Gold Rush - May 2020

ATHLETES TELL ‘HOW I SPENT MY SPRING’

An exuberant Steve Forbes brings an incredible track record of success and a strong reputation for building relationships as the new head basketball coach

MAY 2020

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VOL. 29 // ISSUE 7 (USPS 014-373) EDITOR

Jim Buice PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brian Westerholt, WFU Athletics and others as noted. Special thanks to ETSU Athletics for photos of Coach Steve Forbes on pages 3, 8, 9 & 11.

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CONTENTS

// M AY 2 0 2 0

DUNCAN ELECTED TO HALL OF FAME: In his first year of eligibility, former Wake Forest legend Tim Duncan has been named as one of the inductees for the 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame. After leading the Deacons to four straight 20-win seasons and back-to-back ACC championships in 1995 and 1996, Duncan went on to enjoy an incredible 19-year NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, helping the team to five titles while earning three Finals MVPs and two regular-season MVPs. He is one of five players in NBA history to score at least 26,000 points and collect at least 15,000 rebounds. Duncan was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

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28 30

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? COMPLIANCE CORNER

// 6 WE’RE HERE TO WIN NOW Coach Steve Forbes brings energy, passion, experience and a winning resume to his new position of leading the basketball program, declaring his mantra is to “play hard, smart and together.”

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ON THE COVER Steve Forbes has been on the go since becoming the Wake Forest men’s basketball coach and has shown no signs of slowing down while making positive first impressions among Deacon Nation. (ETSU Photo)

// 12 HOW I SPENT MY SPRING With the cancellation of all spring sports in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, student-athletes provided different perspectives to having no sports in a spring they never anticipated.

// 18 GENTLEMAN CARL Carl Tacy, who guided the Wake Forest basketball team to 222 wins in his 13 seasons and more than held his own against the likes of Dean Smith, Jim Valvano, Lefty Driesell and a young Mike Krzyzewski, passed away in April at the age of 87.

MAY 2020

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FROM THE A.D.

// J O H N C U R R I E

Wishing all good health, and congrats to grads Demon Deacon Nation,

JOHN CURRIE DIRECTOR O F AT H L E T I C S

4

As these unprecedented times continue, Mary Lawrence and I share our wishes for the best of health for you and your loved ones. I also want to congratulate all of our new graduates and acknowledge our gratitude to the professors, tutors, coaches, and administrators who worked so hard this semester to ease the transition to remote learning. It has been a challenging spring, but we can now celebrate the 85 degrees virtually conferred to Wake Forest student-athletes earlier this month!

Congratulations are also in order for head women’s golf coach Kim Lewellen who has been named the 2020 National Coach of the Year! The Deacs ended the season ranked No. 1 in the country and won the final tournament of the season by an astonishing 26 strokes in a field that included four top-15 teams.

On April 30, we proudly introduced Steve Forbes as Wake Forest’s head men’s basketball coach. A first-generation college graduate, Coach Forbes is a relationship-oriented individual who invests in every person around him and has dedicated his life to mentoring young men.

I think this comment, from one of Coach Forbes' players back in the 1990’s, now a partner in a major law firm, says it all: “What I appreciated about Coach Forbes was how he invested in not only me, but everyone on my team – from the starting point guard to the student managers. It’s one thing to inspire someone to better themselves. But true success is when you impact someone in a

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

Coach Steve Forbes addresses online viewers in his introductory virtual media conference. way that not only makes them better, but also inspires them to go out and impact others in the same manner. And that’s what Steve did for so many of his players.”

He has coached and won championships at every level of college basketball. He’s developed men who went on to be teachers, lawyers, NBA players and servant-leaders in their community. All of his 22 ETSU seniors have earned their degrees.

From his beginnings in Lone Tree, Iowa, Steve used education and hard work to earn everything he has achieved. He and his wife of 32 years, Johnetta, a longtime elementary school teacher, have three children, Elizabeth, Christopher and Johnathon, who have epitomized their priority on education. Elizabeth is

working on her Ph.D. and is an academic counselor at ETSU while Christopher recently completed his master’s degree. Steve expects his student-athletes to push for success in the same way.

Coach Forbes will work every moment of every day to benefit Wake Forest and give every student-athlete the opportunity to grow and excel at a high level athletically, academically and socially. And, I know Coach Forbes will bring our men’s basketball program back to a championship level.

We look forward to the day when we can gather in person to welcome Coach Forbes and his family to our Wake Forest family!

Go Deacs!

John Currie Director of Athletics

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MEN'S BASKETBALL

// S T E V E F O R B E S

LET’S GO

DEACON NATION LET’S 6

GET THIS DONE!

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

NEW COACH STEVE FORBES ANXIOUS TO REACH OUT AND KNOW YOU

By Bob Sutton

S

teve Forbes seemed on the go from the moment he became Wake Forest’s 23rd men’s basketball coach.

This came during a time when you couldn’t go anywhere.

Yet Forbes’ energy level enabled him to break through the virtual landscape, making positive first impressions the best he could under most unusual circumstances.

“He has always had the ability to connect with people,” Director of Athletics John Currie said. “He’s just one of those people who treats people the right way.”

In the early going on the job, Forbes put on a full-court press, including a video announcing his hiring when he declared, “Let’s

Go Deacon Nation … Let’s Get This Done.” And there are no indications he’ll be slowing down.

If anything held back the new coach – referred to as “Forbes-y”

by Currie, who worked with him in Tennessee’s athletic department more than a decade ago – in the first few weeks, it was the inability to meet and greet Wake Forest fans in person.

With what’s described universally as an endearing personality, he wants that type of contact as soon as it’s permitted as restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic ease.

“I haven’t been able to get out in the community and meet people like I like to,” Forbes said. “But I want people to know that I’m thrilled to be here. I’m so excited.”

That has been evident in countless ways, and early feedback suggests that Demon Deacon supporters are proud to have him MAY 2020

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UP CLOSE: STEVE FORBES HOMETOWN: Lone Tree, Iowa COLLEGE: Southern Arkansas, 1988 FAMILY: Johnetta (wife); Elizabeth, Christopher, Johnathon (children)

FORBES' COACHING CAREER 2015-20 – East Tennessee State – Head Coach 2013-15 – Wichita State – Assistant Coach 2011-13 – Northwest Florida State – Head Coach 2006-11 – Tennessee – Assistant Coach 2004-06 – Texas A&M – Assistant Coach 2003-04 – Illinois State – Assistant Coach 2000-03 – Louisiana Tech – Assistant Coach 1998-2000 – Idaho – Assistant Coach 1995-98 – Barton County CC – Head Coach 1993-95 – Barton County CC – Assistant Coach 1991-93 – Southwestern CC – Head Coach 1989-91 – Southwestern CC – Assistant Coach

on board. Forbes arrived following a five-season stint at East Tennessee State where he compiled an impressive 130-43 record.

His quest is for Wake Forest fans to see that he’s already immersed in turning around a program that has produced two winning seasons in a 10-year span.

“I want them to see the passion I have for my job,” Forbes said.

