that we didn’t go to Omaha.” I think it’s different from other schools. We’ve got Coach Now, he has another chance. And the biomechanics lab could Hendricks, and then you go to weight room and talk to Seaver, play a key role in helping the Deacons get there. “We’re doing it not only to sort of push the science on how to keep who is a Wake alum and been through pro ball, and then you have like having another on-the-field coach in Strahmer, who has a pitcher healthy while we push his performance ability,” Hendricks said, “but we’re also doing it in a way to try to help Wake Forest win been here forever.” baseball games and go to Omaha. I think we can do it, and we get a Hendricks said that McSweeney throws in the mid-90s and has three “swing-and-miss” pitches in a fastball, slider and a cutter, and chance to learn more about pitching at the same time.”
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MEN'S TENNIS
// D E F E N D I N G N C A A C H A M P I O N S
BACK FOR M DEFENDING NCAA CHAMPIONS READY TO MAKE SOME NEW MEMORIES IN 2019 By Jim Buice
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o just what can the Wake Forest men’s tennis team do for an encore after an incredible 2018 season where it was ranked No. 1 all year, won the 12
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ITA National Team Indoor Championship, the ACC regular season and tournament titles, and then captured the NCAA Championship on its own home courts?
And although key leaders Skander Mansouri, who held the program’s record for singles and doubles wins after last year, and Christian Seraphim have graduated, Bresky has added an influx of new talent – including top freshmen Melios Efstathiou (the topranked junior out of Cyprus) and Siddhant Banthia (the top-ranked junior out of India). Both were top 50 in the world as juniors. “Obviously, we’re a little younger,” Bresky said of the 2019 team. “We lost Christian and Skander from last year. They’ve been with us it seems like forever – great leaders, great guys, great teammates and great players. Those are big losses. “At the same time, I think we recruited a couple of really strong freshmen, and added Melios and Tayte (Dupree) in the fall, and Sid and Matej (Cintl) joined us in the spring. The nice
ORE “You know, you obviously think about last year and you remember some great memories and great moments,” said head coach Tony Bresky. “I think when you win as much as we did last year, I think it’s natural to have a little bit of a hangover and maybe not be quite as hungry. I think that’s kind of our job as coaches to make sure that doesn’t happen. “Every year is a new year, so I’m sure the guys on our team right now want to make some new memories, and we’re excited to work with this group.” The Deacons, again ranked No. 1 to start the new season, return senior Petros Chrysochos, the defending NCAA Men’s Singles champion, and junior Borna Gojo, who made it all the way to the title match before losing to his teammate – along with sophomore Bar Botzer, who clinched the deciding match in the thrilling victory over Ohio State in the team finals.
“ I DON’T KNOW IF ANYTHING WILL DUPLICATE WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR. OUR FANS AND THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY SUPPORTED US HERE, YOU LOOK AT THE CROWDS FOR THE QUARTERFINALS, SEMIFINALS AND FINALS, IT WAS NUTS. BEING ON COURT DURING THAT MATCH, I’VE NEVER BEEN A PART OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU COULD HARDLY HEAR WHAT WAS GOING ON. SEEING PEOPLE STANDING IN THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AND EVERY KIND OF NOOK AND CRANNY YOU COULD FIND TO WATCH THE TENNIS WAS AMAZING.”
—TONY BRESKY, ON WINNING THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2018 AT THE WAKE FOREST TENNIS COMPLEX
part of getting new blood in is they’re hungry and eager to prove themselves. Obviously, a couple of those guys – Melios and Sid – have already played a lot of tennis for us this spring, and they are fitting in really nicely.” In addition, redshirt senior Julian Zlobinsky, redshirt junior Alan Gadjiev, and sophomores Yuval Solomon and Rrezart Cungu have been part of the playing rotation for the deep Deacons. Wake Forest took a 12-2 record into the start of ACC play in late February and made another run to the finals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship before meeting Ohio State again and this time losing in a tight match. Bresky said he and the Deacons, who finished 31-2 last year and have won 30 or more matches three consecutive years, talk about breaking down the season into three parts – focusing first on the indoor season with the National Indoors, followed by the ACCs and the NCAAs after that. MARCH 2019
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“Really, the goals are pretty simple,” he said. “It’s trying to keep improving and get better every day, and hopefully the results will take care of themselves.”
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or Chrysochos, the nation’s top-ranked player in collegiate tennis, his goal for 2019 is simple. “I want to have the exact same year as last year,” he said. “We will definitely keep the traditions of last year and have the same schedule, the same routines and keep working hard. “We definitely have high expectations as a team, and I know that being No. 1 puts a target on our back, but to be honest, there’s not much difference this year other than the location of the NCAAs in Orlando. We’re ready to compete.” Certainly, there’s no way Chrysochos can exceed what he did last spring when he became the first player in program history to win the NCAA Singles Championship while helping lead the Deacons to its first team title. Chrysochos became the first three-time singles All-American while compiling a record-breaking 44-4 singles record last year, including a 30-match unbeaten streak to end the season, This fall, he won the program’s first-ever singles title at the ITA National Fall Championships and became Wake Forest’s alltime leader in career singles victories on Feb. 16, passing former teammate Mansouri, with win No. 120. Along with the on-the-court accomplishments, Chrysochos, a native of Cyprus who is majoring in communication and minoring in entrepreneurship, was named the 2018 ACC Men’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete after posting a 3.934 GPA in the spring. “I’m going to see if there are any loopholes where he can get another year,” Bresky said with a laugh. “He’s just a great kid and a great ambassador for our university and our tennis program.
