Gold Rush - August 2020

QB SAM HARTMAN BACK BEHIND CENTER

Defensive end Carlos Basham Jr., better known as Boogie, passes up early chance at NFL to return to Wake Forest for senior season

AUGUST 2020

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VOL. 30 // ISSUE 1 (USPS 014-373) EDITOR

Jim Buice PHOTOGRAPHERS

WFU Athletics and others as noted.

WRITERS

Marc Pruitt, Bob Sutton, Sam Walker Design & Layout

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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 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.

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CONTENTS

// A U G U S T 2 0 2 0

WOMEN’S GOLF ON A ROLL: Wake Forest’s Rachel Kuehn, who is a rising sophomore, won the prestigious 118th Women’s North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 in July. She becomes the third Wake Forest golfer to win the women’s tournament following Stephanie Neill Harner in 1994 and Laura Philo Diaz in 1995. Earlier in August, the WFU women's golf team had a successful run in the U.S. Women's Amateur. Senior Emilia Migliaccio finished tied for second place in stroke play and went into match play as the No. 3 seed. Kuehn also advanced to match play as the No. 8 seed. While Siyun Liu bowed out after stroke play and Vanessa Knecht fell in the round of 64 of match play, Migliaccio and Kuehn both advanced to the round of 16 match play with Migliaccio going all the way to the quarterfinals.

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FROM THE AD INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB

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DEACONS IN THE PROS COMPLIANCE CORNER

// 6 ‘ A 280-POUND MAN WHO MOVES FAST’ Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr. put together a mad rush with 11 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss in his junior season, and he looks forward to more success in his final year as a Deacon.

// 12 LEARNING CURVE Redshirt sophomore Sam Hartman enters his third season in the program and has learned a lot about playing quarterback in his experiences along the way.

// 16 EMBRACING HER SPORT

ON THE COVER Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr.’s name appears on some of the most prestigious 2020 pre-season award watch lists.

Randi Smart, Wake Forest’s volleyball coach, always thought she was going to play softball in college, but after trying volleyball as a player, she was hooked and eventually became a coach in the sport.

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PA E.R F RG OE MH TE HA EDA D.

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

Grateful to be kicking off a new year JOHN CURRIE DIRECTOR O F AT H L E T I C S

Demon Deacon Nation, For several months, our campus had been too quiet.

There had been no weights clanking in the Keener Weight Room in Sutton Sports Performance Center; no chatter in the Christian McCreary Nutrition Zone as teammates grab a snack to fuel up before practice; no crack of the bat at Couch Ballpark. Necessary measures had to be taken to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches

and staff, but the absence of our entire student body was felt strongly throughout our University.

With that, I am thrilled to report that they’re back! Campus is alive again — albeit socially distanced. Behind the masks, there are smiles, and on the practice fields, there is a feeling of excitement and anticipation.

There is still uncertainty about exactly what this semester and our fall sport seasons will look like, but our Demon Deacons are ready to get out there and compete!

While this may be an unprecedented time with still more challenges ahead, we are grateful to be kicking off a new year. This issue of Gold Rush highlights just some of the people and stories that Deacon Nation has to be excited about.

Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr. is a team leader whose story you will want to know. You can read about how he ended up as a Demon Deacon, how he got his fitting nickname and his growing list of accolades. A first team All-ACC player in 2019, Boogie comes into this season with 18 consecutive games with a tackle for loss, the longest streak in the country. He is the only player in the country to have a streak longer than 12 games.

Be sure to also read about Sam Hartman who has experienced ups and downs and played a variety of roles on

the team since his debut as a freshman starting quarterback in his first college game. Sam has developed into a strong leader, and I look forward to watching him put that leadership to good use on the field this season.

This fall marks the first full season as head volleyball coach for Randi Smart after serving as the interim coach.

With her talented staff in place and a driving commitment to excellence, the future is bright for our volleyball program, so I encourage you to learn more about her on page 16.

In the following pages, you can also read an update on our 2019-20 fundraising results, a message from the illustrious Stan Cotten, a story about former men’s soccer player Mark Erwin who was the first men’s soccer player inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame, and much more. As we look toward the future with great anticipation, make sure to check out the 2019-20 Year in Review, a special section showcasing the many highlights of the past year as well. I trust that these stories will make you as excited as I am about what lies ahead for Wake Forest Athletics.

Go Deacs!

John Currie Director of Athletics Ron Wellman and John Currie

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FOOTBALL

// C A R L O S “ B O O G I E ” B A S H A M J R .