These shouldn’t be dull times with Forbes now in charge of the Deacon program. He has a reputation for being entertaining.

His social media presence was an immediate hit as Wake Forest promoted the selection of him as its new coach. There were “shoutouts” from various outposts endorsing his hiring – often based on Forbes’ disposition – such as a “one of my favorite guys” from an admirer from Forbes’ days as an assistant

coach at Wichita State where he helped that program to an incredible 65 victories and back-to-back NCAA appearances in two seasons.

He wants to meet players from his new team in person as soon as possible.

“They don’t get to see my face,” he said because of the statewide stay-at-home orders. “… Maybe they don’t want to see my face,” he then added jokingly.

And there’s the style he wants on display on the court, where he expects players to compete like “their hair is on fire even though the coach doesn’t have any hair.”

In order to sustain the good vibes, though, something else is needed. And the new coach is anxious to fill that void.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT FORBES: GREGG MARSHALL WICHITA STATE HEAD COACH

“ Steve is certainly a tremendous basketball coach, but that tells only part of his story.

He is also a great family man, a fabulous relationship builder and a very likable person.

Wake Forest will enjoy his teams for how hard they compete and will cherish his tenure leading their basketball program.”

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JAY BILAS ESPN COLLEGE BASKETBALL ANALYST

" Steve Forbes is a terrific choice for Wake Forest.

He is a fine teacher of the game and a proven winning coach.

Coach Forbes built a sustained winner at East Tennessee State, and I have no doubt he’ll do the same at Wake Forest."

NICK NURSE TORONTO RAPTORS HEAD COACH

" He's one of my very closest friends. We go way, way back to when we were both just starting out. I think Wake has got themselves one of the best coaches in the country. The guy has worked his way up and been in a lot of different places and had a lot of success. I'm super excited for Coach Forbes and for Wake Forest. It's going to be a great hire for them."

JOSH HOWARD FORMER DEMON DEACON AND CURRENT UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS AT DALLAS HEAD BASKETBALL COACH

“ I know he has done a great job at ETSU. Hope he brings the energy and passion. We just want Wake Forest Basketball back to where it belongs!"

“We’re here to win now, to get this program right back where it needs to be,” Forbes said. “This program needs to win in basketball, deserves to win in basketball and will win in basketball.”

Forbes had no blueprint to follow in that regard, so he will rely on his experiences with other successful programs to form his plan of attack.

His mantra is to “Play hard, smart and together.”

He wants his teams to do so in front of raucous atmospheres at Joel Coliseum as well. Attendance ballooned at East Tennessee State under Forbes’ watch, something he was engaged in helping cultivate. He says he wants to hear from Demon Deacon fans so he can aid in boosting the game-day experience.

Forbes and Wake Forest hold several parallels, too, going back to his youth. Foremost, he can relate to the small-school charm.

Hailing from Lone Tree, Iowa, where he was part of a 32-member graduating class, he dreamed big about his future as he went from K-through-12 all in the same school building.

As most Deacon supporters are aware, Forbes is coming off a strong run in the Southern Conference, a league that has excelled the past couple of years while clamoring for more than one entry to the NCAA Tournament. For his now-former team, there were two NCAA Tournament bids across the last four years (though ETSU didn’t get to participate this year when the national tournament was canceled).

A Forbes-coached team has certain characteristics, league foe and Virginia Military Institute coach Dan Earl said.

“You know what they’re all about,” Earl said. “They play extremely hard. They defend. They make it really difficult for you. They

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rebound the heck out of the ball and make it a physical game.”

His time in the Southern Conference even creates somewhat of a segue for Forbes into his new job. Wake Forest also won a championship in its final season in the Southern Conference in 1953 before becoming a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

It wasn’t until the seventh season of ACC play when the Demon Deacons secured a regular-season conference championship. That’s something that Forbes aims to do in a much quicker manner.

“I think Steve is going to win pretty quickly,” Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said. “In short order, I think Steve will have them back winning a lot of games. It won’t take him very long to get it going.”

While there are overflowing endorsements regarding Forbes’ likability, he didn’t arrive as a rah-rah guy without credentials. At 55 years old, he has experience on his side.

When the Demon Deacons begin the upcoming 20-21 basketball season, Forbes will be the second-oldest coach to make a debut in program history.

Forbes’ hiring was announced on the final day of April. The goal for Demon Deacons fans is to have the team playing more often closer to the first day of April.

The new coach can talk about second-weekend NCAA Tournament experiences as an assistant coach. As a staff member, he witnessed Marshall and Bruce Pearl directing teams as head coaches. Both men have taken teams to the Final Four.

Forbes is used to being in the top seat on the bench for important March games, too. East Tennessee State would have been in postseason play for the fourth time in five years this season.

Forbes has been in tune with top-level players as well.

“He’s an even better person when you get to know him,” said Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, who played at Wichita

BEING INSIDE THE SPARKLING NEW SHAH BASKETBALL COMPLEX HAS BEEN ENERGIZING FOR FORBES – NOT TO SAY THE NEW COACH NEEDS MUCH OF A BOOST IN THAT CATEGORY. HE HAS MARVELED ABOUT THE FACILITIES AND WHAT HE SEES AS THE UNIVERSITY’S COMMITMENT TO THE PROGRAM.

State when Forbes was on the staff there. “I’m so happy he’s getting his shot.”

Being inside the sparkling new Shah Basketball Complex has been energizing for Forbes – not to say the new coach needs much of a boost in that category. He has marveled about the facilities and what he sees as the university’s commitment to the program.

In his first days on campus, stories of long hours at the oncampus basketball center were recounted.

“I know they’re not sleeping very much,” Currie said of the new staff.

That’s fine with Forbes, who’s intent on filtering his own tremendous enthusiasm throughout the program.

“We just have to have a spark and get it going,” he said.

Forbes is ready and capable of providing that initial spark.

Wake Forest is ready and willing as well.

Bob Sutton served as sports editor of the Burlington Times for 25 years, covering Wake Forest, the ACC and every major sporting event in North Carolina during that time. One of the ACC’s most highly respected journalists, this is his first contribution to Gold Rush.

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AT H L E T I C S

// H O W I S P E N T M Y S P R I N G

HOW I SPENT WITH THE ABRUPT HALT TO ALL SPRING SPORTS IN MARCH BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, GOLD RUSH HAS PUT TOGETHER Q&AS WITH STUDENT-ATHLETES FROM EACH SPORT TO FIND OUT HOW THEY SPENT THEIR MOST UNUSUAL SPRING.

BASEBALL Name: Chris Lanzilli Class: Junior Major: Communication Hometown: Stoneham, Mass.

How did your coach and teammates react?

“We all were disappointed but knew we had no option. We handled it the best that we could.”

What have you done in the meantime this spring?

“I have a place to work out in an empty gym. I also hit with my friend on the field outside.”

How does this motivate you going forward?

“It motivates me because a lot was taken away from us, but I want to come back from quarantine with more skills than before.”

What’s next for you?

“I will pursue my baseball career.”