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He helps in every way possible, and I think he’s going to be a very successful professional tennis player, and a very successful person post-tennis.” Chrysochos said that turning pro will only be a priority once he graduates, Petros Chrysochos and that he doesn’t want to rush finishing up at Wake Forest in what he calls “the best choice I’ve ever made in my life. If I had a choice I would gladly stay here and play another two to three years.” And while reflecting on the unprecedented 2018 season, that magical last week in May first comes to mind. “It’s one of the years I will remember forever,” Chrysochos said. “It’s hard to pinpoint a specific memory, but one thing that will stay with me will be the week that we played NCAAs here and we were with the whole team every single day and spending time together as teammates. The result obviously mattered a lot, but I think the whole process and the whole culture gave me some perspectives. It was an amazing experience.” A couple of days after claiming the NCAA Championship, the team journeyed to the White House to meet with President Trump. “President Trump was great,” Bresky said. “He met with us and took some pictures and gave us a tour of the White House. He had a speech on the lawn there, and he talked about our team a little bit. “We got our NCAA rings (in January) when we played Arizona State. We got President Trump a ring and figure he should wear it on TV every now and then. It was a good reminder of what we actually accomplished.” And now it’s time to try to do it again. “We need to have the right motivation, the right perspective, and hopefully we’ll still be able to accomplish some great things again this year,” Bresky said.
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MARCH 2019
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WOMEN'S GOLF
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// K I M L E W E L L E N
THE
RIGHT FIT THREE-TIME ACC COACH OF THE YEAR KIM LEWELLEN TAKES OVER WOMEN’S GOLF PROGRAM FROM FRIEND AND MENTOR DIANNE DAILEY By Sam Walker
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fter being named the fifth head coach in Wake Forest women’s golf history last June, Kim Lewellen stepped into the office that Dianne Dailey had previously occupied for the previous 30 years.
That office now belonged to her, and she stopped and looked at the team and individual player photographs still hanging on the walls, left by Dailey, undisturbed, chronicling the rich tradition of women’s golf at Wake Forest. “The pictures Coach Dailey had on the walls or her bookcases – I never took any of those down because every single young lady I saw I either played junior golf with them, played professional golf with them, or recruited them, and lost, or was competing against them when I was at Virginia,” Lewellen said. “So I have fond memories of everyone pictured there. When they walk onto campus, I know them, and they know me. I just felt a tie here even before I got here. I walked into a great situation with Jennifer Kupcho being a national champion, but also with all the seniors who have complemented her in Mai (Dechathipat) and Monica (Schumacher). “Moreover, with Emilia (Migliaccio) and the freshmen, we’re ranked 12th nationally, and I think we’re a little better than that. We’re recruited through 2021, and so not only did Dianne leave a legacy but also a great position to go into for me. Dianne is a good friend, and even now for every community event she picks me up and introduces me to the people I don’t know. She’s still mentoring me. This kind of
relationship is something that doesn’t happen that often in the coaching world. That’s what’s special about it because coaching is so competitive.” Ironically, if the timing had been a bit different, Lewellen might have been in some of those photographs already in Dailey’s office as a Wake Forest player. “I think I may have been the first recruit she might have called the day she (Dailey) took the job at Wake Forest,” Lewellen said. “I had to have been close to the first, but I had already committed to North Carolina by that time. Otherwise, I would have listened to Coach Dailey and come and taken a look. “I think it was a great transition for both of us. It got me closer to my mother, my sister-in-law goes to PA school here and is getting a second career, and I’ve been doing camps with Coach Dailey for the last 11 years here. The community here, I just felt like I already knew so many people. Within 12 hours after getting the job, I received at least 20 emails from people I had gotten to know here while doing camps.” Lewellen came to Wake Forest from Virginia, where she had earned ACC Coach the Year honors three times during her 11-year tenure. Her Cavalier teams won back-to-back ACC titles in 2015 and 2016 among nine overall team titles. In nine of 11 seasons, Virginia advanced to the NCAA Championship, including backto-back fourth-place finishes in 2011 and 2012 and reaching the match play quarterfinals in 2016. Lewellen’s Virginia teams featured 12 WGCA All-Americans, 18 All-ACC selections and 11 tournament medalists. In 2011, Lewellen was named the LPGA National College Coach of the Year. Before coaching at Virginia, she was the head coach at East Carolina for two seasons and began her collegiate coaching career in 2003-04 as the head coach of the MARCH 2019
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men's and women's teams at The Citadel for one season. Lewellen got into coaching when she made a successful inperson “cold call” to Les Robinson, then the athletic director at The Citadel. Both were attending a tennis match in the Charleston, S.C., area. That conversation began a domino effect of contacts that eventually landed her back in the ACC at Virginia in 2007. “I happened to see Les Robinson at a tennis match, and I just walked up and told him I was in the area if he ever needed a coach, and I wanted to get back into the golf industry,” Lewellen said. “Sure enough, a week later he called and said they needed a men’s and women’s coach, and I ended up coaching at The Citadel. Then Terry Holland, who had been the basketball coach and AD at Virginia, was the athletics director at East Carolina. So when that job came open, of course, Les Robinson knew Terry Holland. That situation worked out, and I end up at East Carolina. We did really well quickly, and I think we won their first conference championship (2005-06). So when Virginia needed a women’s golf coach, Terry Holland, of course, knew (Virginia Athletics Director) Craig Littlepage, and then there I was at Virginia.” Lewellen was born in Salisbury, Md., but grew up in Raleigh. Her father, Smith Byham Jr., taught her to play golf, and Lewellen said from the age of 14 until her first child, Jack, was born she pretty much “had a club in her hand every day.” Her father was an excellent golfer who played in the old Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) PGA tour event as an amateur. Her grandfather, Smith Byham Sr., coached high school football and basketball and is a member of the Maryland High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Lewellen won back-to-back North Carolina state girls junior championships, graduated from Broughton High School, and earned all-conference accolades competing on the boys’ golf team. “My father retired early and would pick me up every day after school, and we would go play golf,” Lewellen said. “It was an absolute blast. He taught me how to play the game, and before all
The Dianne Daily Golf Learning Center the technology we’re fortunate enough to have now, it was just about going out there and figuring out how to get the ball go right to left or left to right. That’s how I came to love the game.” Lewellen is a 1993 graduate of the University of North Carolina and was a two-time All-ACC performer. She earned first-team All-America honors in 1993 and won the NCAA East Regional her senior season. In 2003, she was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference's 50th Anniversary Team. Following her graduation, Lewellen played on the Women's European Professional Golf Tour in 1994-95 and on the Future's Professional Golf Tour from 1997 to 1999. She also competed in events on the LPGA Tour from 1993 to 1997. Lewellen didn’t learn of Dailey’s retirement until after it was announced and said she didn’t think of applying for the job.