BACK FOR

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CARLOS “BOOGIE” BASHAM JR. RETURNS FOR SENIOR SEASON AFTER STELLAR JUNIOR CAMPAIGN

By Sam Walker

RE

O

n Dec. 21, 2019, Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr. posted on Twitter his plans for the 2020 football season.

Until that tweet, many wondered if his days playing as a Demon Deacon were over as he had just completed a junior campaign that established himself as a top NFL Draft prospect. A return to Wake Forest meant a proven leader and pass rusher at defensive end, but his departure would be understandable considering his outstanding 2019 campaign.

In his tweet, he first thanked his Lord and Savior, his mother and father (Crystal and Carlos Basham Sr.), and then stated, “Lastly, I’d like to thank the Wake Forest coaching staff for trusting in me and giving a kid from Roanoke, Va., a chance. With that said, I’ll be returning to Wake Forest for my senior season…”

In retrospect, it appears not much was left to chance. According to Dave Cohen, assistant head coach for defense and Basham’s position coach, perhaps the coaches should thank him for choosing to play for them.

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FOOTBALL

// C A R L O S “ B O O G I E ” B A S H A M J R .

Basham is known for his love of shoes and cars. He says he probably has enough shoes to wear a different pair each day for a month. Basham also loves to work on his Dodge Challenger, detailing it to make it unique and personalized. He relaxes by driving around town and listening to music. “Boogie” was a nickname one of his mother’s best friends tagged him with when he was just a toddler because he was always on the move. The name stuck.

His motivation to earn a college scholarship was because of his parents, who always encouraged him. He wanted to make them proud.

“This was something I wanted to do,” Basham said. “I took that (their encouragement) as I’ve got to get into college. I wanted to see my dad happy, smiling, and my mom too once I got everything figured out.”

Basham clarified his goals once he received his first football scholarship offer during his sophomore year of high school and, although he loved basketball, it was football that proved to be the better fit for his diverse set of skills. Basham went mostly unnoticed as a high school recruit, and some even discounted his potential to play in a Power Five conference. When it was time to decide, he had narrowed his final list to Wake Forest, Maryland, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

“I was under-recruited coming out of high school, and a lot of college coaches said I didn’t have it, or I would never play at this level,” Basham said. “I had a couple of Division I looks and lot of Division II and walk-on offers. In high school, I played running back, receiver, tight end, cornerback, safety and even linebacker on some plays. So I felt Wake really took a chance on me.”

Cohen said that there was no doubt that Basham had a lot to offer.

“You have to understand that Boogie is an athlete, so (in high school) they used him at spread receiver, outside linebacker, and he was a very good basketball player,” Cohen said. “He was kind of a hybrid coming out. Then we saw him live at camp, and it’s a no-brainer. Until you meet him, you really can’t project how big he is or how big he could be. He’s large, long, thick, and that combination of size and athleticism is special. Sometimes you can’t

“ MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, I REALIZED THERE WERE MANY PLAYS WHERE I WAS MISSING SACKS AND TACKLES, AND I WAS LIKE IF I COULD JUST CAPITALIZE ON THOSE PLAYS I COULD BE REALLY GOOD AND MAKE MONEY DOING THIS. THEN LAST YEAR, I TOOK ANOTHER STEP FORWARD AND STARTED MAKING THOSE PLAYS. –CARLOS BASHAM JR. 8

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// C A R L O S “ B O O G I E ” B A S H A M J R .

tell that from watching game film. So here’s a 280-pound man running as fast as he does, and that’s why he will make money doing this one day.”

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Basham came to Wake Forest’s football camp the summer following his junior year, and after watching him, Cohen said that the coaching staff knew he was an exceptional talent.

CARLOS BASHAM JR. HEIGHT: 6-5 WEIGHT: 280 POSITION: Defensive line CLASS: Redshirt senior MAJOR: Communication HOMETOWN: Roanoke, Va. HIGH SCHOOL: Northside FAVORITE WAKE FOREST FOOTBALL MEMORY: Defeating UNC 24-18 last season

“The thing that has taken him to the next level is competitiveness,” Cohen said. “We made a (video) cut-up last year of a fourth-quarter play when there was a 10-point or less lead, and teams were trying to throw the ball against us. Now, this is 70 to 80 plays into the game, and it was almost like his part of the film was sped up, and the other 21 players were slowed down. Go back and watch him at the end of the Utah State, UNC and Florida State games, and watch him pursue the quarterback. He sped up when it really mattered with the game on the line. That’s really impressive.”