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MY SPRING WOMEN’S GOLF Name: Swing Liu Class: Senior Major: Finance Hometown: Shanghai, China What did you think when you heard your season was over?

“I was too shocked to react to the news at the moment, but once the news sat in it was more grief than anything. Then I tried to plan out what I can do after graduation since the situation is entirely novel to everyone. “ How did your coach and teammates react?

“We were all disappointed to say the least since we were ranked No. 1 in the country and on track to winning the national championship.

The team was super sweet and threw a graduation party for me in Arizona, and it was a very emotional night.”

MEN’S GOLF Name: Parker Gillam Class: Junior Major: Communication Hometown: Cary, N.C.

What have you done in the meantime this spring?

“Mainly just studying and reading. The online format certainly is interesting to navigate, but because of the new schedule, I also have the time to spend more time on reading books just for fun.”

How does this motivate you going forward?

"Well, I am one of those who will return next year. I will be attending grad school here studying Business Analytics, so I am extremely pumped to have a chance to go for another national championship.”

What did you think when you heard your season was over?

“I was extremely disappointed because I was looking forward to the remainder of the spring season and to the ACC and NCAA tournaments.”

How did your coach and teammates react?

“I think everyone was caught off guard. None of us expected this. It was very hard for us to accept.”

What have you done in the meantime this spring?

“I have mainly focused on my online classes, staying in shape and continuing to improve my golf game.”

How does this motivate you going forward?

“I will not take things for granted. I will stay in the moment and appreciate getting back to tournament play. As a team, we will definitely be motivated to earn our spot at the top of the rankings next season.”

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MEN’S TENNIS Name: Eduardo Nava Class: Redshirt senior Major: Communication Hometown: Woodland Hills, Calif.

What did you think when you heard your season was over?

“When I heard this, I didn’t think it was really going to happen and that there would just be a short break until we got back out there.

Once the ultimatum of a canceled season came out, it started to hit me that I might have just played my last matches as a college student-athlete.”

How did your coach and teammates react?

“My coaches and teammates were all very shocked to hear the news that the season was canceled. Canceling the season was difficult since we all felt like our best tennis was yet to come.”

What have you done in the meantime this spring?

“I obviously have been spending more time at home and still trying to play some tennis at my cousin’s backyard tennis court. Getting used to online schooling has also been somewhat of a transition.”

How does this motivate you going forward?

“I still had one more year of tennis eligibility and for some time I wasn’t sure if I was going to use it. I have made the decision to use the eligibility and try to accomplish something special with my team.”

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WOMEN’S TENNIS Name: Chandler Carter Class: Senior Major: Communication Hometown: Dallas, Texas What did you think when you heard your season was over?

“I was definitely shocked when I had first heard about our season being over. It didn’t set in until probably an hour after, but I was very sad and disappointed. Being a senior, it was one of the weirdest feelings, considering my tennis career was over.”

How did your coach and teammates react?

“We were all together when we found out, because we were supposed to leave for a road trip at Boston College that day. I think we were all in disbelief, honestly. We had a team meeting the next morning and were able to say our goodbyes.”

What have you done in the meantime this spring?

"I came home to Dallas after our season was canceled, and have just been working on classes and finishing up the semester. Spending a lot of time with my family … nothing too exciting."

What’s next for you?

"Being a senior, I did not see this coming at all and was pretty much blindsided by the fact that my season and career was over. I plan on attending SMU in the fall to pursue my Master’s of Science in Sport Management."

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// H O W I S P E N T M Y S P R I N G

MEN’S TRACK Name: Zach Facioni Class: Sophomore Major: Economics Hometown: Sydney, Australia What did you think when you heard your season was over?

“I was definitely upset to hear the news. In saying that, I knew it was for the best and was fortunate enough to still have had a full indoor track season.”

How did your coach and teammates react?

“I don't think anybody knew the full extent of how bad things were, so there was a lot of confusion amongst the team. We have a lot of international students who didn't know if they should book flights home or not.”

What have you done in the meantime this spring?

“After returning back home to Australia I've been mostly focusing on school and building my training back up. After the cancellation of the season here, we decided to shut down and have a rest.”

How does this motivate you going forward?

“Obviously, it's going to be difficult for all of the spring athletes to stay motivated until the next season. Luckily for me, I have cross country to look forward to in the fall, so I'm just trying to channel all my energy into that and make sure I'm as ready as possible.”

WOMEN’S TRACK

Name: Hannah Brookover Class: Senior Major: Health and Exercise Science Hometown: Palm Harbor, Fla.

What did you think when you heard your season was over?

“I was thinking about indoor nationals and the distance medley relay team we had there. They had an incredible season and coming off of a win at ACC's gave them a lot of momentum for nationals.”

How did your coach and teammates react?

“We kept hearing different things but didn't know if it was true or not. This is uncharted territory, so I know our coaches didn’t have all of the answers either at the time. When it finally sunk in, we were in disbelief. Our coaches have been very supportive throughout the past couple of months.”

What have you done in the meantime this spring?

“Sticking to the same routine has been crucial for me. I still train at the same time and keep my training schedule the same as if we were at school. I am lucky to have nice weather in Florida.”

What’s next for you?

“I have both indoor and outdoor eligibility left, and I will start my Biomedical Master's program at the end of May. I am grateful for the opportunity to compete and continue my education.”

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GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

A

DEACON

GENTLEMAN CARL TACY NEVER SOUGHT THE SPOTLIGHT OR CRAVED ATTENTION, BUT HE LED WAKE FOREST BASKETBALL TO MANY MEMORABLE ACHIEVEMENTS DURING A CAREER THAT DESERVED BOTH

By Ed Hardin

C

arl Tacy was a gentleman to some, including those who loved the Old Gold & Black, but a seeming enigma to many.

He was a winner who never fully embraced certain aspects of the profession of coaching college basketball, shying away from the bright lights and working in the shadows of bigger names and bigger programs. When he walked away from coaching Wake Forest in his final season in 1985, Gentleman Carl Tacy was only 53 years old.

Asked later if he ever thought of returning to the bench, Tacy said “no.”

“But,” he added, “I would have loved to stay in coaching longer. I do think about it often.”

He was a mystery to the very end.

Tacy died in April at the age of 87.

His career at Wake coincided with one of the greatest eras in ACC basketball history, an era of great coaches and great players.

Tacy and his under-appreciated teams more

than held their own against those of Dean Smith, Jim Valvano, Lefty Driesell, Terry Holland and a young Mike Krzyzewski.

And his players stood alongside the likes of Michael Jordan, Ralph Sampson, James Worthy and the national title teams at UNC and N.C. State.

Former Deacon forward Guy Morgan said that Tacy always had his teams prepared.

“He was truly one of the great basketball minds of our time, as he always created schemes that allowed each of us individually, and as a team, to reach our full potential,” Morgan said.

Former coach Dave Odom said that Tacy was always thinking ahead.

“He is one of the more understated and under-appreciated coaches to ever coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference,” Odom said.

“He was here for 13 years, and when he came in, there was no pride in the program or the team.

