SUCCESSFUL DEBUT FOR ACC NETWORK
Looking back at the 1970 Wake Forest football team that exceeded all expectations by winning the school’s firstever ACC championship and is now ready to celebrate a 50th anniversary reunion
JUNE 2020
WAKEFORESTSPORTS.COM
finish strong start here ORTHOPAEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE As Official Team Doctors for over 35 pro, collegiate and youth sports organizations, our nationally renowned experts provide leading care for children and adults. Schedule a same- or next-day appointment throughout the Triad. Saturday hours and walk-ins welcome at select locations. 888-716-WAKE | WakeHealth.edu/SportsMedicine
ST BAPTIS T RE O
ALTH HE
care for life
WAKE F
ACCEPTING MOST MAJOR INSURANCE PROVIDERS.
COVID-19
PROTECTED
VOL. 29 // ISSUE 8 (USPS 014-373) EDITOR
Jim Buice PHOTOGRAPHERS
Brian Westerholt, WFU Athletics and others as noted. WRITERS
Sam Walker, Marc Pruitt, Kyle Tatich, Stephanie Hudson Design & Layout
Summit Athletic Media www.summitathletics.com Advertising
Learfield IMG College Jeff Salisbury, Rob Aycock, Neil Bishop, Danny O'Connell For information on advertising, please call (336) 758-7230
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: Learfield IMG College 540 N. Trade St. Winston-Salem, NC 27101
CONTENTS
// J U N E 2 0 2 0
FIRST-ROUND PICK: Wake Forest’s Jared Shuster was selected by the Atlanta Braves with the No. 25 pick in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft on June 10. The lefthanded pitcher posted a 2-1 record in the shortened 2020 season after a 4-4 record in 2019. In his four starts this year, he threw 26.1 innings and had an incredible 43 strikeouts to just four walks. Shuster is the seventh Wake Forest player to be taken in the first round and the fifth Demon Deacon in the last five years to be among the top 50 picks in the draft.
4 24
FROM THE AD INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
28 30
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? COMPLIANCE CORNER
// 6 'WE WERE LIKE FAMILY' Wake Forest’s 1970 ACC Championship football team remains a tight-knit group as it approaches a 50th anniversary reunion.
All material produced in this publication is the property of Wake Forest University and Learfield IMG College and shall not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission. POSTMASTER: Please send all address changes to the attention of Stephanie Hudson, Wake Forest Athletics, PO Box 7426, Winston-Salem, NC 27109. The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser and/or the advertiser’s product or service by Wake Forest or Learfield IMG College. The use of the name of the University or any of its identifying marks in advertisements must be approved by WFU and IMG.
ON THE COVER Running back Larry Hopkins breaks a tackle in the Deacons’ exciting 14-13 triumph over North Carolina, which turned out to be crucial in the march to the school’s first-ever ACC football championship.
// 14 MASSIVE UNDERTAKING Wake Forest Athletics’ lengthy preparation and implementation of all things ACC Network contributes to a successful debut in the first year for a platform that gives fans more news, live events and other programming.
// 20 JUGGLING ACT Dearica Hamby, who is the Wake Forest women’s basketball program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, has transitioned to balancing life as a professional basketball player and a mom.
JUNE 2020
3
FROM THE A.D.
// J O H N C U R R I E
Reflections on being a Demon Deacon Demon Deacon Nation,
JOHN CURRIE DIRECTOR O F AT H L E T I C S
4
As I write this letter for the final Gold Rush of the 201920 year, it is an incredibly challenging time for our Wake Forest community and the entire nation. We are not only battling a global pandemic, but we are trying to make sense of the violence and social injustice plaguing our country. In this time of great division and pain, please know that Wake Forest Athletics is committed to fighting inequality and injustice, and we will continue to listen, learn, make our voices heard and hold ourselves and others accountable. I also encourage you to read Dr. Hatch’s poignant May 30th message to the Wake Forest community at https:// president.wfu.edu/speechesremarks/letters/. Despite these tremendous challenges our community is facing, we can and should be proud of our successes. I could write about our Big Four Championship in football, men’s soccer’s trip to the College Cup or women’s golf finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the country. However, I’d like to share with you a touching letter that was written this spring by former baseball player Jake Mueller (‘19, MSM ‘20). Jake was an integral player in the 2017 Wake Forest run to the Gainesville Super Regional and finished his four-year career with a .303 batting average, 26 doubles, four home runs, 70 RBIs and 28 stolen bases. He became just the 27th member in the program's 200-hit club and maintained an outstanding .975 fielding percentage. After wrapping up
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
Jake Mueller (‘19, MSM ‘20) his playing career with the Deacs in 2019 and earning a degree in Psychology, Jake returned to Wake Forest where he recently completed his Master’s in Management. His words are an eloquent demonstration of the impact Wake Forest has had not only on student-athletes but on the entire student body and are an inspirational reminder of why we are all so proud to be Demon Deacons.
"Dear Wake: Since the day that I, as a 16-year-old kid from Columbia, South Carolina, committed to play baseball for you, I have bled the Old Gold and Black. Nearly eight years in the making, I remember being at home yearning for the day I would be wearing your colors. I think I
remember those thoughts so vividly because it felt like I was waiting forever. But time sure moves at different speeds…doesn’t it? As my final days as a Wake Forest student are coming to an end, I couldn’t help but feel the need to reflect on the times we have had together and how grateful I am for them. This is my fifth year as a student here, finishing my graduate degree in a few short days. I guess for that reason, coming back for one more year after I completed my undergraduate degree, and was out of athletic eligibility, that I never had my goodbye. And maybe it happened that way because I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the early morning buffet line at The Pit, the late night Subway or Zick’s runs, the walks through
the Quad. I wasn’t ready to close the book on representing the Old Gold and Black on my Wake baseball uniform. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to so many people and experiences that have special places in my heart. And the only reason I am lucky enough to have a hard goodbye to all of these people, and these experiences, is because of you. That is exactly why I am writing to you. Because it is the last time as a student that I have this opportunity. It is my opportunity to thank you. But before I thank you, I need to thank the people and the experiences that have led me to you, and those that you have led me to. So, without further ado, here goes. To my family and my loved ones: Without you all, there is absolutely no chance I would have had the opportunity to be a Demon Deacon. Mom, Dad, my sister Shelby, my brother Kevin, my grandmothers, my brotherin-law Jason, and my girlfriend Jessica; you all gave me endless support on the field, no matter the outcome. I am forever indebted to all of you. And for that, my family, I thank you. To my teammates: I could probably write about why I am grateful for you forever. My brothers. My family away from my family. The people who, at the end of the day, stood behind my back when times were not easy, and were celebrating with me when times were good. The times I spent with you all are something I will cherish for the rest of my life. On the field: The NCAA Regional host, the dogpile when we won it, the Super Regional run, falling just shy to the eventual champs. But most importantly, I will cherish the times we spent off the field together. From grinding out papers in our respective classes side by side on Wednesday nights before we traveled, to getting weekend-ready together on Thursday nights before a home series. I will never forget them. You make me feel like an old man spinning his yarns at 23
years old. I do not believe that there is too much in this world that could make someone at this age feel that way. And for that, Wake Baseball, I thank you. To Coach Walter: You took a chance on a 16-yearold kid that you believed in after seeing me play in person once. You believed in me. You stood by me through my highs and lows as a Deac, and you always pushed me to be a better player. But most importantly, you inspired me to be a better man. And for that, Coach Walt, I thank you. To John White (Executive Director, Enrollment Management Recruiting): John, without you I would never have gotten my “victory lap” here at Wake as a graduate student. I am extremely fortunate that you were a baseball fan, and that you believed that I would excel off the field in the business school. I am so grateful for you and the Master’s in Management staff to admit me into this program. I have developed myself in new ways that I had never experienced before because of you. And for that, John, I thank you. To my fellow MSM students: Many of you I only met 10 months ago, but for some of you, it feels like I have known you all for so long. You helped a kid who was dealing with the heartbreak of hanging up his cleats find
that there is joy in so many other things than just baseball. It has truly been a pleasure to frustrate every other program in the business school with our tireless energy in Farrell Hall. And for that, MSM, I thank you. Finally, To Mother So Dear: In a way, I think this letter already has expressed my thanks to you. Everyone other than my family that I mention in this letter would never have been in my life without you. And because of you, my family’s lives have been touched as well. But that’s the beauty of you. You deserve to be addressed personally so I can tell you how grateful I am for you, in a letter that is filled with me telling others about how grateful I am because of you. That is why you are so special to me, and that is why I wish I never had to say goodbye. For the rest of my life, my spirit will have a part of the spirit of the Old Gold and Black, and I can only hope that your spirit has a little part of mine. I will miss you so much, and there is no way I could put that feeling in writing. And for that, Mother So Dear, I thank you. Yours Truly, Jake Mueller (‘19, MSM ‘20)" Go Deacs! John Currie Director of Athletics
JUNE 2020
5
FOOTBALL
// 1 9 7 0 A C C C H A M P I O N S
Quarterback Larry Russell runs the Deacon offense.