Basham said he weighed between 220 and 230 pounds in his senior season of high school. Since arriving at Wake Forest,

he has grown to an imposing 6-5 and 280 pounds, totally changing his body to withstand the physical demands of college football.

He earned his first career start his redshirt freshman season against NC State. He completed his sophomore season ranked second in tackles with 64 and tied for the team lead with 11 tackles for loss. He ranked second with 4.5 sacks.

Basham was relentless his junior season with the second most number of sacks in program history (11) and had 18 tackles for loss, both ranking second in the ACC, along with three forced fumbles. Basham also had 61 quarterback pressures, the most by any 2021 draft-eligible player, and earned first-team All-ACC honors.

“My sophomore year, I realized there were many plays where I was missing sacks and tackles, and I was like if I could just capitalize on those plays I could be really good and make money doing this,” Basham said. “Then last year, I took another step forward and started making those plays. I understand how our defense works, the scheme, and it has made me an all-around better player.”

Basham’s name appears on some of the most prestigious 2020 pre-season award watch lists. He is one of just five ACC players to make the Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Award watch lists. But for Basham, it’s more about winning the award than being named to a watch list.

“The things that make Boogie marketable is he’s bright, competitive and athletic, but he can fit into any scheme based on his size and speed,” Cohen said. “You can drop him into any spot, and he can play multiple positions in multiple systems. His versatility is outstanding.”

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FOOTBALL

// S A M H A R T M A N

LET IT

FLY

QUARTERBACK SAM HARTMAN EMBRACES EXPERIENCES, LEADERSHIP ROLE

By Bob Sutton

S

ometimes when Sam Hartman holds the football, he zig-zags in various directions. The Wake Forest quarterback thrives on some improvising.

entitled him to qualify for a redshirt, he enters this season as a redshirt sophomore.

He has learned leadership in several facets, going through backto-back summer camps in quarterback competitions that drew considerable attention.

In the build-up to the 2020 season, Hartman clearly held the tag of a front runner.

“I think I learned a lot my first two camps, things to do, things not to do,” he said. “It is kind of nice to have everybody’s attention, knowing this is your job, this is your team.”

Hartman has collected an array of experiences as he competed with Jamie Newman across a pair of summers.

The first time Hartman became the starting quarterback in 2018, he began his career with an overtime victory at Tulane. Then a summer ago as camp wound down, Hartman held the backup role.

Those variations helped prepare him for whatever he encounters.

Even with Newman moving on, Hartman wants to be challenged.

IN THE BUILD-UP TO THE 2020 SEASON, HARTMAN CLEARLY HELD THE TAG OF A FRONT RUNNER.

Entering his third season in the program, he also acknowledges there has been a wide learning curve so far.

From the starting quarterback in his first college game to recovering from an injury to holding a backup role a season ago, it has been quite a ride.

“Everything has kind of changed. Last year I learned so much about finding myself and finding who I am and my legacy here at Wake Forest,” Hartman said. “… When I graduate, what are they going to say? That is really what’s driving me.”

The best part for the Demon Deacons is that Hartman could be aboard for three more seasons. Because his 2019 role

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FOOTBALL

// S A M H A R T M A N

SAM HARTMAN HEIGHT: 6-1 WEIGHT: 205 POSITION: Quarterback CLASS: Redshirt sophomore MAJOR: Communication HOMETOWN: Cornelius, N.C. HIGH SCHOOLS: Davidson Day School / Oceanside Collegiate (S.C.)

“ WE’RE ALWAYS COMPETING. WE’RE ALWAYS PUSHING EACH OTHER. ON PAPER, IT’S NOT A COMPETITION. WE’RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE KIND OF PUSHING. I WANT THEM TO BE PUSHING ME. … IT’S STILL GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE AS ALWAYS.” –SAM HARTMAN, ON THE QUARTERBACK GROUP “We’re always competing. We’re always pushing each other,” he said of the quarterback group. “On paper, it’s not a competition.

We’re always going to be kind of pushing. I want them to be pushing me. … It’s still going to be competitive as always.”

With the approach of the 2020 season, Hartman trusts he’ll have evolved into a much more refined player than he displayed on that steamy 2018 night in New Orleans.

“Being a freshman, it’s always coming with the territory. You’re young. Everyone kind of knows you’re young, you haven’t taken a college snap,” he said. “Now it’s a lot more of the mentality.