“In his own way he restructured everything, gave it a new face and with it came a lot of pride. Gradually over his period of 13 years, he carved out some great teams.”

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// C A R L TA C Y

Carl Tacy stands behind (from left) Jerry Schellenberg, Rod Griffin and Skip Brown, who were key players from perhaps his best team in 1976-77 that went 22-8, tied for second in the ACC and advanced to the Elite Eight.

Odom, who came to Wake Forest as an assistant to Tacy in 1976, said that his old boss kept things simple. ”He was a lot like today’s modern coaches,” Odom said. “He loved players who could shoot the ball. He sent me out recruiting, and I was like ‘What do I look for? What kind of player am I recruiting to Wake Forest?’ And he said ‘David, I’ll be happy with anybody you bring in who can shoot the ball.’ He was clearly ahead of his time.”

Away from the court, Tacy was harder to understand. He felt no need to publicize himself or his program. He was who he was, and his program reflected that mysterious aloofness.

“He shied away from public attention,” Odom said. “He was very content at coaching his team; he didn’t need a lot of bells and whistles. Give him a ball and a team and a gym. Reynolds Gym on campus was enough for him to carve out a program.”

Gene Hooks, the longtime athletics director at Wake Forest, said he left Tacy alone and never worried about the basketball program.

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“Carl was a great coach and an even better person,” Hooks said.

“I trusted him completely as he always valued the integrity of Wake Forest and his student-athletes over everything else.”

And yet he walked away from everything in 1985, just one year removed from one of Wake Forest’s most memorable seasons when Tacy guided the Deacs to a historic conquest over DePaul and its retiring legendary coach Ray Meyer in the 1984 NCAA Tournament – a win that took Wake to the Elite Eight.

That outstanding ’84 team was his second to reach a regional final. His 1977 squad had lost at that point in the NCAA postseason to eventual national champion Marquette.

His final season was a hard one though. Tacy seemed to have lost some of the hidden energy that carried him to so many highlights with the Demon Deacons.

The final game was in Tampa against South Florida in the first round of the NIT. For those who were there, we remember a

gloomy night on the Wake bench. Tacy had left his best player at home for missing a practice. Kenny Green would later leave school after his junior year and enter the NBA. Tacy walked away from that final loss without telling anyone he was done. Hooks would later say he was “shocked” when his coach retired a few months later.

He still had the full backing from the university. He had seven new freshmen recruits coming in. His program was still competitive, and every indication was that he would do what he always did, carving out a program in the shadows and coach basketball at Wake Forest for as long he wanted to.

Instead, he released a simple statement.

“After careful thought and deliberation, I have reached a decision to make a job change which I believe is in the best interest of my family, the university and me,” it said. “My future plans are indefinite. However, I am hopeful that my family and I can continue to make Winston-Salem our home.”

And just like that, he was gone.

In a coaching career that began in Pulaski, Va., and took him to Ferrum College and then to Marshall in his home state of West Virginia, Tacy coached and won at every level for more than 30 years.

His teams earned state high school titles. He won 67 games in three years at Ferrum. He took Marshall to the NCAA Tournament in his only season there, a remarkable feat in 1972 when only 25

AWAY FROM THE COURT, TACY WAS HARDER TO UNDERSTAND. HE FELT NO NEED TO PUBLICIZE HIMSELF OR HIS PROGRAM. HE WAS WHO HE WAS, AND HIS PROGRAM REFLECTED THAT MYSTERIOUS ALOOFNESS. schools qualified for the tournament. And then at Wake, his teams won 222 games in his 13 seasons.

He would indeed coach again. Or so the story goes.

In the years after his retirement, rumors out of Virginia were that he was coaching or helping to coach a young grandson’s team. The stories were hard to verify, but the mystery was fitting for Gentleman Carl Tacy, a man who stayed out of the spotlight even while coaching – and succeeding – at the highest level in the college game.

Ed Hardin has covered Wake Forest and the ACC for 35 years as a reporter and columnist for all three Triad newspapers - the Greensboro News & Record, the Winston-Salem Journal and the High Point Enterprise. He is a four-time recipient of the Sportswriter of the Year award in the state of North Carolina.

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100% COTTEN

// S TA N C O T T E N

Sunday’s Coming S TA N COTTEN VOICE OF THE DEMON DEACONS

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As I sit and try to write, I must admit it’s hard, because I keep looking out the window on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Good Friday. Everything looks so normal. The sun is shining, and the azaleas I planted after we built our house in the country near Advance are blooming, big and beautiful. Honestly, they’ve come a bit early this year for the Radio Ranch. Perhaps they’re just trying to do their part since the Masters has been postponed until November. And I’m snapped back into the reality that things aren’t close to normal.

No, they’re not.

Just about everything is upside down. Most horribly, people have died — lives that will never come back.

Businesses have shut down. Jobs lost. The future altered over something we don’t truly understand yet and can’t even see. All we see is the carnage ‘it’ has left behind.

So we stay at home. From a distance. And we wait.

For me the waiting began just after the Deacons bowed out of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament – the tournament that wasn’t. It started alright, but then it sputtered and stopped dead in its tracks at the Greensboro Coliseum. Like many of you, I didn’t know what to think or do? So, I just turned the page and got ready for the coming weekend’s Wake Forest baseball series with Clemson. But then that got canceled. And then like a series of jabs from Ali’s right hand that you never saw coming, EVERYTHING was canceled.

EVERYTHING. The games all stopped.

No NCAA Tournament. No spring sports at the college level. No NBA. No Major League Baseball. No Masters.

No. I’ve been in sports my whole life. Started as a wee one and just kept going. When orthopedic surgeons told me I couldn’t play sports anymore, I got a job talking about them. That was 40 years ago and then some, and I have absolutely nothing to compare this to. Nothing. Not even close.

So here we are in uncharted waters. The news headlines toss us to and fro like the waves of an angry

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sea. It seems the narratives change daily. Whom and what are we to believe? How long is all of this going to last? When can we get back to our lives? Will football at least start on time? I don’t have the answer to those questions, and anyone who says he or she does is selling you something.

But I am confident in two things. The first is as my mother has always said about the darkness: “This, too, shall pass.” And it will. As surely as the sun comes up, it will. Eventually.

The second? The games will come back. They will.

There will be more games at BB&T Field. Before you know it they’ll ‘OPEN THE GATE,’ and the Deacons will race out and do what they do.

And soon again the ball will be tipped, and the games will return to the LJVM Coliseum. They will.

And I’ll be back, too. But not until after a season of furlough from my position at Learfield IMG College.

This isn’t how I wanted most of my summer to go, and I’ll admit it was a blow to receive the news that I and many of my colleagues around the country were being furloughed for a 90-day period as the company girded itself for, hopefully, just a few lean months.

This column is one of the final things on my work docket before setting my mind and attention to something else for a few months for the first time since coming to Winston-Salem nearly 25 years ago.

I’m not sure what this time will be like. But I’m going to do my best to focus on it being positive. Back when those doctors advised closing the doors on a football career, my father and my coach, the late Ken Sparks, pointed to me to another door.

And I just walked through it, without looking back.