6
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
A SPECIAL
TIME A SPECIAL
PLACE
WAKE FOREST FOOTBALL CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST-EVER ACCÂ CHAMPIONSHIP Stories by Jim Buice
JUNE 2020
7
FOOTBALL
// 1 9 7 0 A C C C H A M P I O N S
Larry Russell’s game-winning pass to Ken Garrett in the win over NC State.
‘NO ONE EXPECTED US TO WIN THAT YEAR. IT JUST HAPPENED TO WORK OUT THAT WAY.’
“F
ifty years…” Larry Hopkins, the soft-spoken, bulldog of a running back for the first-ever Wake Forest ACC Championship football team, almost seemed to be questioning the math on how many years have now passed since a most improbable title run in 1970. “That’s outrageous,” Hopkins says now. “No one expected us to win that year. It just happened to work out that way.” Certainly, there had been many lean years in the previous decade, but the move to Groves Stadium in 1968 and the hiring of Cal Stoll as the new head coach the next year started to change the vibe. There were still plenty of skeptics, however, including the predictions in Playboy’s annual College Football Pigskin Preview regarding the Deacons: “No offense. No defense. No hope.” Linebacker Ed Bradley said that turned out to be a rallying cry for the 1970 season, when Wake Forest won its last five ACC games,
8
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
including exciting wins at home over North Carolina and NC State, to claim the championship with a 5-1 record (6-5 overall). “That used to be a big deal talking about the top 10 teams and individual conferences,” Bradley said of the magazine. “They got down to that line about Wake, and Cal Stoll got a hold of it, and that set him off. That got to be a mantra for our team.” Ask any of the players about that 1970 team, and they’re quick to say that Stoll set the tone upon his arrival the previous year. Quarterback Larry Russell remembered from the time Stoll arrived in January 1969 through spring practice that he ran off about 30 percent of the team. “He was tough,” Russell said. “Cal would say you’re like a blade of grass. You die a little bit and grow a little bit every day. So I‘m going to grow a little bit. We all did. Cal taught us to do that, not just in football but in life.” Bradley recalled the offseason program and fourhour practices. “It was stuff you couldn’t get away with today,” Bradley said. “Cal and his staff kicked our butts.” Oval Jaynes, who coached the quarterbacks and running backs while calling the plays, said that although Stoll was very demanding, “he really was a player’s coach. They loved him. They’d run through the wall for him.”
Hopkins agreed. “We just went out and gave it all we could,” he said. “That was Cal Stoll. He and the coaches got us in shape and got us ready to win. We made it through those hard practices, and it was like we came together to help one another. We were like family. Everyone contributed.”
record, Wake Forest needed North Carolina to beat Duke on the season’s final weekend to secure the ACC crown, and that’s exactly what happened. Meanwhile, that night the Deacons closed out the season with a nonconference game in the Astrodome against Houston. “That’s the only time I pulled for Carolina in my life,” said Jody Puckett, an assistant trainer under the legendary Doc Although Wake Forest got off to an 0-3 Martin. “We knew it before the game. We start in 1970 with losses at Nebraska, South had a telephone hookup at the hotel where Carolina and Florida State, a switch in offense we were staying in Houston and knew from the wishbone to the veer late in the we were ACC champions before we took game against the Gamecocks – which turned the field.” out to be the team’s lone league loss – proved Bradley described the scene when the to be one of the key moves of the season. team flew home and landed at Smith “We had a young football team coming Reynolds Airport. Head Coach Cal Stoll back in 1970,” Jaynes said, “and one of “We got on team buses to get over to campus and students were there in mass,” the biggest things we did that winter was recruiting two junior college running backs in Hopkins and (Ken) he said. “We were ACC champions and all the Wake supporters Garrett. We only ran five plays (with the veer) against Florida State were there to greet us. That was a great memory.” and could have won the game. I knew then we were going to have a And now, a half a century after the school’s first ACC pretty good team, and next week we beat Virginia and got on a roll.” championship, plans have been made for a 50th anniversary reunion during the weekend of the Villanova game on Sept. 19. Although the Deacons rolled 27-7 in Charlottesville, a brilliant Don Brown, a linebacker on the 1970 team, has headed up triumph for the team and Russell turned tragic on the way home when his girlfriend, Marty Hill, died in a single-car accident. a small committee including players living in the area such as Bradley, Hopkins and Sammy Rothrock, which has put together a “Quite honestly, that was a catalyst for me,” said Russell, who schedule of golf on Friday, followed by a reception that evening at called her father from a pay phone along the Virginia highway to deliver the heart-wrenching news and then flew back home to Bridger Field House, a Saturday tailgate and introductions of each of the returning players and coaches during the game. Massachusetts to speak at her funeral. Brown said that before the coronavirus hit in March, he had “We were just 30 minutes out of Charlottesville when that happened,” Bradley recalled. “The remainder of the ride back was heard from more than 50 players and coaches (with that total more than doubling including family members) saying they stone silence, some sobbing. That was a galvanizing moment for us would attend. coming together. That was another brick in the wall.” Wake Forest rallied behind its quarterback with three straight “I know quite a few are planning to come,” Russell said. “We’ve got a lot of good memories and are good friends forever.” home wins, steamrolling Virginia Tech (28-9) and Clemson (36As you might expect, this tight-knit team has stayed in touch 20) before the dramatic 14-13 victory over the Tar Heels when the with other reunions and gatherings over the years. Deacons drove the length of the field in the final three minutes to “We’ve remained close,” Bradley said. “We’re in a generation win just before the final horn. now with all the technology, it’s so easy to drop somebody a text, Another scintillating comeback win two weeks later against NC email or make a phone call.” State (16-13) capped the perfect home slate. With its 5-1 league
BY THE NUMBERS Of the 72 varsity players (not including 33 freshmen who played their own schedule), 19 players were from North Carolina, 18 from Pennsylvania, 8 from Illinois, 4 each from Connecticut and New Jersey, 3 each from Massachusetts and Ohio, 2 each from New Hampshire, New York, West Virginia, Virginia and Florida, and 1 each from Wisconsin, Maryland and Georgia. Why so many players from Pennsylvania and the Northeast? Stoll recruited in western Pennsylvania in his previous position as an assistant coach at Michigan State, and former head coach Bill Tate’s staff targeted the Northeast in its recruiting efforts. Of the total of 127 personnel (72 varsity players, 33 freshmen players, 9 coaches, 4 graduate assistants and 9 support staff), a total of 21 have passed away – 11 varsity players, 5 coaches, 4 freshmen players and 1 support staff.