I’m the starting quarterback. I have X, Y and Z amount of responsibility bestowed on me. Now it is kind of on my shoulders, as they say. I can’t be more excited to kind of carry that around.”

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He won’t look the same because he’s carrying more weight. He joined the program at 176 pounds but now has filled out to about 205.

Coach Dave Clawson said that the best-case scenario would be that Hartman is nudged to become better by younger quarterbacks in the system. Continuing to develop depth at the position is among the priorities.

After all, Hartman had what might have been considered a premature debut. His freshman season ended with a broken leg on the first Saturday in November.

“In a perfect world, we would have redshirted Sam his first year,” Clawson said.

While Hartman served mostly as a 2019 backup, there was progress. By the latter half of the season, he was practicing at

what Clawson described as an extremely high level. The coach also knew it was important for Hartman to be in the proper mindset regarding his importance in the program.

Clawson made it a point to stress to the quarterback that he again could become a featured player.

“There’s clearly a path for you to be a two-year or three-year starter,” Clawson said of his message.

Hartman won’t lack confidence, figuring he has been through an array of situations.

“I’m experienced-ish.

I played in a couple of games here and there, some big ones here and there,” he said. “Going in, I have a little bit more seasoned feel to it. Still, a lot to learn. I’ve seen a couple of things here and there that will definitely help.”

Indeed, Hartman has compiled notable credentials in offensive coordinator Warren Ruggiero’s system. He already has 3,178 total yards of offense in his career, putting him 22nd in school history.

That’s despite appearing in only four games (including a start against Florida State) last season so he could retain a redshirt status. Even then, he twice posted 300-yard passing games.

So Hartman should seem like one of the veterans on an offensive unit that’s revamped in terms of personnel.

“We’re going to be considerably younger on offense,” Clawson said. “We’re younger, I didn’t say we were going to be worse.

There’s going to be some gelling and chemistry that needs to happen there.”

Hartman, who turned 21 this summer, might be the ideal leader, playing with an energy that’s evident as his personality becomes apparent even in a sport where a helmet is worn.

“I like that challenge of figuring out people and seeing how I can get them to give me their best because I’m going to try to give them my best,” he said.

Leadership is important for the Demon Deacons. By Hartman’s account, his assortment of roles has given him a nice sampling along with the understanding that “everything I do affects the program” – something he embraces.

“It has always been (in previous summers) no one knows who the guy is,” he said. “It helps because you have to learn how to lead out front. … (Then last year) learning how to lead from behind, and lead when you’re not the guy. When everything is not sunshine and roses was one of the biggest takeaways from it.”

Clawson has seen enough from Hartman to have a good vibe.

“Of my list of concerns, quarterback is not on that,” Clawson said.

Hartman hasn’t been winging it without a plan. He said he adopted a schedule used by former Wake Forest quarterback John Wolford, making it his daily regimen.

Already, he’s able to look back to a couple of years ago and just about shake his head.

“That freshman year was tough, made a lot of mistakes,” Hartman said. “It’s very hard to watch sometimes. Just pushing myself to consistently improve.”

The landscape has changed dramatically from his first two years wearing the Old Gold & Black. Compared to last season when he accepted some of the limitations that would allow him to save a year of eligibility, this time there’s no holding back.

For Hartman, it means more chances to create that legacy.

“Just getting to be able to go out there and let it fly,” he said.

PREVIEW COACH: Dave Clawson (36-40 in six years at WFU, 126-120 in 20 years overall) 2019 RECORD: 8-5 (4-4 ACC, T-3rd in Atlantic Division) STARTERS RETURNING: Offense 3, Defense 9, place-kicker.

KEY RETURNEES: WR Sage Surratt, QB Sam Hartman, DT Carlos Basham Jr., DB Nasir Greer, DB Luke Masterson, LB Ryan Smenda Jr., LB Ja’Cquez Williams, K Nick Sciba.

KEY LOSSES: QB Jamie Newman, RB Cade Carney, TE Jack Freudenthal, OL Justin Herron, OL Jake Benzinger, LB Justin Strnad, DB Essang Bassey, P Dom Maggio.