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KIM LEWELLEN PLAYING CAREER Graduate University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (1993) First-team All-America, NCAA East Regional (1993) Women's European Professional Golf Tour (1994-95) Future's Professional Golf Tour (1997-1999) LPGA Tour events (1993-1997) Named to the Atlantic Coast Conference's 50th Anniversary Team (2003) COACHING CAREER The Citadel Men’s and Women’s Head Coach (2003-2004) East Carolina University (2005-2007) *First Conference USA Championship (2006) University of Virginia (2007-2017) * ACC Champions (2015 and 2016) TOTALS (14 Years) - Titles - 10; Conference Championships - 3; All-Conference Selections - 22; NCAA Regional Appearances - 11; NCAA Championship Appearances - 9, All-Americans Coached - 12
THE TEAM WILL HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH COMPETE FOR TITLES AND MAKE MEMORIES THIS SPRING. SO A WAKE FOREST TEAM FULL OF TALENT WILL COMPRISE THE FIRST EDITION OF LEWELLEN’S TENURE. However, over dinner with Dailey after a day of working together at camp, Dailey posed the question if she would consider it. “It opened my ears and eyes, and that is sort of where that door opened,” Lewellen said. “Dianne said, ‘I think this would be a good fit. I know it gets you closer to your family and to think about it.’ “Coach Dailey and I have similar philosophies, and the reason we coach is to be with like-minded young women who want to reach their goals athletically and academically and are having fun while doing it. Every tournament we want to prepare and compete, but once we leave that course, we want to make memories together.” The team will have ample opportunity to both compete for titles and make memories this spring. So a Wake Forest team full of talent will comprise the first edition of Lewellen’s tenure. “The spring season is the most exciting thing for us with the upcoming championships,” Lewellen said. “Jennifer Kupcho earned her LPGA card but deferred it until she could finish her degree and the season with her team. I think that’s a testament to her experience here. She wanted to make sure she finished her college career here, and that’s just been impressive for me to coach a player with that kind of commitment. Emilia (Migliaccio) being ACC Freshman of the Year last year...both of them will be playing
at Augusta National Women’s Amateur Invitational, the first-ever women’s golf tournament held at Augusta National (April 3-6). That is going to be televised on the Golf Channel, and those ladies will play one of the best tracks in the world the week before the Masters Tournament.” Lewellen and her family have already assimilated into the Wake Forest community. The family lives “within a pitching wedge” of Wake Forest’s home course – The Old Town Club, and her youngest son, Simon, has already verbally committed to play baseball at Wake Forest in 2021. Her husband, John, is an Episcopal minister. “I want to maintain the same culture and develop these young women both on and off the golf course,” Lewellen said. “We are always looking at how we are performing. We break down each aspect of their game so they can become the best they can be (as players), as well as develop the team aspect by beneficially working with eight different individuals and being encouraging.” Added to that is the fact that Dailey is still very much an unofficial but frequent and welcome presence around the Arnold Palmer Golf Complex and Dianne Dailey Golf Learning Center. “We see Coach Dailey and her puppy, Mulligan, almost daily,” Lewellen said. “She still gives private lessons at the Dianne Dailey Golf Learning Center, and before every tournament, she brings brownies for us for our van ride. We’re fortunate. It’s a tribute to Wake Forest University to allow her to retire in a manner she should have. She is a Demon Deacon through and through, and I think it’s just special to have a coach retire and then for her to be a friend and mentor and for that closeness to remain. “Yes, the culture is going to be we are the best we can be in golf, but I think the tools they learn once they leave Wake Forest can be used whether they are playing professional golf or working in
Jennifer Kupcho returns to finish her WFU career under Lewellen. business or with their families. The goals of the program are for these young ladies to be walking away with tools to be phenomenal golfers but also be good citizens using the resources Wake Forest can give them. “I have hefty goals. Because of our small, private school draw, the facilities, and the type of academic university Wake Forest is, I think we can recruit well, win ACC championships and contend for National Championships. You want to talk about making memories, earning that title and getting that ring – those are stories they can tell for a lifetime.”
P AIR OF RUNNING S HOES HEL PS WO MAN ES CAPE POVERTY It’s true. Every time you donate an item or buy one in our stores, you’re supporting programs that help local people find hope, employment and financial security. And that’s good news for everyone.
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H A L L O F FA M E
CLASS OF 2018-19 SEVEN INDUCTEES ADDED TO WAKE FOREST SPORTS HALL OF FAME
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even former Wake Forest student-athletes were inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame during ceremonies held the weekend of Feb. 1516. After a dinner on Friday
TYSON CLABO
night, they were honored Saturday with a special recognition at halftime of the men’s basketball game against North Carolina. The Class of 2018-19 combined for 18 first team All-ACC selections and seven first team All-America honors.
Clabo was a four-year letterwinner for the Demon Deacons from 2000-03. A native of Knoxville, Tenn., Clabo earned first team All-ACC honors in 2003 after being an honorable mention selection in 2002. Clabo made 37 career stars on the offensive line including starts at left guard, left tackle and right tackle during his career. He anchored an offensive line that helped Wake Forest lead the ACC in rushing in 2001 and 2002. Clabo signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2004 and joined the Atlanta Falcons in 2005. Named to the 2010 Pro Bowl, Clabo started 132 career games in the NFL, primarily during his seven-year career with the Falcons from 2006-12. On making the Hall of Fame: "It's obviously a huge honor. In 2000 when I was coming to Wake Forest, it was the farthest thing from my mind. I didn't for a second think I would be a Hall of Fame caliber player or person. I was just a young kid walking into something, and I had no idea what I was doing. The fact that my time at Wake, my experiences there, helped me to develop into that type of player, that type of person, I'm very grateful to the University.”