JUNE 2020
9
FOOTBALL
// 1 9 7 0 A C C C H A M P I O N S
GOOD WILL PREVAIL
In these challenging times, Goodwill is here offering free, personalized career services to connect you with training resources, identify job opportunities, and help you get back on your feet. Even when life is filled with uncertainty, remember that GOOD will prevail.
GOODwillPrevail.org
Your l o c a l ly
owned l o c a l ly sourced
your culinary
adventure
awa i t s
drink
dine unwind
Indulge in progressive, seasonally-inspired southern cuisine at Springhouse Restaurant, Kitchen and Bar. After your meal, relax with hand-crafted cocktails at the library bar.
info@SpringHouseNC.com | www.SpringHouseNC.com | 450 North Spring Street | Winston-Salem | 336.293.4797
10
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
THE 1970 SCHEDULE/RESULTS Sept. 12
at Nebraska
L
12-36
Sept. 19
at South Carolina
L
7-43
Sept. 26
at Florida State
L
14-19
Oct. 3
at Virginia
W
27-7
Oct. 10
Virginia Tech
W
28-9
Oct. 17
Clemson
W
36-20
Oct. 24
North Carolina
W
14-13
Oct. 31
at Tennessee
L
7-41
Nov. 7
at Duke
W
28-14
Nov. 14
NC State
W
16-13
Nov. 21
at Houston
L
2-26
Larry Hopkins Speaking of technology, Hopkins added, “I’ve got a tape that shows the 1970 highlights, but it’s all reel to reel. I’ve got to get it transferred over so I can distribute it to the guys.” There have been so many changes since that storybook season for Wake Forest, including the magical second ACC championship in 2006 when the Deacons went to the Orange Bowl while winning a school-record 11 games, and stunning facility improvements in the last 15 years. “Facilities-wise, we’re now one of the top campuses in the country,” Hopkins said. “You have to remember we used to have to go in the weight room at various times because they didn’t have enough of everything for us. They’ve got everything over there now for those kids.” But the 1970 Deacons still managed to overcome the obstacles that came their way.
Coach Cal Stoll has a conversation with a referee. “I think we played with a chip on our shoulder,” Bradley said. “It was a brutal offseason, and with all the players that got weeded out, those of us left were hardened. We weren’t big physically and maybe weren’t extremely talented or fast, but we did have skills and ability. And we had toughness that was hammered into us by Coach Stoll and staff.” Russell said that it was a different day, a different dynamic. “It was a special time, a special place,” Russell said. “You can’t duplicate it.”
JUNE 2020
11
FOOTBALL
// 1 9 7 0 A C C C H A M P I O N S
NOTING THE 1970 DEACONS… ON THE RUN The numbers don’t lie. The 1970 Wake Forest football team ran the football. A lot. With first-team All-ACC performer Larry Russell at the controls of the veer offense, the Deacons ran the ball 75 percent of the time. Russell ran for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns and only threw 109 passes in 10 games. “I don’t remember Russell ever missing a play,” said assistant coach Oval Jaynes. “He was the toughest kid you’ve ever seen and quick as a hiccup.” Running back Larry Hopkins led the ground game with just under 1,000 yards and five touchdowns while Ken Garrett and Gary Johnson rotated at the other running back spot. “I don’t think anyone ran the ball as much as we did,” said Hopkins, who still holds the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,228 yards in 1971 . GOING BOWLING, OR NOT This “trivia” question comes from Don Brown, a linebacker on the 1970 team and the point person for the 50th anniversary reunion: Q: Name a Power 5 Conference Football Championship Team that didn’t get invited to play in a bowl game. A: The 1970 Wake Forest Demon Deacons Of course, there were not 40 bowl games back then as there are now. Brown added there was a rumor that if Wake Forest had beaten nationally ranked Houston in the final regular season game that it would have gone back to the Astrodome for the Bluebonnet Bowl. By the way, North Carolina, which lost to the ACC champion Deacons and finished tied for second in the league with Duke, did go to a bowl game – the Peach Bowl, where the Tar Heels lost to Arizona State. DOC COMES ‘TO SEE HIS BOYS PLAY’ Linebacker Ed Bradley was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl IX and X, and played a key role in the team’s first Super Bowl win over the Minnesota Vikings in New Orleans when Hall-of-Famer Jack Lambert was injured late in the first half. Bradley, who played on special teams and served as a backup to Lambert during the season, went in to play middle linebacker the rest of way and called the defensive signals. Another former Deacon, offensive lineman Jimmy Clack – who passed away a number of years ago – was also on the team. “A day or two before the game, I get a knock on my hotel room door, and I opened it up, and who is it? Doc Martin,” Bradley recounted. “He said, ‘I’ve come to see my boys play.’ I called Jimmy and he came down to my room. Doc, unbeknownst to us, got himself a ticket and traveled down to the Super Bowl to watch his boys, Jimmy and Ed. It was really neat and a big surprise.” SPECIAL DELIVERY Dr. Larry Hopkins, who was a standout in chemistry (he made the Dean’s List in all four of his semesters at Wake Forest) and as a Deacon running back, has served the local community as a physician since 1983 and is still delivering babies.
12
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
How many babies? “I don’t know,” Dr. Hopkins said. “Chris Paul was telling me his mom told me that I delivered him. I said, ‘Do you know how many babies I’ve delivered?’ I don’t know that. It’s a small world.” Earlier this year, Dr. Hopkins was the recipient of Wake Forest’s 2020 Medallion of Merit citation for his “compassionate, expert care as a beloved physician, valued role model and teacher for hundreds of students in our Medical School.” STUDENT-ATHLETES Hopkins remembers his time at Wake Forest as being unique with the integrating of schools and colleges, and also recalled the academic commitment from the African-American players on the football team. While Hopkins went into medicine, Steve Bowden – his college roommate, who moved from running back to wide receiver to make room for him in the backfield – started his own law practice in Greensboro in 1984. “Everyone graduated on time and went to graduate school, medical school, law school or some place,” said Hopkins, whose wife Beth was the school’s first African-American Homecoming queen in 1971. “At the time, we were just integrating the schools. There were no African-American females in my graduating class at Wake.” IN THE HALL Five players from the 1970 team are members of the Wake Forest Hall of Fame – quarterback Larry Russell, running back Larry Hopkins, linebacker Ed Bradley, defensive tackle Win Headley and linebacker Ed Stetz. Considered to be too small to play linebacker in the ACC at less than 6-feet-tall and just over 200 pounds, Stetz had 460 tackles from 1969 to 1971, which remains the most in Wake Forest history. Headley, who earned All-America recognition as a defensive tackle in 1970, was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player in that championship season. TALKIN’ BASEBALL Not only was Larry Russell a tremendous quarterback for the football team, he was quite a baseball player as well. As a freshman left-hander for the Deacons, Russell complied a 5-1 record on the mound and went on to pitch in the Cape Cod League. “I loved baseball,” said Russell, who came to Wake Forest to play both sports. However, with the arrival of new head coach Cal Stoll in 1969, Russell was told he could only play football. So that was the end of his abbreviated baseball career. Russell offered this nugget of information – that he still holds the record for the lowest ERA in Boston’s famed Fenway Park, which isn’t far from where he lives in northeastern Massachusetts. How’s that? Russell didn’t allow a run in one inning when he was part of sandlot tryouts for players from all across New England. IRON MEN All 11 players on defense started every game while the offensive starters were the same for every game except for one change late in the season, according to assistant coach Oval Jaynes. “We didn’t have much depth and had to stay healthy,” he said.
Larry Russell hugs the referee in the thrilling 14-13 victory over North Carolina.
Larry Hopkins looks for an opening.