You do what you have to do.

Going forward is the only option, and that’s the advice I would give anyone in a similar boat as mine.

It’s kind of like a basketball tournament when you think about it. Survive and advance.

Sunday is coming.

GO DEACS!

INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB

A new era for Wake Forest basketball

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

Commencement…it’s a word some people mistakenly associate with an ending, like graduation, which is often the final event of one’s college experience. But in actuality, commencement means “beginning” — the tip off, the kickoff, the pass back, the first serve, the starting gun — it’s the first step in a new direction or the start of a new game.

This time of year we are usually busy marking Wake Forest’s commencement by celebrating our graduating Demon Deacons with a special reception and paying tribute to the countless achievements and accolades they earned during their time at Wake Forest. So before I go any further, I want to congratulate the 85 studentathletes who earned their degrees in the 2019-20 year. Their final year didn’t exactly turn out as they had envisioned, and we are all disappointed that we could not celebrate them in person. But we are thinking of them and are grateful for all they have done and the way they have represented the Deacs on the field and off. On behalf of all Wake Forest alumni, we are proud to welcome them to our ranks.

But now I want to talk about a different kind of commencement that we celebrated this spring — the commencement of a new era for Wake Forest Basketball — the commencement of the Steve Forbes era.

It began at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 30, as the wheels were set in motion for his official public announcement. The search process, which Coach Forbes described as “mental Olympics” had just reached its conclusion after several grueling days, but he was ready to go. The morning of the announcement began with a meeting with Dr. Hatch. Next up was a Zoom meeting with his ETSU team followed by another Zoom meeting in which he was introduced to his new Wake Forest team.

He also found time to film an introductory video (with the mask spike) that would become the most watched video in the history of the Wake Forest Twitter account!

We made the official announcement around midday via a press release, so next up were media interviews and the first official tour of the new Shah Basketball Complex for Coach Forbes and a couple key members of his staff who had joined him.

The best way to describe Coach Forbes and his staff, as they took in the incredible new facilities made possible by the generosity of Mit Shah, Ben Sutton, Bob McCreary and so many others, would be “giddy with excitement.”

Coach Forbes remarked that he sort of felt like he was on the gameshow “Let’s Make a Deal” in which you pick one of two doors to reveal a prize which is either a new car…or a goat — but in this version, each door he opened revealed “a new car.”

There definitely aren’t any “goats” in the Shah Basketball Complex.

The tour concluded in Coach Forbes’ new office.

He was amazed by the size of it and even got lost a few times trying to navigate the men’s basketball office suite. He and his staff joked that they might as well check out of their hotel because they had everything they could possibly need right there in the Shah Basketball Complex — including a stateof-the-art training complex that would enable them to recruit and develop their student-athletes at the highest level.

To cap off a very busy first day, Mit Shah provided Coach Forbes and his staff with dinner from a Wake Forest institution — Putters — which I had the pleasure of helping deliver to the men’s basketball suite. I'm pretty sure the staff stayed up all night figuring out the roster and charting a path forward for our basketball program.

The next morning, we prepared for the press conference, conducting it via WebEx and streaming it live on YouTube. Afterwards, we asked Coach Forbes to film several scenes for commercials and videos, record a couple of automated phone messages and have a variety of photos taken for use in advertising and social media. What really struck me was when, in the midst of the exhausting whirlwind of scheduled activities, I saw Coach Forbes take a moment to walk over and introduce himself to Thomas Laws, a Wake Forest student who had driven over from Concord, N.C., that morning to serve as the Deacon mascot during the day’s events. I noticed that Coach Forbes spent a considerable amount of time talking with and getting to know Thomas.

I thought the moment really demonstrated Coach Forbes’ genuine and humble nature and

Continued on Page 30

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ER I N S I D E T H E PA D EG AE C OHNE A CD LU B

DEACON CLUB GIVING DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JUNE 30

In order to best accommodate Deacon Club members financially, the Deacon Club has extended its giving deadline for the upcoming year to Tuesday, June 30. If you are able, please consider making, renewing, or increasing your contribution to the Deacon Club to serve Wake Forest Athletics and the Wake Forest community. Now, more than ever, Wake Forest relies on contributions from the community to continue to function at an elite level. Visit deaconclub.com/ donate to make your gift today.

Stay connected with the programs you support through Wake Forest program update calls – monitor your email inbox and GoDeacs.com for ongoing information.

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

DEACON CLUB

@WFUDeaconClub | @DeacOnTheRun @BarryFaircloth

FOOTBALL SEASON TICKET PRIORITY DEADLINE IS JUNE 5 Wake Forest is offering Demon Deacon fans additional time and flexibility to order football season tickets, including ticket purchase assurance and additional payment plan flexibility. Originally scheduled for April 30, the renewal and priority deadline for football season tickets and parking pass purchases has been extended to Friday, June 5. If for some reason any portion of the 2020 schedule does not take place, ticket holders who purchased directly through Wake Forest will have the option of a refund for any games that are not played or a credit for future ticket purchases. Current payment plan participants can adjust their current payment plan to the new summer dates if it better fits their needs.

To adjust your upcoming payment plan charge date or make your purchase, contact your sales rep or the Wake Forest Ticket Office at (336) 758-3322, ext 1, or tix@wfu.edu.

NOW ACCEPTING DEPOSITS FOR 2020-21 MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON MEMBERSHIPS A new era of Wake Forest basketball is here! Be a part of the movement by making a deposit to claim a full season, half season, or quarter season men’s basketball season membership package. Season ticket memberships provide you the best possible seats, benefits, and access.

Secure yours today by making a $50 deposit – visit GoDeacs. com/SteveForbes or contact the Wake Forest Ticket Office to make your deposit.

MAY 2020

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DONOR PROFILE

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ROBERT FISCHBACH

Fischbach finds many ways to support Wake Forest despite living on West Coast

W

hen Robert Fischbach made his first gift to the Deacon Club three years ago, he didn’t realize that it was just the beginning of an amazing journey that is continuing to unfold.

The journey actually started a year or so earlier when Robert’s son, Ryan, was looking at colleges. A varsity tennis player at the prestigious Menlo School, Ryan knew what he was looking for in his future school — he wanted to be challenged academically; he wanted a Division I school with a great athletics program and lots of school spirit; and he wanted to get out of California. A college counselor recommended that Ryan consider Wake Forest, and after a couple of visits, he knew he had found what he was looking for.

“On that last visit, he just fell in love with it,” Robert explained. “I think it was the size of the school, the reputation of the school, and the fact that it provides a traditional college experience with a really cool ACC connection. So he chose Wake Forest!”

The Fischbachs were thrilled with Ryan’s decision and were confident that Wake was a good fit for him. What was a bit more unexpected, however, was what a good fit it would turn out to be, as parents.

Looking for a way to get connected and be involved despite being 2,400 miles away, Robert was thrilled to discover the range of opportunities available, and he appreciated Wake Forest’s approach to parent involvement.