2020 SCHEDULE: Sept. 12, Clemson; Sept. 19, at NC State; Sept.

26, Notre Dame, Charlotte; Oct. 17, Virginia; Oct. 24, Virginia Tech; Oct. 31, at Syracuse; Nov. 14, at North Carolina; Nov. 21, at Duke; Nov. 28, Miami; Dec. 5, at Louisville

OUTLOOK: The Deacs might initially rely on defense because that’s where the most experience exists on the roster entering the season. That unit includes Smenda, the team’s leading tackler in 2019. Basham is an elite player along the front coming off an 11-sack season and remaining in the program for a fifth season. The offense has racked up school record-setting numbers the past three seasons, though there could be some retooling. Surratt led all players from Power Five conferences with 1,001 receiving yards through nine games, but his season ended there because of an injury after his 11 touchdown catches matched the most for a Wake Forest player in 30 years. The offensive line could be boosted by graduate transfer Terrance Davis from Maryland.

Aided by Sciba, coming off an NCAA record-setting mark for consecutive field goals, the Deacs look to extend their school record of four consecutive bowl seasons.

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VOLLEYBALL

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// R A N D I S M A R T

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

THE

SMART APPROACH FATE INTERVENES IN RANDI SMART’S PATH TO BEING A VOLLEYBALL PLAYER AND THEN COACH, AND NOW SHE HAS GREAT EXPECTATIONS AS THE LEADER OF THE WFU PROGRAM

By Marc Pruitt

R

andi Smart never set out to be a volleyball coach.

Heck, she didn’t even set out to be a volleyball player.

“I always thought I was going to play softball in college,” said Smart, who enters her first full season as Wake Forest’s head coach after joining the program as an assistant in 2017 and then serving as interim coach. “I grew up playing soccer and softball and thought I would play softball in college. I was a terrible volleyball player. It was my worst sport. I didn’t even go to tryouts on the first day of my freshman year because I wanted to keep stats for the football team.”

Fate intervened when Smart received a phone call from her coach at Glendora (California) High School asking about her whereabouts during the tryout.

Smart relented and attended tryouts the next day, made the junior varsity team, and then joined a club team after a friend told her she should investigate it.

“And it’s been non-stop since,” Smart said. “My junior year is when I realized how much volleyball meant to me. I played three sports in high school every year, but I gave up softball my senior year. I just always wanted to be on a court or on a field because I loved sports so much. I knew what my north was when I was playing sports.”

Smart had a successful two years as a player at Utah State before transferring to LSU for her junior and senior seasons. When her playing days were over, she went back home to Southern California, unsure of her future.

Fate came calling again.

“A good friend of mine and a great coach, Don Flora, called me and asked me to come coach with him,” Smart said. “He had just been named the coach at La Verne (California) University and told AUGUST 2020

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VOLLEYBALL

// R A N D I S M A R T

“ AT FIRST, I SAW COACHING AS A MEANS TO AN END. BUT ONCE I GOT THAT COACHING BUG, I KNEW I DIDN’T WANT TO DO ANYTHING BUT COACH.” –RANDI SMART me they would pay for my master’s degree and I could do whatever I wanted to with it. And at that point, I was interested in going into marriage or family or sports psychology, so I told him I was in. So, at first, I saw coaching as a means to an end. But once I got that coaching bug, I knew I didn’t want to do anything but coach.”

Smart spent six seasons as an assistant at La Verne, which included winning a NCAA Division III National Championship in 2001 with a team her younger sister played on.

Smart then worked as an assistant coach at Cal Poly Pomona under Rosie Wegrich, whom Smart credits as a steady influence, mentor and friend, for four seasons, helping guide those teams to a 73-40 record.

Smart then became an assistant coach at Cal State Los Angeles in 2008 for Bill Lawler and then became the head coach for the Golden Eagles in 2009.

Proud Supporter Morgan Stanley is proud to support Wake Forest University Athletics .

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She guided the Golden Eagles to a 136-90 record and produced eight NCAA Division II All-Americans before getting her feet wet in the ACC in 2017.

And after going through an injury-riddled season a year ago, Smart and her team are ready to improve on the Deacons’ 14-15 (4-14 ACC) record and make some noise.

“We finished so strong last season by winning three of our last four (matches), including winning at Virginia Tech and winning at UNC,” Smart said. “It wasn’t until the very end of the year when we were what I’d call about 85 percent ‘healthy-ish’. There are a lot of great players and coaches in this league, and with our injuries, we just couldn’t keep up. We had kids playing different roles out of necessity that never once looked at me cross-eyed. They were a selfless group that put everything they had into our success.”

Smart said that she and her assistants did some evaluations and decided to make a few changes to their approach for this season.

“We revamped some things in the weight room and really looked at how we could score more points this year,” Smart said.