Ed Bradley
‘IT WAS JUST MIRACLE AFTER MIRACLE’ There were plenty of great memories from the remarkable 1970 ACC championship season, but most would agree with quarterback Larry Russell’s assessment on the one that topped them all. “Beating Carolina at home by a point with no time left,” he said. “That’s easy. And then there was beating State.” Yes, those two wins – both coming on last-minute touchdowns on the home turf – were crucial in the quest for that first ACC title. The victory over the highly favored Tar Heels will always be remembered for “the drive,” when Wake got the ball inside its own 10 with three minutes left and trailing 13-7 – before going the distance to score when Larry Hopkins plunged into the end zone from the 3-yard line with just seconds left. Tracy Lounsbury kicked the deciding extra point for the 14-13 victory. With no timeouts left, the Deacons had two plays called – a sprint pass and a run – depending on how the Tar Heels’ defense lined up. When the linebacker shifted out, Hopkins got the ball. “I just kept driving to get across the goal line,” said Hopkins, who had a 50-
yard run earlier in the march, eluding John Swofford, a Tar Heel defensive back and now the ACC commissioner in the process. If he didn’t score, the Deacons undoubtedly wouldn’t have been able to get another play off. “I knew if the linebacker moved out, we had them outnumbered inside,” said assistant coach Oval Jaynes, who was calling the plays. “Cal (Stoll) said, ‘We can’t run the ball without any timeouts left. If we don’t score, you’re fired.’ When I saw the linebacker move outside, I knew Hoppy would walk in, so I told Tracy to get the tee for the extra point.” And when he booted it through the uprights for the win, Russell celebrated – with the referee of all people. “I turned around and picked him up and started throwing him up and down in the air,” Russell said with a laugh. A few weeks later, Russell was again the center of attention with Wake Forest trailing 13-9 as the clock was ticking down at the end of the NC State game. The Deacons had the ball on the Wolfpack 10 and needed a touchdown to win.
“We were on the left hash and ran an option into the sideline,” Russell said. “I think I misread it. I was supposed to hand it off to Hoppy, and I didn’t. Then I’ve got two (NC State) guys looking at me in the face. They came up, and (Ken) Garrett (who was the pitch man) kept going forward. I gave him a kind of a hook pass, and he took it in. Everybody thought it was an illegal lateral, but it was a forward pass.” Jaynes offered his take. “It was a heads up play by Larry and Kenny,” he said. “It was a forward pass, but it was behind the line of scrimmage, and that was a foul at that time but not now. And all the offensive linemen were down the field.” The touchdown stood, giving the Deacons a 16-13 victory over the Wolfpack and a final 5-1 record in the ACC. North Carolina then needed to beat Duke the next week to help Wake Forest clinch the title, and the Tar Heels came through. The Tar Heels and the Blue Devils played one more league game than did the Deacons and both finished 5-2. “It was just miracle after miracle,” Russell said.
JUNE 2020
13
MEDIA
// A C C N E T W O R K
LIGHTS, CAMERAS,
ACCTION
14
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
THE ACC NETWORK DEBUTED IN IMPRESSIVE FASHION DURING THE PAST YEAR AND WAKE FOREST ATHLETICS DID ITS PART By John Justus Photos by Bruce Chapman
A
fter years of speculation mixed with some uncertainty, much planning and preparation along with building excitement, the highly anticipated ACC Network launched last August.
The subscription channel, which is owned and operated by ESPN in partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference, is self-proclaimed “all things ACC” and immediately became the antidote for millions of ACC fans who could never get enough news, live events, historic documentaries and other programming about their favorite school and its teams.
This included Wake Forest, of course, and the investment that the university and department of athletics made as part of this endeavor has been not only significant but truly impressive. More on that in a minute. Consider what the ACC Network (ACCN) brought its viewers in this inaugural season – 336 live events, including 41 football games, 110 men’s basketball games and 60 women’s basketball games. Over seven months, before being halted by the cessation of college sports due to the coronavirus, ACC fans had access to more than 1,300 hours of live programming. The number of live sports broadcasts was on course to reach 460 before the spring sports seasons were ended prematurely. According to ESPN, the network was available in two-thirds of U.S. households with a total of more than 70 million potential viewers. JUNE 2020
15
MEDIA
// A C C N E T W O R K
“We were delighted (with the preparation and implementation first year),” Stacie McCollum, of all things ACC Network. ESPN vice-president, says of the “We started our planning ACC Network’s inaugural season. early in 2016, even before the “To have the success we had official announcement (which from a distribution and quality came in July of that year),” of content standpoint, we were Overstreet says. “Our intention extremely pleased.” was to launch our control room ACCN is well-positioned to in 2018, which would give us continue at a high level of success, a full year to produce digital JA M E S OV E R S T R E E T too, with multi-year agreements content (on ACC Network in place with nearly every regional Extra) to get ready for the cable television provider currently on its roster. The content will linear (television) production.” only get better, too, McCollum projects. The first important decision then became the location of a “We always knew the backbone of the network would be live control room. After consideration of a number of areas, it was event programming,” she says, “and that includes the amount determined to use the former baseball clubhouse at Couch Ballpark. of exposure we were able to provide other sports (in addition to The space was available, of course, following the construction of the football and basketball). Chris Hurd Player Development Center prior to the 2017 season. “That was a point of pride for us as well as for the conference.” The old clubhouse had to be gutted, but provided space for the current operations center as well as room for future expansion. Additionally, camera locations and broadcast talent positions had to be constructed at every campus venue. Fiber optic cable had to be installed underground Pride in what’s been achieved is also plentiful at Wake Forest connecting each venue to the control headquarters, too. where many months, even years, of non-stop effort by numerous “It was a major undertaking and an expensive endeavor,” individuals was necessary for Demon Deacon sports to become part Overstreet states. of this massive undertaking. Wake Forest did have satellite control rooms available already James Overstreet, Assistant Athletic Director for Multimedia & at BB&T Field and Joel Coliseum for the video board operations Broadcast Operations, has been the central figure in Wake Athletics’ at those two sites. In addition to upgrading those facilities, the school had invested earlier in a mobile production truck that can support digital quality programming. A generator for the primary control room, to be used in the event an independent power source James Overstreet led the team that prepared Wake Forest to was needed, was also purchased. be an integral part of the ACC Network. His “Deacon Vision” A staff also had to be hired. Overstreet now oversees a team of group continues to seek ways to promote Demon Deacon five full-time employees who wear a variety of hats in making sure sports through this ACC partnership with ESPN that all Wake Forest produced events are of the highest quality. “It all took a great deal of time and a lot of planning,” Overstreet says, “and I had lots of help. “Every school is different. Every venue is different. Budget decisions were also very important to consider, while keeping in mind the level of quality we wanted to provide.” The ACC did have the advantage of not being the first to launch a conference network, of course. ESPN had already been operating the SEC Network since 2014. That experience and lessons learned along the five years leading up to the debut of the ACCN proved invaluable, Overstreet notes. “We visited Georgia and South Carolina and had conversations with lots of schools,” he recalls. “Plus, within the ACC, we all shared information about equipment, technology and other details. We had great cooperation from many people.” Overstreet’s goal of having the Wake Forest control room ready by summer of 2018 was met, but he couldn’t have anticipated – or actually he did – what happened with the initial digital production of a live event from the facility. All systems were “go” for a broadcast of a Deacon soccer contest that was part of a “six box” of games airing simultaneously when a typical August thunderstorm swept through Winston-Salem. Whether it was wind or lightning no one is sure, but a power outage struck the area around BB&T Field and the new ready-for-action production control room outside the right field wall of Couch Ballpark. Fortunately, Wake’s ACCN team had the foresight to purchase that aforementioned generator months before. Access to power was
“EVERY VENUE IS DIFFERENT. BUDGET DECISIONS WERE ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER, WHILE KEEPING IN MIND THE LEVEL OF QUALITY WE WANTED TO PROVIDE.”