STEVE JUSTICE
Justice is the most decorated center in school history. One of just a handful of Deacons to earn consensus AllAmerica honors, Justice was a first-team selection in 2007 by the Associated Press, ESPN, the American Football Coaches Association and CBS. He became just the eighth Wake Forest player to win the Jacobs Blocking Trophy given to the top blocker in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
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The seven included football offensive linemen Tyson Clabo and Steve Justice, baseball pitcher Kyle Sleeth, field hockey star Claire Laubach, professional golfer Webb Simpson and tennis All-American Todd Paul. In addition, John Zeglinski, who starred in both football and baseball, was the Heritage inductee. Also, Albert Kirby was honored with the Gene Hooks Achievement Award.
A three-year starter, Justice started the final 37 games of his career and was the runner-up for the Rimington Trophy in 2007. After being drafted in the sixth round, Justice played the 2008 season with the Indianapolis Colts and spent three seasons in the UFL with New York and Florida. On making the Hall of Fame: "Honestly, I was really surprised. You have so many amazing players at Wake Forest. I blocked for Chris Barclay, and he was an amazing player. You have tons of great football players. I guess (the Hall of Fame committee) looked at the stuff we did off the field. You look at offensive linemen, and there's really no stats to go off of, so you have to go off of how the guys carried themselves on and off the field."
KYLE SLEETH
Sleeth posted a career 31-6 record as a starting pitcher for the Demon Deacons from 2001-03 while tying an NCAA record by winning 26 consecutive decisions. A native of Westminster, Colo., Sleeth became the only freshman in school history to win 10 games when he went 10-3 and earned Freshman AllAmerica honors. As a sophomore, Sleeth posted a 14-0 mark with a 2.97 ERA to set the Wake Forest record for wins in a season while earning first team AllAmerica honors. As a junior in 2003, Sleeth was named first team All-ACC for the second consecutive year while posting a 7-3 record. A member of the 2002 USA National Baseball team where he went 7-1, Sleeth was the third pick in the first round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft by the Detroit Tigers before an arm injury cut his professional career short. On being taken No. 3 in the MLB Draft: “Draft day was a nerve-racking day. Talking with my agent, I thought it would be somewhere between No. 2 and 5, but I really had no idea. Now,
H A L L O F FA M E they actually have a live draft where the players are there at the draft. Back then, I was sitting in my parents' office with my mom and dad. A selection popped up every 30 or 40 seconds, and we saw my name come up with the Tigers third overall. We just started screaming. It's a day I'll never forget."
CLAIRE LAUBACH
Laubach became the fifth Wake Forest field hockey player to join the Hall of Fame. A four-year letterman from 2001-04, Laubach was a first team All-ACC pick in 2003 and 2004 and an All-American in 2004 as a senior. She was a member of all three of Wake Forest's national championship teams and was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team in 2003 and 2004. Following her collegiate career, Laubach was a member of the U.S. National Team and a 2012 London Olympian. She spent eight seasons with the national team and played in 167 international competitions. On being a part of a field hockey powerhouse at Wake: "We always just exuded this sense of confidence. We weren't cocky, we weren't overly assured, we just had the mindset of 'We got this. We are going to walk on the field and win. That's just how it's going to go.' That was the start of it, especially after losing in overtime at the Final Four during my freshman year. We weren't afraid, but at the same time, we always knew we had work to do, so we were going to do it."
WEBB SIMPSON
Simpson was the ACC Player of the Year in 2008 as a member of the Demon Deacon men's golf team. The ACC Freshman of the Year in 2005, he earned second team All-America honors in 2006 and 2007 before earning first team honors as a senior in 2008. Simpson was the ACC champion in 2008 and led the conference with a 70.38 stroke average. He posted 16 top 10 wins during his collegiate career including four wins. As a touring pro, Simpson won the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic Club in San Francisco and the 2018 Players Championship among his five PGA Tour victories. On making the Hall of Fame: "I was so excited (to learn of the selection) because not only has the golf team meant so much to me, but the school has, too. I met my wife (Dowd) there on my second day at Wake. Coach (Jerry) Haas is a big fan of my wife, and my wife is a big fan of Coach Haas. All those pieces of my college career are special to me. I love keeping in touch with the Wake alumni and the program.�
TODD PAUL
Paul was the first two-time AllAmerican in the history of Wake Forest's men's tennis program. A first team All-American in 2006 and 2007, Paul graduated as the Deacons' all-time leader with 107 career singles victories including 32 as a senior in 2007. The ACC Rookie of the Year in 2004, Paul led the team with 28 singles victories in 2004 and 27 in 2006. He was a four-time
All-ACC selection and the only Deacon to earn four men's tennis All-ACC awards. Paul was ranked as the No. 1 singles player in the NCAA as both a junior and senior and earned ITA Regional Player of the Year honors in 2007. On his time at Wake Forest: "Wake Forest is like a second family. I coach a lot of kids and when any of them who might go to Wake Forest get accepted, I get to say, 'That's great. Now you're part of the family as well.' I think there's a unique bond in everyone that goes to Wake Forest. It's a big family atmosphere and that's why everyone who leaves Wake Forest says they had a great time.�
JOHN ZEGLINSKI
Zeglinski, a former football and baseball star, is the Heritage Committee inductee, reserved for Deacons who played 40 or more years ago. As a wide receiver, Zeglinski was fifth in the nation in receiving yards as a sophomore in 1975 while leading the ACC in punt returns. He was Wake Forest's team scoring leader and allpurpose yardage leader in 1975 and led the Deacons in punt returns for three consecutive years between 1976-78. As a first baseman, Zeglinski was a first team All-ACC honoree in both 1976 and 1977. The MVP of Wake Forest's 1977 ACC baseball championship team, Zeglinski earned all-region and All-South honors. He finished his baseball career with a .294 batting average with 19 homers and 98 RBIs. On making the Hall of Fame: "It's something I never thought would happen. Some of the athletes in that Hall of Fame are unbelievable. To be in the same mention as those guys is an unbelievable honor. What really struck me most when Dr. (Gene) Hooks called me, it was very emotional for me because of our relationship and what he's meant to Wake Forest baseball."