“What I loved about Wake Forest was that they were really interested in getting parents involved — and not just by writing checks. The advice that I was given when we first arrived on campus was to learn as much as I could about the school, figure out what programs interested me, and see if there is an opportunity to connect and help that program. Quite honestly, a lot of schools are already asking you for money before you even get there. Wake Forest had a very professional way of working with potential donors. They encouraged me to find what matters to me, and then if you felt like investing, I could do that. I love that idea.”

Robert’s first step was joining the University’s Parents Council. Through that

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experience, he had the opportunity to meet President Hatch, Provost Rogan Kersh, and many other key figures who provided a great introduction to the University and began to connect Robert with other areas of the University. One of his earliest connections was with Melissa Combes in University Advancement who was instrumental in helping him discover more about Wake Forest. A board member for the San Francisco 49ers Foundation, Robert had an interest in athletics, so Melissa introduced him to Mike Piscetelli in the Deacon Club. After getting to know Mike and learning more about the various opportunities to support the athletics department, he decided to join the Deacon Club.

Through conversations with Robert, Mike learned of his son Ryan’s interest in tennis. Due to a series of injuries, Ryan wasn’t pursuing collegiate tennis, but he still had a passion for the sport. As a result, Mike introduced Ryan to head women’s tennis coach Jeff Wyshner who was looking for a student manager. The two had a great conversation, and Coach Wyshner asked Ryan if he would be interested in being a student manager for the Wake Forest women’s tennis team. After some consideration, Ryan recognized that it was an incredible opportunity to be part of a team, stay connected to tennis, and do something to contribute to the success of a DI program. After meeting with members of the team to ensure the relationship would be a good fit, Ryan was selected and has been the student manager for three years.

A few months after Ryan’s tenure with the team began, during one of his trips to Wake Forest, Robert requested a meeting with Coach Wyshner. He had heard such good things about “Coach Jeff” that he was excited to meet him and get to know more about the program.

“Jeff was amazing! He is a very busy guy, but he let me come into his office and spent nearly two hours with me, talking about his background, coaching, and why he came to Wake. I asked him a lot of questions about his philosophy on recruiting, mentoring and coaching the players and how to be successful here. Jeff shared with me a very detailed and ambitious plan that he had for

the program. He never once made excuses about Wake’s size or the challenges of competing against large universities. He never said, ‘I’m in a tough spot.’ He just laid out his plan for the program and the things he was interested in doing.

“One of the things that really struck me was when he talked about the challenges of fundraising for women's collegiate sports programs. It's difficult because they're not often in the spotlight — you still see a lot more men’s sports on television. It was really interesting the way that he educated me to that, but again, it wasn't an excuse.

He saw it as a challenge, but a challenge that he could overcome once he found some people who were passionate about helping build a program and watching it grow.

“I work at BlackRock (a global investment manager) and we always look at investments through a long-term results lens. And it wasn't a pitch for support.

It was just him walking me through his comprehensive plan.”

One of the items on Wyshner’s wish list was a new team bus. At the time, the team would travel to matches together in a small, relatively uncomfortable van while one of the assistant coaches would drive separately with the team’s equipment. A team bus may not seem that important to some, but its impact on the overall student-athlete experience is significant and can certainly contribute to increased success. Having the entire team traveling together builds camaraderie; it provides a comfortable place to study and rest during long drives; access to on-the-go WiFi allows team members to keep up with their academics more effectively; the Wake Forest branding not only fosters a sense of pride among the team, but it also enhances awareness. And it provides an advantage in recruiting.

So Robert asked Wyshner if he had looked into the costs for a bus.

“He broke out some paperwork and shared it with me. He had done a lot of research on it and had laid the groundwork with the school, but it was clear he needed some outside donors to get it done. I thought back to the advice I was given early on, which was find what you’re passionate about and invest in that. And I felt this was a really

PA G E H E A D E R

good opportunity for me to invest in a program and be able to see the impact of that investment right away. Jeff’s passion, vision and unwavering belief that he could build an elite program at Wake Forest was inspiring, so I made a commitment to the Women’s Tennis Excellence Fund, and along with the generous support of five or six other families, we were able to make the dream of a team bus a reality.”

The Women’s Tennis Excellence Fund allow donors to contribute directly to the program to assist with things that may not be fully covered by the program’s operating budget.

Robert appreciated the fact that Wyshner treated him and his fellow donors like true investors, keeping them up to date on the progress of everything from the design to the stitching on the seats and sharing photos of the finished product once it was delivered. Robert’s experience was so positive that he wanted to find more ways to support the program.

“I probably check in with Coach Jeff every few months, and he has continued to share with me his plans for the program.

For example, we talked last fall about some training equipment that he was trying to get for the program, one of which was a really cool, state-of-the-art ball machine which would allow the women to customize drills and practice hitting a variety of shots and speeds. So I made a donation to purchase it, and as soon as he acquired it, he sent me a picture and it was really super cool.

“I love being able to support this program. I love the fact that Coach Jeff has a visionary plan, and I love how well he communicates whether it is sending updates and photos or holding conference calls for donors, alumni and friends of the program. He's been very appreciative of everyone who's helping him take the program to the next level. It's really been exhilarating to see how the team has evolved over the last couple of years.

They are having more success, recruiting

better athletes — all of the things Jeff laid out in his plan when we first met. The small things matter, and it makes me feel awesome to be a part of it.”

Coach Wyshner is grateful to Robert for his generosity.

"Robert's support of the program over the last few years has been amazing,” Wyshner explained. “With his son Ryan attending Wake Forest, he's had the opportunity to visit campus and be around our program. That firsthand connection has helped him to see and hear about places where he can help our program both in the short and long term, and his willingness to jump in and act on our behalf has been phenomenal. He's definitely helped us make things happen right away for the program that we had been reaching towards for 2-3 years. Thank you, Robert!"

Athletics hasn’t been the only interest Robert has found at Wake Forest over the years. He has been involved with some events for Wake West, and he serves on the Board of Visitors for the School of Business.

Robert has also been instrumental in forging a strong partnership between his firm, BlackRock, and the business school.

A couple of years ago, BlackRock hosted a group of Wake Forest graduate students who were visiting different companies in the Bay Area. They spent more than three hours at BlackRock, learning about the company, networking, and going through some exercises designed to help them understand what it’s like working in financial services. Afterwards, Robert had an idea to pitch to Dean of the School of Business Charles Iacovou.

“I thought he was going to laugh at me, but he didn't. I said, ‘Listen, it's great for students to come and see how BlackRock works. We're the world's largest asset manager; we manage about $7.4 trillion of assets. It's great to bring students in to learn about what we're doing. But I actually think it would be just as cool to bring in professors.’ So I ended up

underwriting a program with Charles, in which we funded a trip for a handful of business school professors and administrators from Wake Forest. They came out to San Francisco and spent a day with us. We brought in all of our best BlackRock folks who were running different divisions of our business. They came in and talked about what's going on in the industry with technology, what's going on with asset management, finance, etc. And it was awesome to see all these amazing professors from Wake Forest, coming with notebooks and taking copious notes. We had a ton of questions, and Charles and I both thought it was a great way to help administrators and professors learn about what's going on in business outside the classroom.”