Continued on Page 18
16
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
The official security partner of wake forest athletics
innovative security solutions
for your home
for your business
partner with a security provider trusted by consumers across the country!
866-751-0333 www.security-central.com/security
MEDIA
// A C C N E T W O R K
"WHEN THE APPROPRIATE TIME COMES, WE’RE READY TO JUMP BACK IN WITH THE SAME GUSTO WE HAD BEFORE" S TA C I E M C C O L L U M
Continued from Page 16 retained and the first ACC Network Extra digital event from the new control room went off without a problem. Wake Forest was later selected to produce two men’s basketball games and a baseball game in early 2019. All three events aired live on ESPNU, still months before the first actual ACCN broadcast. Those opportunities told Overstreet that Wake Forest’s countless hours of preparation and hard work had not gone unnoticed and they were ready for the linear level production to begin. When he first came to Wake Forest in January 2000, Overstreet could not have imagined he would be filling the role he is today. He started on the academic side of campus, working in classroom multimedia operations, then first became involved with athletics as a part-time video coordinator on Skip Prosser’s basketball staff. With the construction of McCreary Tower at BB&T Field in 2007 and all the video and multimedia aspects of that project, Overstreet joined the athletic department staff full time. Now, he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
“When I first came to Wake Forest, I had no idea I’d ever be doing what I am now,” Overstreet says. “It’s a lot of hours, a lot of weekend work, but if I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t do it. “I truly love what I do. And I love Wake Forest.” The immediate future for the Wake Forest production team and the ACC Network is on hold at the present, of course, as plans for fall sports throughout the country remain uncertain. A second control room is an eventual probability and would offer the opportunity for even more content to be created on Demon Deacon sports for either ACCN or the Network Extra digital programming. At ESPN, McCollum and her staff are eager for a second year. “We are making plans for football season and a fall schedule,” she says. “When the appropriate time comes, we’re ready to jump back in with the same gusto we had before everything stopped.” ACC Network viewers, including Wake Forest fans, can’t wait. (Persons interested in learning more about the ACC Network should visit www.GetACCN.com)
Proud Supporter INTRUDERS BEWARE!
THIS IS OUR
HOUSE
Let Stark Exterminators eliminate pests in YOUR house!
PROUD PARTNERS
Wake Forest Demon Deacons!
Morgan Stanley is proud to support Wake Forest University Athletics. Christopher Leak Sports and Entertainment Director Vice President Financial Advisor 100 North Main Street, Suite 2500 Winston-Salem, NC 27101 336-721-9203 chris.leak@morganstanley.com advisor.morganstanley.com/the-yates-leak-group NMLS #1252924
© 2019 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.
855-STARK-NOW
18
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
starkexterminators.com
SUP021 CRC 2585749 06/19
Downtown Winston-Salem 125 S. Main Street 336.714.2800
Proud to be a Demon Deacon! Member, Women’s Golf ACC & East Regional Championship Teams 1994&1995
JUNE 2020
19
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
20
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
// D E A R I C A H A M B Y
EVERYTHING'S
COMING UP
ACES
DEARICA HAMBY FLOURISHES WHILE BALANCING LIFE IN WNBA, ITALIAN LEAGUE AND MOTHERHOOD By Marc Pruitt
T
he list of notable accomplishments for Dearica Hamby is infinite. The former Deacon has continued her ascent in basketball circles in the A1 Italian League and in the WNBA, where she will (hopefully) be entering her sixth season — three as a member of the Las Vegas Aces after three with the San Antonio Stars — once the league can finalize plans and logistics after the season was delayed because of COVID-19.
Hamby graduated from Wake Forest in 2015 as the all-time leader in points scored (1,801) and rebounds (1,021), records that stood since 1991 and were held previously by her coach, Jennifer Hoover.
In her junior season, she was the first Wake Forest player to lead the ACC in scoring and rebounding, and she was the named the Marge Crisp Award winner as the Female Athlete of the Year for the Deacons in her final two years. As the sixth overall pick in 2015, Hamby was the first player from Wake Forest drafted in the WNBA and was named as the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year during the 2019 season, where she averaged 11 points per game and 7.6 rebounds – and helped lead the Aces to the semifinals of the playoffs. During her second season in the league, she gave birth to her daughter, Amaya, after playing for four months while she was pregnant. But one thing, or make that three things, that might stand out most for Hamby during her career are the tattoos. No, not tattoos on her. Tattoos of her. Three of them. “Kind of crazy, right,” Hamby said with a laugh. “I mean, I get fans wanting to have tattoos of (Michael) Jordan, or LeBron (James) and Kobe (Bryant), but me? I was flattered when I found out about it. It’s really pretty cool.” One of the tattoos immortalizes Hamby’s game-winning 35-foot, 3-pointer in the second round of the WNBA playoffs last October against the Chicago Skye. Hamby saw that one of the Aces’ fans was interested in getting one, and she reached out to him on social media and arranged to pay for it. JUNE 2020
21
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
// D E A R I C A H A M B Y
“ THERE IS ANOTHER (TATTOO) THAT SHOWS ME FROM THE BACK IN MY JERSEY (SEE AT RIGHT) … ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU REALLY DON’T THINK ABOUT HAPPENING TO YOU.” DEARICA HAMBY
“There is another one a female fan sent to me that shows me from the back in my jersey, and it has my signature – one of those things you really don’t think about happening to you,” Hamby said. Playing basketball was also something that Hamby never envisioned happening to her, much less professional basketball. She didn’t even play the game until her sophomore year of high school in Georgia. “I played softball when I was younger and was never really interested in basketball,” she said. “I grew five inches before my sophomore year in high school and was about six feet tall. I just decided I was going to give basketball a try. I made the JV team but didn’t get to play too much. I was clumsy and awkward. But I liked it enough to stay with it. I had a really good junior year, then transferred for my senior year and won a state championship. Things started to take off after that.” Hamby was recruited to Wake Forest by Mike Petersen and played in all 34 games as a freshman, starting 13. Hoover became the coach before Hamby’s sophomore season and immediately recognized there was a lot more to her game. “It was almost an immediate realization that she was different,” Hoover said. “She was extremely talented and naturally gifted. We also thought she could have been a receiver on the football team. And we kept seeing her develop every year to become a force. We are careful not to put anyone in a box, and she just continued to flourish because of all the different things she could do for us.
22
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
“Her success doesn’t surprise me one bit. When you have a player with that kind of talent and that has meant so much to our program and to see the way she balanced academics and athletics, it’s a great source of pride for us.” Even if Hamby broke Hoover’s longstanding scoring (1,728) and rebounding (1,006) records… “It got to be a running joke with us as she was getting closer, I would always tell her that I was going to take her out of games more often,” Hoover quipped. “When she broke them, those were some proud moments. I was surprised they lasted as long as they did. It was my great honor to be coaching her when she did that. She has continued to roll with the momentum she started here while juggling being a mom and a professional player. She is thriving at it.” Hamby was also thriving earlier this year while playing her fourth season in Italy for Ragusa, a team on the island of Sicily. “We were favored to win the championship this season when the virus hit,” Hamby said. “I knew things could get bad quickly, so I had to make arrangements to get back home.” Hamby had just played a game in early March in Milan, which is in the northern part of Italy and was among the hardest hit areas by the virus. “We got back from Milan and were told we had to quarantine for 14 days,” she said. “My mom and my daughter were with me at the time, and I kind of had a feeling that things were going to
start spreading quickly and even get to America. I sent them home after that because Italy and Spain started canceling flights. There was a lot of uncertainty at the time about what was going to happen.” She flew home to Georgia on March 16 and then began the process of moving into the home she bought in Las Vegas. “Moving during a pandemic is pretty complicated, especially with a young child,” Hamby said. “I wanted to go ahead and get out here and begin to enjoy our new home and settle in, get some rest. We aren’t sure what’s going to happen with our WNBA season yet, but I signed a three-year contract last year, and I knew this is where I wanted to be. I’m planning on being here the rest of my career, and I want to play another four, five years minimum.” Hamby loves being a mother. Amaya comes to all the games. “She sits behind the bench and cheers for me all the time,” Hamby said. “She likes to watch me shoot. But when I’m home, I’m home. When I’m on the court, it’s basketball. Basketball has this window for me, but when practice is done or when the game is over, I enjoy my free time with my
Stay Downtown. Connect Downtown.