ALBERT KIRBY
Albert Kirby is the 2018-19 recipient of the Gene Hooks Achievement Award. The award recognizes a former Wake Forest athlete, manager, coach or administrator who has exhibited traits of integrity, charity, leadership and who embodies the Pro Humanitate spirit that Dr. Hooks exhibited over his 45 years associated with Wake Forest. Kirby came to Wake Forest in 1976 from Clinton, N.C., after a prolific high school career in which he was a three-time allconference selection and a member of the Shrine Bowl team while earning 10 varsity letters. At Wake Forest, Kirby was an outstanding complementary piece of the offensive backfield along with James McDougald and helped lead the Demon Deacons to the 1979 Tangerine Bowl. A powerful fullback, he was frequently called on to pick up the tough yards in short-yardage situations. While finishing second on the team in rushing in both 1978 and 1979, he was an outstanding receiver out of the backfield, making 69 catches over his final two seasons. Following his graduation from Wake Forest, Kirby earned his law degree from Campbell University and spent time in divinity school. He served as an assistant district attorney in Fayetteville and in Pitt County while serving as an adjunct professor in criminal justice at East Carolina University. Kirby opened his own practice in Clinton and focused on civil litigation. MARCH 2019
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INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
Today, Tomorrow, Forever
BA R RY FA I R C L O T H SENIOR A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT
Each year, we have the honor of recognizing scholarship donors and Deacon Club members at our annual Wake Forest Athletics Scholarship Brunch. From watching current student-athletes interact with the individuals who have provided their respective scholarships, to hearing former Demon Deacon student-athletes share how their experiences at Wake impacted their lives, to simply expressing gratitude to all those who help provide these opportunities, this is always one of my favorite events. We welcomed three very special guests — Megan Anderson (’19), Justin Gray (’06) and Rob Knapp (’68) — to the 2019 Scholarship Brunch, each of whom shared their individual stories. Each of the three speakers represented Today, Tomorrow and Forever, respectively, highlighting the impact made through scholarship support at different stages.
Listening to individuals like Megan, Justin and Rob talk about Wake Forest and their experiences as student-athletes is truly a privilege. Not only does their passion shine through as they speak, it’s evident just how grateful they are for the opportunities they’ve been given and the relationships they have formed. Moments like this are a great reminder of how much the lives of our student-athletes are positively affected by the support of Deacon Club members. As we strive to continue providing the best possible experience for Demon Deacon studentathletes, our ability to fund athletic scholarships
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is a key component to achieving our mission of Developing Champions. With annual scholarship costs of over $16 million, investments in athletic endowments and support of the Deacon Club Annual Fund are critical to our success. At Wake Forest, we currently devote 26 percent of the Athletic Department’s operating budget to scholarship costs, which is one of the highest percentages in the ACC. Reducing this number through donations allows more dollars to be spent each year on the operating expenses of the department, increasing the ability to provide additional resources to our student-athletes and coaches. With that said, we have set the goal of fully funding the Athletic Department’s scholarship costs by the year 2040. Currently, 285 Wake Forest student-athletes receive some form of athletic scholarship, and achieving our goal will require approximately $640 million. Our current athletic endowment covers 10 percent of scholarship costs based on today’s dollar value. While we know there is work to be done, we feel confident that this goal can be accomplished. It’s encouraging to know that between the 2018 and 2019 Scholarship Brunch alone, 35 new scholarships have been committed, in addition to several families putting forth athletic scholarship matching programs. It’s not just about funding these scholarships, however. We would also like to ensure that each student-athlete receiving a scholarship is assigned to a living athletic endowment donor family in an effort to foster a meaningful relationship. We currently have 91 remaining scholarships to fund to achieve the goal of connecting all 285 student-athletes receiving aid with a donor family. As you think about your own giving and how you can get more involved, I encourage you to consider the various ways in which you can create a lasting legacy with Wake Forest Athletics. Whether you want to make an impact now — with a five-year commitment of $100,000 to start your own scholarship — or in the future by leaving Wake Forest in your estate, I can assure you that your support will help transform the lives of our deserving student-athletes. I think Megan Anderson said it best at this year’s Scholarship Brunch, stating, “You don’t just put us through school for four years — you inspire us for life. What we learn throughout our four years will carry us through and we will never forget the lessons we’ve learned and the people we’ve become. That wouldn’t be possible without your effort to us and us being here at Wake Forest.” Go Deacs!
INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
2019 FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS AND PARKING ON SALE NOW The Demon Deacons will host seven home games in 2019, including matchups with UNC, NC State, Duke, Florida State and Louisville. Order tickets by calling the Wake Forest Athletics Sales Team at (336) 758-3322, ext. 1, or visiting GoDeacs.com. As a reminder, season ticket holders can enroll in the auto-renewal program, which provides the opportunity to auto-renew your football season tickets and parking on an annual basis. To learn more or to sign up, contact the Sales Team.
Keep up with the Deacon Club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! For the latest news and information from the Deacon Club and to connect with other members, be sure to find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! @WFUDeaconClub Facebook.com/DeaconClub @WFUDeaconClub | @DeacOnTheRun @BarryFaircloth
SAVE THE DATE: 2019 WAKE FOREST GOLF PRO-AM Mark your calendar for the 2019 Wake Forest Pro-Am! The reception will be held at Haddock House on Sunday, Oct. 13, with the pro-am taking place at Old Town Club on Monday, Oct. 14. Be on the lookout for more information on how to register in the coming weeks. If you have any questions in the meantime, please call (336) 758-6000.
IS WAKE FOREST ATHLETICS IN YOUR WILL? Planned giving ties your legacy with the future of Wake Forest Athletics. To learn more about the many ways you can support Wake Forest Athletics through planned giving, please contact Paul Kennedy at (336) 758-3875 or kennedpj@wfu.edu.