Robert continues to work with the School of Business to develop new programs and initiatives to educate students on important real-world issues like diversity and inclusion, and he actively advocates for BlackRock to recruit Wake Forest students, saying they are incredibly smart and well-prepared. He also hopes to one day host some studentathletes who are traveling to the Bay Area for a competition and give them an opportunity to learn more about potential career opportunities in the finance world.

It is clear that Robert took to heart the advice he was given at the start of his son’s freshman year. He discovered several areas of interest in which he has become passionate about investing; he has cultivated strong relationships and is continuing to make a significant impact throughout the Wake Forest community.

When fellow West Coasters ask him about his experience with Wake Forest and whether or not it’s hard for his son to be 2,400 miles from home, he doesn’t hesitate to share his thoughts.

“I tell them all the things they need to hear,” he explained. “It's a great academic school; they care so much about the students in the community that the kids aren’t likely to miss home that much. But the one thing that nobody talks about in the recruiting videos or anywhere else is that, as a parent, if you want to get involved and be a part of the University, there are so many opportunities. Our family has become very much integrated into the culture of giving back at Wake Forest. My experience has been incredible. I've met some of the most outstanding parents, coaches and administrators in the world. It’s just been an amazing journey so far.”

If you are interested in learning more about how you can support the Wake Forest Excellence Funds or any other initiatives mentioned here, please contact the Deacon Club at (336) 758-5626.

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PA RH E Y N O W ?

W HGEER H E EAARDEE T

I

KIM MANY

n each issue, Where Are They Now showcases a former Wake Forest student-athlete. In this edition we catch up with former cross country/track & field athlete Kim Many (’93).

KIM MANY

When did you graduate from Wake Forest?

I graduated in 1993 with a BS in accounting. Upon graduation, I attended The University of Georgia School of Law and graduated in 1996. I spent the summer of 1996 working in Atlanta because I wanted to be able to go to all of the Olympic Games and experience it first-hand. My roommate was the head of logistics for the athlete’s village for Atlanta 1996, so I spent a lot of time there and met many people from many different countries.

What is your current occupation?

In December 1996, I was sent to New York City on a work assignment and fell in love with the city’s energy, culture and sophistication. I never came back to Atlanta and have lived in NYC ever since. I live in Manhattan with my husband, Kevin (a ‘96 Duke grad) and my two children, Luke (16) and Dylan (14). I currently am the general counsel of two different familyowned medical companies (my husband is an obstetrician/gynecologist). I am the co-chair of U.S. Soccer’s New York City Development Council. This organization is committed to raising funds to make soccer the premier sport in our country. (My passion for soccer was born at WFU as well because the cross country and track teams hung out with the soccer team a lot and we went to all the home games.

The men’s soccer team was also excellent during my tenure at Wake Forest.) This past year, we raised over $250,000 for coaching education scholarships for coaches in the NYC metropolitan area. Our belief is by training the coaches, you impact the greatest number of children that play the game. I also recently agreed to be the PTA President at Regis High School in New York City. Regis is an all-boys Jesuit school but is unique in its mission as every single boy that attends Regis receives a full academic scholarship. Forty percent of its graduates will be the first to attend college in their families. My son, Luke, was supposed to attend the Wake Forest Summer Immersion Program this summer but will instead hopefully go next summer, COVID-19 permitting. I would love for either of my children to be Demon Deacons one day because Wake Forest is a major research university with a small town, family-oriented feel.

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Why do you feel it is important to give back to the University?

I believe it is very important to give back to Wake Forest and its athletic program because being a scholarship athlete at Wake Forest University opened many doors for me in my own career. It’s important that we give back to give others the same opportunities we received. Wake Forest is a family first. I am extremely proud to have been a Demon Deacon and my best friend at Wake Forest from the cross country and track teams, Carrie Powers (‘93), is still my best friend today. She lives in Toronto, but we visit in person at least twice a year and talk on the phone like our grandmas probably did.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Wake Forest?

My favorite Wake Forest cross country memory was our freshman year when we were ranked sixth in the nation, and we ran at NCAA Nationals in Indiana. Being a freshman, I did not realize how hard it was to reach that tournament, but it was amazing because both the men’s and women’s teams went to NCAA Nationals.

What is your favorite Wake Forest sports memory?

It would be beating Duke in basketball at home my senior year (1993). Both my mom and my brother were visiting, and we stormed the court afterwards.

What does it mean to you to be a Demon Deacon?

Being a Demon Deacon to me means being a part of a family. Wake Forest was not just a spectacular education but led me to some of my best friends for life through my time on the cross country and track teams.

What are your fondest memories of your time at Wake Forest?

Some of my fondest memories are bus rides to and from meets with my teammates where we would talk and bond about life (this was before electronic devices) so we played games and gave each other shoulder massages to pass

the time. My other favorite memory from Wake Forest was going on runs with my accounting and business professors. This was often my second or third workout of the day but was enjoyable because I was able to talk about life and current events. I remember running with former dean of the business school and professor and mentor of mine, Jack Wilkerson, and I would also talk to President Hearn during his early morning swims. At Wake Forest, your professors cared not just about you as students but also about you as people.

Who is your favorite coach at Wake Forest, current or past?

My favorite coach at Wake Forest was Skip Prosser. He was an incredible man who knew how to positively motivate his players and get the best out of them. He reached the NCAAs in each of his first four years.

His death was so tragic, and I remember exactly where I was when I heard of his passing. I was working in midtown NYC at Morrison & Foerster LLP as a lawyer, and it made me so sad that I cancelled all my meetings and went home for the day.

When you come back to Wake Forest, you always …

Take a walk through Reynolda Gardens and make a trip to Krispy Kreme for hot doughnuts as that was our favorite latenight binge when I was a student. Living in NYC, I don’t get back as often as I like but we attend Wake Forest sports events in our area when we can. We attended an Army-Wake Forest football game at West Point that was truly memorable as well as basketball and soccer games when we can.

What makes you most proud of Wake Forest?

It’s Call to Conversation Program. It shows where the heart of this amazing University lays ... in its commitment to people.

2020 ACC FOOTBALL COMPOSITE SCHEDULE WEEK 1 Thursday, Sept. 3 Clemson at Georgia Tech NC State at Louisville Friday, Sept. 4 Syracuse at Boston College North Carolina at UCF Wake Forest at Old Dominion Saturday, Sept. 5 Middle Tennessee State at Duke Florida State vs. West Virginia (Chick-fil-A Kickoff, Atlanta, Ga.) Temple at Miami Miami (Ohio) at Pitt Liberty at Virginia Tech Monday, Sept. 7 Virginia vs. Georgia (Chick-fil-A Kickoff, Atlanta, Ga.)