Located downtown three miles from WFU’s campus, the Winston-Salem Marriott is the city’s largest full-service hotel. Our multi-million dollar renovation is now complete - all guest rooms, new M Club Lounge and new fitness center. We adjoin the Embassy Suites by Hilton and are within walking distance to Fourth Street’s Restaurant Row and the Downtown Arts District. We are steps away from more than 45 restaurants, lounges, craft breweries, shops and galleries.
5th and Cherry Streets, Winston-Salem NC 27101 336.725.3500 • twincityquarter.com
family. That’s important to me. I don’t want basketball to consume my life.” Hamby has also relished playing for her current coach, Bill Laimbeer, a former player for the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons teams that won NBA Championships in 1989 and 1990. “I knew a little bit about his reputation, and I could definitely see that in my first year he was our coach,” Hamby said. “He’s got that intensity and fire, that stubbornness that you probably remember from his playing days. He didn’t like my game at first, but I think that’s just Bill being Bill. I started to understand him the more I was around him. “We spent a lot of time pulling and tugging my first year to the point where I really wondered if he wanted me back on the team. Last season, which was my best in the league. He even told me ‘this team isn’t who we are without you,’ so I guess he grew to love me. I must be one of his favorites now.” Hamby isn’t sure about where she wants life to take her once her playing days are over. “It’s important for me to have my family, and I definitely want to have more kids,” she said. “I want to focus my energy towards that and do something that allows me that flexibility.”
No Mosquitoes. GUARANTEED.
Locally Owned by Chip and Shea Crutchfield
Fall in love with your yard again...
Be Mosquito Free!
336.712.5278 BugsBITE.com JUNE 2020
23
INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
Facing the challenges of COVID-19
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 AND SALES
24
When I think back to the beginning of the 201920 academic year, it almost feels like yesterday… but at the same time it feels like a lifetime ago. I never would have guessed back then that I would be writing my final Gold Rush column of the year in the midst of a global pandemic. As we celebrated a great fall season highlighted by a Big Four Championship, a trip to the College Cup and a Demon Deacon takeover of New York City for the Pinstripe Bowl, anticipation was high for what promised to be a spring season full of championship opportunities. But none of us anticipated what was to come. We are all still finding our own ways to deal with COVID-19. We have all faced the challenges of coping and adapting to a world we wouldn’t have recognized just a few months ago. Everyone has been impacted by the pandemic in some way — some more than others. But it has also shined a light on the resilience and generosity of so many within our Wake Forest community. I have heard inspiring stories of student-athletes helping in their communities like field hockey’s Abbie Ashcraft making masks and alums like Louis Frazier and Meghan Murphy who are battling COVID-19 on the frontlines. I have heard from our academic services staff about how hard our student-athletes have worked to be successful in a remote-learning environment that was new to everyone. I have been on a number of calls with various student-athletes over the past few weeks, and I can assure you that the passion, dedication and Pro Humanitate spirit is alive and well within our Wake Forest community. But the fact remains that we have hundreds of student-athletes who were forced to sacrifice nearly an entire semester of their college experience — many of whom lost out on opportunities to compete for ACC and national championships. All of them would do anything to return to campus to fully engage in the collegiate student experience and compete for the Demon Deacons. One particular story that both inspires me and makes me even more grateful for the generosity of our donors and hard work of our staff is that of senior women’s golfer Siyun (Swing) Liu. Having finished agonizingly close to winning a national championship in 2018, Siyun and her teammates were the favorite to win the women’s golf team’s
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
first national championship this spring. Her No.1 ranked team was in the middle of a practice round for the Clover Cup in Mesa, Ariz., when their promising season was cut short by COVID-19. Swing was devastated. Not long after though, the NCAA announced that spring sport seniors would have an opportunity to return and get an extra year of eligibility, and Siyun was ready to jump at that chance. However, there was still the question of funding her scholarship. The answer to that question came quickly. As a result of the generous donor support of the Women’s Golf Excellence Fund, Siyun is postponing a professional golf career and returning to Wake for a fifth year, using this opportunity to pursue a graduate degree in business analytics. In a recent article from Les Johns, Coach Kim Lewellen summed it up best. "We're grateful that private contributions to the Women's Golf Excellence Fund provided the scholarship support needed for Siyun's return. You may think this is an overstatement, but it's not, the Excellence Fund is a coach's lifesaver. Five years ago we just wouldn't have been able to provide this, but thanks to the generosity of a few lead donors and many others who support our program, we're now able to provide the opportunity for Siyun to compete for a national title and to earn her master's degree.” Having spent some time around Siyun, I expect that she will “give it a go” and pursue a professional golf career. But when she’s ready, after her golf career comes to a close, I am certain that she will make the most of her graduate degree. Hopefully she will have the lifelong memory of winning a National Championship to carry with her as well — made possible, in part, by the generosity of donors like you. As inspiring as Siyun’s story is, and as grateful as we are for the generous support, the reality is that COVID-19 has presented some significant financial challenges for Athletics. Wake Forest has already taken some aggressive measures to deal with the challenges, and more may be necessary depending on how we finish out our year. We are coming up on our fiscal year end and
Continued on Page 30
ER I N S I D E T H E PA D EG AE C OHNE A CD LU B
JUNE 30 DEADLINE APPROACHING
The 2019-20 fiscal year deadline is June 30. Any donor contributing $125 or more annually is automatically a member of the Deacon Club and is eligible to receive member benefits including priority season tickets. Any donor who has made a pledge or donation for the current pledge year is considered an active donor. Active donors receive benefits associated with their respective membership category and will have first priority on available season and postseason tickets. Thank you for your generous support of Wake Forest Athletics through your Deacon Club membership – your contributions allow Wake Forest to provide a world-class student athlete experience to all student-athletes.
Follow The Deacs On Social Media You can follow Wake Forest Athletics on social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! @DemonDeacons) @WakeForestSports
DEACON CLUB
@DemonDeacons
SECURE YOUR 2020 FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS TODAY Season tickets start at just $29 per game and are now offered with Ticket Purchase Assurance! If any part of the 2020 schedule doesn’t occur, or if games are played with restricted attendance, ticket holders who purchased through Wake Forest can choose either a refund for any unplayed games or a credit for future ticket purchases. The Deacs are coming off a program record six home wins in Winston-Salem last season and have appeared in four straight bowl games. Wake Forest will welcome Appalachian State (Sept. 11), Villanova (Sept. 19), Miami (Oct. 9), Syracuse (Nov. 7), Clemson (Nov. 21) and Boston College (Nov. 28) to BB&T Field this season. Go to GoDeacs.com/Tickets or call (336) 758 3322 to get your tickets today!
SIGN UP FOR DEACON SPORTS XTRA A Deacon Sports Xtra is an email service delivering feature stories about Wake Forest Athletics and student-athletes to you daily! Lead contributor Les Johns provides perspective on the Demon Deacons you won't get anywhere else! Sign up at wakeforest.fan-one.com/webApp/APP4125 (case sensitive).