MARCH 2019
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DONOR PROFILE
// M C M U L L E N FA M I LY
McMullen Family Athletic Scholarship Matching Program
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espite one’s affiliation with the University, there’s a shared feeling of wanting to expose others to Wake Forest and all it has to offer. Whether it’s former student-athletes or alumni wanting to pay it forward, parents who recognize and appreciate their child’s experience or members of the community who have adopted the school as their own, many individuals are actively seeking out ways to have a meaningful impact on the lives of current and future Wake Foresters. As Deacon Club members and athletic supporters evaluate the various areas of need and how those align with their respective giving interests, the opportunity to start a scholarship continues to appeal to many. While the Athletic Department aims to fully fund athletic scholarship costs by 2040 — requiring an investment of approximately $640 million — and match each student-athlete receiving a scholarship to a living donor, numerous individuals have stepped up to make leadership gifts in support of these goals. Highlighted by six families who have established athletic scholarship matching programs, it’s inspiring to see the extensive impact being made. Each family that initiated a match generously committed half of the required amount to establish their preferred number of scholarships, respectively, with the other half of each scholarship being contributed by other individuals and families who want to be part of creating their own legacies with Wake Forest Athletics. Collectively, the six matching programs have created 28 opportunities for other families to get involved with scholarship support. For Mike and Dolores McMullen (P ’14, P ’17, P ’18), their Wake Forest connection stemmed through their two sons, Tyler (’14) and Nate (’17, MS ’18). The McMullens are extremely passionate about higher education and making it available to as many people as possible. When they were presented with the chance to combine that passion for education with their love of athletics, all while giving back
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THE MCMULLEN FAMILY
and helping others in the Wake Forest community via a scholarship matching program, they were beyond thrilled. While the family already established their own athletic and academic scholarships, starting this match allowed them to have a more widespread impact. Reflecting on that decision, Mike stated, “It started off with the simple desire to give back and provide opportunities to Wake Forest studentathletes, but it’s so much more than that. From having the ability to create relationships with the student-athletes assigned to the scholarships, to staying connected with the University and Athletic Department, to simply getting to know other families involved in supporting athletics, it means a great deal to all of us to be part of this.” When choosing to create the matching program, it was important to Mike and Dolores that it involved Tyler and Nate as well, and now it has become a source of pride for the whole family. “Weaving family into my Wake Forest experience has deepened my connection with the University,” Tyler shared. “I relish in the fact that we are united in a legacy that will last beyond my four years as a student.” “Wake creates a community of intelligent, passionate and compassionate people who I believe can change the world,” Nate added. “Being fortunate enough to be a part of the expansion and diversification of this community makes me proud.”
Another facet of the match that was enticing to the McMullens was the ability to help get more people involved. Not only have they been able to add to their own legacy, but due to their generosity, they have helped five other families deepen their connections with Wake Forest Athletics and offer talented and deserving student-athletes the chance to earn a world-class education while competing at the highest level. From parents to young families, matching programs have made scholarship support more appealing and accessible. For David (’05) and Aimee Kahn who established the Kahn and McMullen Family Athletic Scholarship, “The matching program made this something that we were able to get involved in earlier than we may have otherwise, lets us have flexibility to continue to explore, and immediately provides a network of other Demon Deacon supporters who are going through the same process.” By allowing others to begin creating a legacy with Wake Forest earlier than they expected or thought possible, athletic scholarship matching programs are enabling other families to have decades of time to enjoy and continue investing in their scholarships, while maintaining a vested interest in the future of the athletic programs and University. In addition, for families like the Kahns, it’s exciting to start this legacy that they can share with their young children throughout their childhood, and the rest of their lives. “When thinking
THE KAHN FAMILY
about our little ones and cheering on the Deacs in the years to come, seeing our kids interact with, get to know and cheer for the student-athletes they look up to is something we’re really looking forward to,” David said. Similar to the McMullens, many families who support athletic scholarships cite the ability to make a difference in the lives of studentathletes as a key reason for giving back in this way. Todd Massey (P ’22) and his wife, Emily (P ’22), participated in the McMullen’s matching program, establishing the Massey-McMullen Scholarship, for exactly that reason. “We thought this was a great way to help the school’s athletic programs, but more importantly, we saw this as an opportunity to give someone who may not have otherwise been able to attend Wake the chance to benefit from a great education,” Todd said. As parents of a current freshman on the dance team, Mike and Sheri Viola (P ’22) know firsthand how impactful attending Wake Forest can be. “Our daughter’s experience at Wake has been fantastic thus far, and we wanted
THE VIOLA FAMILY to help provide that same experience to others,” Mike stated. Taking part in a matching program allowed them to get involved at a higher level, and they’re excited to have established a legacy through the Viola and McMullen Athletic Scholarship that will be there long after their daughter Amanda (’22) graduates. One of the most rewarding parts about supporting a scholarship, however, is that the impact goes far beyond the recipient’s time in school and positively affects the rest of their lives. As a scholarship donor, you have the unique ability to form a bond with each recipient and truly feel like you’re a part of that individual’s success, both
academically and athletically, while at Wake, as well as all that he or she achieves afterward. In many cases, the relationships forged between studentathletes and scholarship donors lead to lifelong connections. For Sarah Pickens (’05), establishing those relationships is what she’s most looking forward to when it comes to her family’s scholarship — the Prince Pickens McMullen Athletic Scholarship — which helps honor her late grandfather, Eldred Eugene Prince Sr., who graduated from Wake Forest College in 1933. “The opportunity to participate in the match was a no brainer for us,” she affirmed. “Building a relationship with a student-athlete will make all the difference. I have personally benefited from my Wake connections over the years, and I can’t wait to see the connections that are made and flourish through our commitment to this scholarship.”
To learn more about scholarship matching opportunities, please contact Mike Piscetelli at (336) 758-3647 or piscetmf@wfu.edu.
deacon club photos Deacon Club members are encouraged to submit photos for publication in the Gold Rush. Send your photos in digital format to DeacClub@wfu.edu. Submission of a photo does not guarantee that it will be published. Thanks for showing off your Demon Deacon pride!