WEEK 2

Friday, Nov. 13 Virginia at Duke

Saturday, Oct. 3 Wake Forest at Duke Florida State at NC State Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech Louisville at Syracuse Pitt at Miami North Carolina at Virginia

Saturday, Nov. 14 Boston College at Florida State The Citadel at Clemson Notre Dame at Georgia Tech Wake Forest at Louisville Miami at Virginia Tech Pitt at North Carolina NC State at Syracuse

WEEK 6 Friday, Oct. 9 Miami at Wake Forest Saturday, Oct. 10 Louisville at Boston College Clemson at Florida State Duke at NC State Virginia Tech at North Carolina

Friday, Sept. 11 Appalachian State at Wake Forest Saturday, Sept. 12 Ohio at Boston College Louisville at Clemson Elon at Duke Samford at Florida State Gardner-Webb at Georgia Tech Wagner at Miami North Carolina vs. Auburn (Atlanta, Ga.) Mississippi State at NC State Pitt at Marshall Syracuse at Rutgers VMI at Virginia Penn State at Virginia Tech

WEEK 3 Thursday, Sept. 17 Charlotte at Duke UAB at Miami Friday, Sept. 18 UCF at Georgia Tech

WEEK 11

WEEK 5 Friday, Oct. 2 Clemson at Boston College

WEEK 7 Saturday, Oct. 17 NC State at Clemson North Carolina at Duke Wake Forest at Florida State Virginia at Georgia Tech Notre Dame at Pitt Liberty at Syracuse

WEEK 8 Thursday, Oct. 22 Boston College at Virginia Tech Saturday, Oct. 24 Syracuse at Clemson Florida State at Louisville Georgia Tech at Pitt North Carolina at Miami Virginia at Old Dominion

WEEK 12 Thursday, Nov. 19 Florida State at Syracuse Saturday, Nov. 21 North Carolina at Boston College Clemson at Wake Forest Virginia Tech at Duke Miami at Georgia Tech Louisville at Notre Dame ................................2:30 p.m., NBC Liberty at NC State Pitt at Virginia

WEEK 13 Friday, Nov. 27 NC State at North Carolina Saturday, Nov. 28 Boston College at Wake Forest South Carolina at Clemson Duke at Miami Florida at Florida State Georgia Tech at Georgia Kentucky at Louisville Syracuse at Pitt Virginia at Virginia Tech

ACC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Saturday, Dec. 5 ACC Football Championship Game (Charlotte, N.C.)

WEEK 9

Saturday, Sept. 19 Boston College at Kansas Akron at Clemson Florida State at Boise State Murray State at Louisville James Madison at North Carolina NC State at Troy Richmond at Pitt Colgate at Syracuse UConn at Virginia Virginia Tech at Middle Tennessee State Villanova at Wake Forest

WEEK 4 Saturday, Sept. 26 Purdue at Boston College Virginia at Clemson Duke at Pitt Georgia Tech at North Carolina Western Kentucky at Louisville Miami at Michigan State Delaware at NC State Syracuse at Western Michigan North Alabama at Virginia Tech Notre Dame at Wake Forest (Charlotte, N.C.)

Saturday, Oct. 31 Holy Cross at Boston College Duke at Notre Dame .......................................3:30 p.m., NBC Pitt at Florida State Georgia Tech at Syracuse Virginia Tech at Louisville Miami at Virginia Wake Forest at NC State

WEEK 10 Friday, Nov. 6 Virginia Tech at Pitt Saturday, Nov. 7 Boston College at NC State Clemson at Notre Dame .................................7:30 p.m., NBC Duke at Georgia Tech Florida State at Miami Louisville at Virginia UConn at North Carolina Syracuse at Wake Forest

Team-by-Team Schedules | 2020 Football

COMPLIANCE CORNER

// T O D D H A I R S T O N

THE NCAA RESPONDS TO COVID-19

TODD HAIRSTON SENIOR A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, COMPLIANCE

As the world has been rocked by the COVID-19 crisis, so too has the NCAA and college athletics.

With the cancellation of winter championships and spring sport seasons, the NCAA has appropriately prioritized health and safety over practice and competition. In addition to these steps, they have also implemented a recruiting ban through at least May 31 and have placed limits on the contact coaches can have with student-athletes.

Specifically, coaches may have up to eight hours of virtual team meetings and film sessions per week but may not require any in person or virtual workouts.

While necessary, these measures have left student-athletes struggling to find ways to remain active and coaches feeling detached from their teams.

With a plan in place for the conclusion of the spring semester and early summer,

the NCAA is now grappling with how it will handle preseason activities for a number of fall sports, which are fast approaching.

NCAA rules generally allow most fall sports to begin practice activities during the first or second week in August.

However, it remains unclear exactly what level of participation will be permitted since each state may allow for varying levels of activity at a given point in time. While the NCAA intends to defer to the ordinances of specific states and municipalities, there are concerns around appropriate acclimatization and competitive equity if some schools have opportunities to begin practice while others do not.

While these issues pale in comparison to the broader health crisis that has impacted the globe, athletics officials have much to consider as we attempt to return to normal activity over the next several weeks.

Continued from Page 24 tremendous character. It was heartening to see him make time to engage with someone who is certainly a vital part of our program but often stays behind the scenes and likely didn’t expect to be talking in-depth with the new coach during such a hectic time.

The rest of the day was filled with more media interviews and several more WebEx calls with a variety of key constituents, concluding around 8 p.m. The 48-hour flurry of activity introducing Coach Forbes to Wake Forest had felt like a sprint marathon to me, so I can’t imagine how Coach and his staff were feeling that Friday evening. But as I went to bed that night, exhausted, I am pretty sure they were still at it, working tirelessly well into the wee hours of the night.

Looking back on that 48-hour sprint, I concluded a number of things. Coach Forbes is a “glass half-full” kind of guy. He is witty, genuine, and humble with a big dose of “small town” in his blood thanks to his upbringing in Lone Tree, Iowa.

He reminds me a bit of the late Skip Prosser and seems to possess some of the same charming qualities that endeared Skip to so many in Deacon Nation. He’s someone with whom you just want to hang out, have a beer and talk about life.

One of the memories of Skip that really stands out to me was when he said, “We are going to be good again.” Coach Forbes believes that too.

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With the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognized that there was no playbook or “best practices” for announcing a new coach amidst such uncertainty. But we did know that it was an exciting time for the Deacon faithful and our goal for Coach Forbes’ announcement was to spark a movement around Wake Forest Basketball — build excitement and provide momentum to Coach Forbes, his staff and players by harnessing the collective power of our fans for the purposes of returning our program to greatness.

Within a matter of days, maybe even hours, after the commencement of the Coach Forbes era, that movement was well on its way. Wake Forest fans are rallying around Coach Forbes, invigorated by his personality and energy. The excitement is palpable. WE ARE GOING TO BE GOOD AGAIN! I have complete trust and confidence that Coach Forbes will not only work smart, but work incredibly hard each and every day to accomplish that goal.

Thanks to our fans for joining with us to celebrate the commencement of the Coach Forbes era and helping create a movement around Wake Forest Basketball. If we all get behind this coach and do our collective part, we will see a lot of hoisting of trophies and cutting down nets in our future.

In the words of Coach Forbes himself, “Lets GOOO Deacon Nation. Let’s Get This Done!”Go Deacs!

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