JUNE 2020
25
DONOR PROFILE
//
I N T E R N AT I O N A L L E A D E R S H I P C I R C L E
New program created for donors
J
ohn Quincy Adams once said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." By that definition, every member of the Deacon Club is, indeed, a leader. From capital giving to Annual Fund donations to Excellence Funds and more, Deacon Club donors provide support that allows hundreds of Wake Forest student-athletes to dream more, learn more, do more and become more. But among the Deacon Club’s nearly 5,000 members, a new level of leadership has emerged — leaders who will help shape the future of Wake Forest Athletics through their sustained commitment to supporting Demon Deacon student-athletes. These leaders are part of the new International Leadership Circle (ILC). The ILC is a comprehensive new program for Wake Forest’s top annual athletic donors. Each member of the International Leadership Circle has combined annual giving of at least $15,000 with donations going to the Deacon Club Annual Fund, program-specific Excellence Funds and/or priority seating gifts. Over the past several years, the Deacon Club has put significant effort towards capital project fundraising. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity and support of countless donors, Wake Forest Athletics has undergone a complete facility transformation — contributing greatly to the world class student-athlete experience it strives to provide. But fostering a world class student-athlete experience necessitates an ongoing focus on a myriad of areas — from academic support and sports medicine, to nutrition, training equipment, and much more, which all require sustained, annual support. Driven by the goal of providing a world class student-athlete experience as well as winning championships, the Deacon Club is charged with ensuring that Wake Forest coaches have the resources to compete for championships by generating an additional $14.5 million for the annual operating budget by 2026. The ILC will be leading that effort. “The ILC was created,” explained Assistant AD for the Annual Fund and Fan Communication Gerard McMahon, “to recognize our top athletic donors for all of their combined annual support, to identify a new generation of leaders that will shape the future of the next generation of student-athletes, and ultimately, to
26
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
elevate the opportunity to create a worldclass student-athlete experience through direct investment into student-athlete everyday resources.” As of the end of May, the ILC is comprised of 112 members. Each of those individual members play a crucial role in supporting the Demon Deacons, but collectively, they form an unstoppable team that will drive Wake Forest Athletics forward and enable student-athletes to study, practice and perform at the highest level. During the 2019 fiscal year, members of the ILC accounted for 65% of total athletics giving. Their annual commitments are helping to fund student-athlete scholarships, increased academic support, larger sport specific operating budgets, enhanced sports medicine practices, recruitment and retention of studentathletes and coaches from all over the world, as well as other key strategic initiatives and opportunities. As lead investors in Wake’s pursuit of athletic and academic excellence, ILC members are provided unmatched access to Wake Forest Athletics. They receive special periodic communications and updates, not only providing an increased level of accountability and transparency about how their gifts are being invested, but also creating a more intimate connection with Wake Forest Athletics. International Leadership Circle members are also invited to take part in an exclusive behind-the-scenes insider experience during the annual ILC Weekend. An executive briefing session with Director of Athletics John Currie will serve as an annual investor report for ILC members and will provide an opportunity to discuss program opportunities and challenges.
“I am extremely excited about the launch of the International Leadership Circle by the Deacon Club,” said Deacon Club Board President Robin Team. “The programming for this organization will allow members incredible access to a behind-the-scenes look into our athletics programs, coaches and staff as well as unique gatherings exclusive to ILC members. It rewards our loyal donors in a very interesting and tangible way and will encourage others to step up and join the Circle as well. It is an exciting time to be a Demon Deacon, with our football team coming off of a great 2019 season, the beginning of the Steve Forbes era for our basketball program and incredible success in our Olympic sports.” The ability to provide leadership investments for specific sports or programs while getting the opportunity to become more engaged is one aspect that is enticing many donors to consider becoming a part of the International Leadership Circle. Keith (’72) and Lydia (MA ’71) Vaughan are longtime Deacon Club supporters and ILC members who both earned degrees from Wake Forest and sent their three children to Wake as well. “Having met at Wake Forest 50 years ago and actively supporting all Deacon athletes since that time,” Lydia explained, “we welcomed the opportunity to increase our contribution to Wake Forest Athletics and become members of the International Leadership Circle. We certainly look forward to the increased engagement in programs for our student-athletes and enhanced camaraderie with committed Deacon fans that ILC membership affords. We are equally excited, however, that our additional contribution could be directed to the Student-Athlete Academic Services/ Career Development Excellence Fund. This fund — combined with outstanding coaches, state-of-the-art facilities, and opportunities to compete at a national level — provides support necessary to earn a prestigious degree and ensures that our student-athletes will not only enjoy a truly wonderful experience at Wake Forest but move easily into a career path they so richly deserve. A world class student-athlete experience indeed!” Rich Brock (’83) is another ILC member who wanted to make a difference, and as the parent of former women’s soccer player
PA G E H E A D E R
Maddie Brock (’17), he had a special interest in supporting women’s soccer. “We all love Wake and it is very easy to support projects and initiatives on a campus-wide basis,” Brock explained. “For me, having the ability to direct my giving to the women's soccer program and the Athletic Nutrition Excellence Fund personalized the process and put a face on it. My daughter had a wonderful experience on the soccer team, so it was great to learn I could make an impact on that program for future student-athletes and help them have the same great experience and win championships! This was the most compelling way for me to be a part of the International Leadership Circle.” For some, being a part of the ILC is a way to give back to the University for providing a lifetime of memories. Jason Kon (’10) explains: “Growing up in Winston-Salem, I fell in love with Wake Forest Athletics at an early
age, rooting for Rodney Rogers, Tim Duncan and Randolph Childress from Section 217 of the LJVM Coliseum. Most of my fondest childhood memories are associated with Wake Forest Athletics, and my passion for Wake Forest has only grown over the years. I am so thankful for all Wake Forest has provided me with (including a worldclass education), and I feel honored to be able to give back and support this special University that has given me so much joy. Our family is honored to be part of the ILC as it gives us the opportunity to directly impact and build relationships with the coaches and student-athletes that give us so much happiness each season.” Whether an alumnus, parent or longtime supporters like Wayne and Kathy Myers of Wilkesboro, N.C., members seem to agree that being part of the ILC is a great way to invest in the future of Wake Forest Athletics.
"We feel fortunate that our monetary contributions help finance the advancement of our future pacesetters,” said Kathy. As non-graduates of Wake Forest University but long-standing Deacon Club members, we certainly enjoy supporting two sports we care about and cherish our involvement in the International Leadership Circle." As the Deacon Club continues to strive toward the goal of an additional $14.5 million by 2026, growing the membership in the ILC will be crucially important. Momentum is strong and the future is bright for the Demon Deacons. As the International Leadership Circle grows and more and more passionate donors commit to be part of the team, the leadership and loyalty of ILC members will shape the future of Demon Deacon Athletics and fuel Wake Forest’s sustained success. For more information about the International Leadership Council, please contact the Deacon Club at (336) 758-5626.