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1 A group of Deacon Club members and friends hear an insightful panel discussion during our February Legacy Event at the Chris Hurd Player Development Center.
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2 The Fitzpatrick family enjoys a behind-the-scenes look at some of the Wake Forest athletic facilities, including McCreary Field House and the Sutton Sports Performance Center.
3 A nn Johnston (MBA ’81) (center) and her late husband Larry (JD ’73) are recognized as Deacon Club Members of the Year. Ann was presented with the award at the 2019 Scholarship Brunch, where she was joined by her sons, Riley (’12) (left) and Bart (’12) (right), as well as other family and friends.
MARCH 2019
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
//
ROBERT CALDWELL
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n each issue, Where Are They Now showcases a former Wake Forest student-athlete. The first of three generations of Caldwells at Wake Forest, Robert is a 1962 graduate and father to Cathy (’91) and grandfather to Virginia (’22). A proud brother of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, Caldwell competed with the men's golf program from 1960-62. As a former suitemate of legendary men's basketball studentathlete Len Chappell, Caldwell has supported the Len Chappell Scholarship Fund to permanently establish a legacy for Chappell at Wake Forest.
ROBERT CALDWELL When did you graduate from Wake Forest? 1962 What was your major and/or minor? Business What does being a Demon Deacon mean to you? Being a Demon Deacon means being constantly committed to service and excellence while always representing what is best about Wake Forest. Why are you still involved in Wake Forest Athletics? I am still involved because I believe in the mission of the University and believe in supporting that same mission-based experience for future generations of students.
Why do you feel it is important to give back to the University? It's important to give back to shape the future of Wake Forest. Alumni, like myself, have fantastic memories of our time at Wake Forest. We need to pay forward that experience to future students, especially if we can honor and remember folks who shaped our experiences. What is your current occupation? President of NC Grange Mutual Insurance Co. What is your favorite memory of your time at Wake Forest? So many fond memories to choose from! Some of my favorites stem from my time as a suitemate of Len Chappell. Our freshman year, when freshmen still had to compete to be on
the varsity team, Len of course played basketball, while I was a golfer. For several weeks, Len tried to convince me to walk on to the basketball team. Finally, I relented and joined him and the squad during basketball tryouts. After a week, Len then convinced me that it was best for all of us if I went back to the golf team. What makes you most proud of Wake Forest? The people that represent the University and the fine students that continue to graduate from Wake Forest. When you come back to Wake Forest, you always… Cheer on the Deacs, regardless of sport — and try to check out as many of the incredible new facilities as I can. I was there when… Len Chappell and Billy Packer led Wake Forest basketball to the Final Four in 1962. Who is your favorite coach at Wake Forest, current or past? So many great ones, but Jesse Haddock was special as a golf coach.
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SUN MAR 10
MON 11
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WED 13
THUR 14
Baseball vs. Appalachian State 5pm
Baseball vs. Notre Dame 1pm
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TUE
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Women’s Tennis vs. Syracuse 10am; NC A&T 4pm
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Men’s Tennis vs. Louisville 4pm
Baseball vs. Boston College 4pm
Baseball vs. Boston College 6pm
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Women’s Tennis vs. NC State 4pm
Baseball vs. Virginia Tech 4pm
Baseball vs. Charlotte 6pm
MARCH // APRIL 2019
WAKE FOREST ATHLETICS
Baseball vs. Boston College 1pm
SPORTS MARKETING (336) 758-5011 TICKET OFFICE (336) 758-3322 GROUP TICKETS (Football & Basketball) (336) 758-4030 DEACON CLUB (336) 758-5626 www.DeaconClub.com DeacClub@wfu.edu
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Men’s Tennis vs. North Carolina 4pm
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APR 01
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Baseball vs. Virginia Tech 6pm 2019 WAKE FOREST FOOTBALL SPRING GAME
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Baseball vs. Virginia Tech 1pm
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Baseball vs. High Point 6pm
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Men’s Tennis vs. Florida State 5pm
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Baseball vs. Liberty 6pm
Women’s Tennis vs. Pitt 10am
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Baseball vs. NC State 6pm
Baseball vs. NC State 6pm
Baseball vs. NC State 4pm
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Men’s Tennis vs. Miami 1pm
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FOOTBALL SPRING GAME SET FOR APRIL 6 The 2019 Spring Game will be held on April 6 at BB&T Field. We also invite all football alumni to reconnect with friends and former teammates and stay engaged with Wake Forest Athletics by attending the reunion April 5-6.
SAVE THE DATE FOR VARSITY CLUB & HOMECOMING WEEKEND We hope you’ll be able to join fellow Deacon fans, Varsity Club members, Wake Forest coaches and staff on Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21. The Deacs will play Elon at the Homecoming football game on Saturday (game time TBA). More information will be provided in the coming months.