DEACONS IN THE PROS MEN’S GOLF
Bill Haas Webb Simpson Billy Andrade Jay Haas Gary Hallberg Len Mattiace Kyle Reifers Will Zalatoris Lee Detmer
PGA PGA Champions Champions Champions Champions Korn Ferry Tour Korn Ferry Tour G PRO
WOMEN’S GOLF Laura (Philo) Diaz Nannette Hill Olafia Kristinsdottir Jennifer Kupcho Cheyenne Woods Jean Chua Marissa Dodd Allison Emrey Natalie Sheary Sierra Sims
LPGA LPGA LPGA LPGA LPGA Symetra Symetra Symetra Symetra Symetra
MEN’S SOCCER Luis Argudo Jon Bakero Corben Bone Joey DeZart Brad Dunwell Chris Duvall Omir Fernandez Sam Fink Akira Fitzgerald Michael Gamble Logan Gdula Ian Harkes Jack Harrison Jacori Hayes Alistair Johnston Bruno Lapa Collin Martin Mark McKenzie Ike Opara Sean Okoli
Inter Miami Phoenix Rising FC Louisville City FC Orlando City SC Oklahoma City Energy FC Portland Timbers (trial) New York Red Bulls Saint Louis FC Richmond Kickers Loudoun United FC Charleston Battery Dundee United (Scotland) Manchester City/Leeds United Minnesota United FC Nashville SC Birmingham Legion FC San Diego Loyal SC Philadelphia Union Minnesota United FC Pinzgau Saalfelden (Australia)
Hayden Partain Kevin Politz Sam Raben Jalen Robinson Brandon Servania Ema Twumasi
San Antonio FC Hartford Athletic Sporting II Free Agent FC Dallas FC Dallas/Austin Bold FC
COACHES/MLS FRONT OFFICE James Riley Kurt Schmid Zack Schilawski Stephen Keel Ryan Martin John Hackworth Mike McGinty Kelvin Jones
MLS Director of Player Relations Inter Miami (Head Scout) North Carolina FC U23s (Assistant Coach) MLS Social Media Manager London Head Coach Louisville FC Head Coach NCFC Assistant Coach Columbus Crew Academy Director
WOMEN’S SOCCER Aubrey Bledsoe Bayley Feist Ally Haran Katie Stengel Sarah Teegarden Maddie Huster
FOOTBALL Alex Bachman Jessie Bates III Greg Dortch Duke Ejiofor Phil Haynes Kevin Johnson Marquel Lee Joe Looney Kyle Wilber John Wolford
Washington Spirit (NWSL) Washington Spirit (NWSL) Houston Dash (NWSL) Houston Dash (NWSL) Lille Olympique Sporting Club (Ligue 1 – France) Kvarnsvedens IK (Swedish Premier League)
NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL
WR S WR/KR DE OL CB LB OL LB QB
NY Giants Cincinnati LA Rams Houston Seattle Cleveland Oakland Dallas Oakland LA Rams
COACHES/STAFF Chad Alexander Joe Kenn John Spanos Brad White James MacPherson Brad Idzik Teryl Austin Chip Vaughn
NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL
NY Jets Carolina Chargers Indianapolis Chargers Seahawks Bengals NY Jets
Dir Player Personnel Strength Coach Executive VP of Football Operations OLB Coach Scout Assistant WR coach Defensive Coordinator Defensive Assistant
JUNE 2020
27
PA RH E Y N O W ? W HGEER H E EAARDEE T
I
BRAD MCEACHERN
n each issue, Where Are They Now showcases a former Wake Forest student-athlete. Brad McEachern was a goalkeeper for the Wake Forest men’s soccer team, graduating in 2003. He is a native of Arcadia, Calif.
BRAD MCEACHERN What was your major and/or minor? I majored in economics and minored in history and political science. What does being a Demon Deacon mean to you? Being a Demon Deacon means giving back to your community and constantly challenging yourself to be a better person. Why are you still involved in Wake Forest Athletics? I want others to have the experience of being a student-athlete, to learn how to balance school, athletics and a social life. The work ethic and drive it takes to play a sport in college is a life skill that is invaluable in whatever path life takes you. Why do you feel it is important to give back to the University? It’s important to help provide future Wake Forest students with an opportunity to earn a liberal arts education, to be taught in small classrooms with professors who care about the students and to experience the pride of earning a Wake (“Work”) Forest degree. What is your current occupation? I am an Audit Partner at Deloitte. I help public and growing pre-IPO private companies with their accounting, reporting and audit needs. What is your favorite memory of your time at Wake Forest? Meeting my wife, Kara (’04), and walking around campus, especially the Quad, in the springtime. What makes you most proud of Wake Forest? I’m proud of the respect and admiration Wake Forest has earned for both the academics and athletics. When you come back to Wake Forest, you always… head to The Village Tavern! I was there when… the Bush-Gore presidential debate was held on campus in October 2000! Who is your favorite coach at Wake Forest, current or past? It’s too hard to choose one…Jay Vidovich and Bobby Muuss…for very different reasons!
28
//
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
COMPLIANCE CORNER
// T O D D H A I R S T O N
NCAA EXTENDS COVID-19 ACCOMMODATIONS
TODD HAIRSTON SENIOR A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, COMPLIANCE
As COVID-19 restrictions are gradually being lifted in cities and states around the country, the NCAA has enacted some preliminary measures with an eye towards a possible return to play this fall. As of June 1, student-athletes in all sports were granted the opportunity to engage in voluntary athletic activities with strength and conditioning coaches. In individual sports such as track and field, tennis and golf, student-athletes may actually work out with their head or assistant coaches, provided the student initiates the request. While no physical activity can be required at this point, it continues to be permissible for teams to engage in up to eight hours of nonphysical virtual activity (e.g. team meetings, film review) over the summer months. Under general rules, only basketball and football were permitted to
have any type of required summer activity. It remains unclear when full team practice activities will be permitted, or if start dates for fall sport season will be impacted. In addition to the general concerns associated with containing the spread of the virus, medical professionals and athletic administrators have also expressed grave concerns about safely reacclimating students to intense physical regimens after such an extended period of inactivity. This, in part, led to the NCAA's recent decision to allow some limited summer activity in sports that would typically not have such access. Detailed return to play protocols are being devised in an effort to protect the well-being of student-athletes, coaches and staff. All of these factors could result in either delayed or contracted playing seasons.
Continued from Page 24 thus, some all-important deadlines for those two essential revenue streams — Deacon Club Annual Fund gifts and football ticket sales. These revenue streams represent roughly 20 percent of the athletic department’s total annual budget and are critically important to be able to provide resources and support hundreds of student-athletes with stories similar to Siyun’s. The progress we make with football ticket sales and Deacon Club Annual Fund donations by the end of our fiscal year will determine a lot about the future of Wake Forest Athletics. I also realize that we have all been impacted financially by the pandemic, in one way or another, and I understand if your situation creates the need to scale back your support. While we will be implementing aggressive germ mitigation efforts to protect the health and safety of our players, coaches and fans, you may or may not feel comfortable coming to our games. We
30
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
may or may not be able to host you depending on capacity limits due to the virus. We just don’t know what to expect, at this point, until we get more direction from our leaders and health officials. What I do know is that times like these provide opportunities for leaders to emerge. Regardless of your physical attendance, we will need your support in order to provide life-changing opportunities for our 400-plus student-athletes. If your situation allows it, I urge you to please consider doing what you can to ensure the continued success of Wake Forest Athletics. Our programs are incredibly strong across the board, and with your help, I’m confident we can emerge from this pandemic just as strong as we were before. Thanks for all of your loyalty and support, and I look forward to days when we can all embrace and sing the alma mater arm-in-arm while celebrating a Deacon victory.
Over100 years ofWHY high CHOOSE quality printing
MidAtlantic
A
t MidAtlantic Printers, we produce a variety of products ranging from booklets, brochures, business cards, envelopes, flyers, pocket folders, post cards and more.
FuLFILLMENT
nia • Washington DC • Greensboro • Charlotte • Wilmington
eCOMMERCE
HISTORY sales@mapl.net ph. 888.231.3175 www.mapl.net
1. Established in 1909, we have a rich history in the printing industry.
We have made a commitment to executing speed, accuracy, and integrity in every step of the prepress process to ensure you have the highest quality products.
Our mission is to grow, by providing world-class PRINTING3. In 1990 we expanded our presence andquality and service to our customers through grew into the Washington DC & Charlotte areas. Check us out on social media! advanced technology, teamwork, and meeting 4. With more than 100 years of experience, we have learned a lot—and even each of their unique needs. Contact us today, to managed to win some awards. We MAILING have grown from a small letter shop to a Top 400 Leading Printing Company. find out how our services can help you GROW! 2. We are a family owned and operated company in our 3rd generation of management.
Virginia • Washington DC • Greensboro • Charlotte • Wilmingt
(434) 369-6633
www.mapl.net
sales@mapl.net ph. 888.231.3175 www.mapl.net
Virginia • Washington DC • Greensboro • Charlotte • Wilmington
Check us out on social media!