PA GE D EA C OHNESA IDNE R THE PROS BASEBALL
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General Manager Area Scout Director of Baseball Research &
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Area Scout Area Scouting Supervisor Vice President of Amateur Scouting Director of Minor League Operations Area Scout
MAJOR LEAGUES Mac Williamson
San Francisco Giants
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Toronto Blue Jays (Rookie) Baltimore Orioles (A) Pittsburgh Pirates (AA) Oakland Athletics (AA) Cincinnati Reds (High A) Detroit Tigers (Rookie) Cincinnati Reds (High A) Atlanta Braves (AAA) Chicago Cubs (A) Oakland Athletics (AA) Washington Nationals (Short Season A) St. Louis Cardinals (Rookie) Toronto Blue Jays (A) Chicago White Sox (High A) Colorado Rockies (Rookie)
WOMEN’S GOLF Laura (Philo) Diaz Nannette Hill Olafia Kristinsdottir Cheyenne Woods Jean Chua Marissa Dodd Allison Emrey Natalie Sheary Sierra Sims
LPGA LPGA (conditional LPGA for 2018) LPGA LPGA Symetra Symetra Symetra (conditional LPGA for 2018) Symetra Symetra
MEN’S SOCCER Luis Argudo Jon Bakero Corben Bone Sam Cronin Austin da Luz Chris Duvall Steven Echevarria Sam Fink Akira Fitzgerald Michael Gamble Ian Harkes Jack Harrison Jacori Hayes Tolani Ibikunle Collin Martin Mark McKenzie Ben Newnam Jared Odenbeck Ike Opara Sean Okoli Michael Parkhurst Hayden Partain Kevin Politz Sam Raben Jalen Robinson Brandon Servania Emu Twumasi Jared Watts
Columbus Crew Toronto FC FC Cincinnati Minnesota United FC North Carolina FC Montreal Impact New York Red Bulls II Saint Louis FC Tampa Bay Rowdies Tulsa Roughnecks Dundee United (Scotland) Manchester City/Middlesbrough FC Dallas Ekenas Sport Club (Finland) Minnesota United FC Philadelphia Union San Antonio FC Charlotte Independence Sporting Kansas City Landskrona BoIS (Sweden) Atlanta United FC Sacramento Republic New York Red Bulls Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC D.C. United FC Dallas FC Dallas Houston Dynamo
COACHES/MLS FRONT OFFICE James Riley Kurt Schmid Zack Schilawski Stephen Keel Ryan Martin
MLS Director of Player Relations Seattle Sounders (Head Scout) North Carolina FC U23s (Assistant Coach) MLS Social Media Manager DC United Academy Director
WOMEN’S SOCCER Aubrey Bledsoe Katie Stengel Sarah Teegarden Ally Haran Maddie Huster
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Washington Spirit (NWSL) Utah Royals FC (NWSL) NC Courage (NWSL) UMF Selfoss (Pepsi Deildin League – Iceland) Kvarnsvedens IK (Swedish Premier League)
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Al-Farouq Aminu John Collins James Johnson Codi Miller-McIntyre Doral Moore Chris Paul Ishmael Smith Jeff Teague Andre Washington Austin Arians Bryant Crawford C.J. Harris Jamaal Levy Travis McKie Nikita Mescheriakov Dinos Mitoglou Aaron Rountree Devin Thomas Terrence Thompson David Weaver Mitchell Wilbekin Coron Williams Eric Williams L.D. Williams
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Portland Trail Blazers Atlanta Hawks Miami Heat Dallas Mavericks Memphis Grizzlies Houston Rockets Detroit Pistons Minnesota Timberwolves Raptors 905 Prienu Skycop Galil Gilboa Pau-Kacq-Orthez Weber Bahia Louaize Tsmoki-Minsk Panathinaikos Qatar Sports Club Hapoel Eilat Kutaisi Maccabi Rishon Sakarya La Union Geneva Lions ToPo
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Milwaukee Bucks
COACHES/STAFF Frank Johnson
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Dearica Hamby Alex Tchangoue Chelsea Douglas
WNBA France Romania
Las Vegas Aces and Italy Cavigal Nice Basket 06
FOOTBALL Josh Banks Jessie Bates III Tommy Bohanon Michael Campanaro Brandon Chubb Duke Ejiofor Chris Givens Kevin Johnson Marquel Lee Joe Looney Cam Serigne Nikita Whitlock Kyle Wilber John Wolford
AAF NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL AAF NFL NFL NFL NFL CFL NFL AAF
DT S FB WR LB DE WR CB LB OL TE DL LB QB
Orlando Cincinnati Jacksonville Tennessee Carolina Houston Memphis Houston Oakland Dallas Free Agent Hamilton Oakland Arizona
COACHES/STAFF Chad Alexander Charlie Dayton Pat Flaherty Joe Kenn John Spanos Brad White Jeff Triplette James MacPherson Teryl Austin Jim Grobe Ray Rychleski
NFL Baltimore NFL Carolina NFL NY Giants NFL Carolina NFL Chargers NFL Indianapolis NFL NFL Chargers NFL Steelers AAF San Antonio AAF Birmingham
Ass’t Dir Pro Personnel Vice President Offensive Line Coach Strength Coach Executive VP of Football Operations OLB Coach Referee Scout Defensive Assistant Defensive Coordinator Special Teams/Tight Ends
MEN’S GOLF Bill Haas Webb Simpson Billy Andrade Jay Haas Gary Hallberg Scott Hoch Curtis Strange Len Mattiace Kyle Reifers Will Zalatoris
PGA PGA Champions Champions Champions Champions Champions Web.com Web.com Web.com
FIELD HOCKEY Lauren Crandall Michelle Kasold Melissa Gonzalez (Coach)
USA National Team (Retired Fall 2016) USA National Team (Retired Spring 2017) USA National Team (Captain)
MEN’S TENNIS Noah Rubin
ATP
NASCAR PIT CREWS Kevin Harris (football) No. 19 Spencer Bishop (football) No. 15 Dion Williams
Joe Gibbs Racing (Daniel Suarez) Premium Motorsports (Ross Chastain) NASCAR Pit Crew Development
COMPLIANCE CORNER
// T O D D H A I R S T O N
NCAA CONSIDERS NEW STANDARDS FOR STRENGTH COACHES
TODD HAIRSTON SENIOR A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, COMPLIANCE
In the aftermath of high profile student-athlete deaths following strength workouts, the NCAA is considering adopting more stringent credentialing standards for strength coaches. Since 2015, the NCAA has required that strength and conditioning coaches must be certified through a “nationally accredited strength and conditioning certification program,” however there are no standards beyond this general benchmark in place to assess the rigor or effectiveness of these programs. In some cases, certifications can be obtained in less than 24 hours after completing only a cursory review of the relevant information. Two of the more respected organizations within the industry —
the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa) — have been vocal in the push for reform calling for higher professional guidelines in order for strength coaches to become certified. The NCAA’s chief medical officer, Dr. Brian Hainline, noted that while the NCAA has had discussions around enhanced standards for strength coaches, there is not a formal proposal scheduled to be voted on by the membership during the current legislative cycle. Nevertheless, given the implications for the safety and well-being of student-athletes, this issue will undoubtedly remain at the forefront of discussion in the years to come.
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