RANDI SMART HOMETOWN: : Glendora, California COLLEGE: Utah State, LSU COACHING BACKGROUND: Assistant Coach, La Verne University, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Los Angeles; Head Coach, Cal State Los Angeles; Assistant Coach, Wake Forest, 2017; Head Coach, Wake Forest 2019-present FAMILY: Husband, Craig; two children, Tyler and Jordan

“I JUST ALWAYS WANTED TO BE ON A COURT OR ON A FIELD BECAUSE I LOVED SPORTS SO MUCH. I KNEW WHAT MY NORTH WAS WHEN I WAS PLAYING SPORTS.” “We looked at things from every aspect — mental, physical and technical — and our conditioning was going to be a huge part of that. We got them into a good place during the winter in January and February, and then we had to tell them they couldn’t come back to school from spring break in March because of the coronavirus. That was tough.”

Smart adjusted her approach as a result and met with her players via Zoom calls every week. In addition to checking in on their at-home workouts, she assigned a book for them to read so that they could discuss it each week: “Habitudes: Images that form Leadership Habits and Attitudes” by Tim Elmore.

“Our discussions were coach-driven the first couple of weeks, but then they became player-driven, and that’s exactly what I wanted to see,” Smart said. “All of my favorite teams have always been playerdriven, and they took the concept and started leading the discussions.

It was amazing to sit back and watch their growth because they are now creating their own culture in our team dynamic. It’s great for them and great for us for them to learn from and inspire each other.”

Players arrived back to campus at the beginning of August and will quarantine for 10 days in hopes that a season will be played.

The ACC has mandated that volleyball matches can be played beginning Sept. 10, but that could change in an instant if the pandemic continues to be a driving force.

“I think our frustration went out the window in May,” Smart said. “We want to be great at whatever opportunity we are given. It will be weird that we can’t hug them or high-five them, and we have to figure out the best way to conduct practice and workouts.”

Led by a strong group of seniors, Smart is optimistic that great things are ahead for the program.

“This group we have is resilient,” she said. “They are competitive, and they are caring. If we are healthy, we’re going to surprise a lot of people. This senior class is so ready to be back here, and they have some unfinished business to take care of.

Everything they’ve done to be a part of Wake Forest volleyball is going to come out on the court.”

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100% COTTEN

// S TA N C O T T E N

Getting Close S TA N COTTEN VOICE OF THE DEMON DEACONS

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By the time you read this, the start of the college football season could be close. Really close. Then again, the whole shootin’ match could be scrapped by now. And if the season has been put on moth balls, I suggest you go ahead and turn the page.

Dern COVID. Hard to fight what you can’t see.

But I will choose the glass half full or maybe, as I write, filled to the brim. I woke up this morning wondering what I would write about on deadline day and then remembered that the ACC was set to release member schedules.

Problem solved.

Just days ago we all learned the news that the ACC was going to play football, instituting a creative 10 +1 schedule. Ten conference games in addition to one nonconference game played at the ACC site or at least within the ACC school’s home state borders. And today the whole ACC football world including, yes, Notre Dame, got to see who was playing whom, when and where.

Eleven more steps materialized early on the morning on Aug. 6 that, one by one, could represent a weekly march back to a little normalcy, at least within the sports world, after the cold reality of an invisible foe so rudely stopped sports and the whole world in its tracks back in March. Will we make it to 11 games? Heck, will we make it to week one? Who knows, but I’m looking forward to giving it the old college try.

To a person, our broadcast crew has volunteered to be full speed ahead. We will have to do things differently, and at times I’m sure it won’t sound the same. We might have to do some road games from Winston-Salem, calling the game

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off of video monitors. Post-game interviews might just be done on a cell phone. Not ideal, but 2020 has thrown us a pitch nastier than a Lary Sorensen sinker circa 1982. Whatever it takes, if the Demon Deacons and Coach Dave Clawson are teeing it up, our Wake Forest Sports Network team from Learfield IMG College will be somewhere calling it on the radio.

And today we all learned the games we have to look forward to.

Just a few musings…

The schedule certainly starts off with a roar as the Deacs host Clemson, picked for the second season in a row by the coaches as the best team in the nation. Gotta play the Tigers every year, and you might as well get ‘em early if you ask me. And it won’t be in front of 80,000 in Death Valley.

Second thought – no game with Appalachian State. I hate to see the game with the Mountaineers dropped, but a tip of the cap to John Currie and App AD Doug Gillin for working out a three-game series down the road, calling for two games in Winston and one up on the mountain. This game needs to be played in sellout stadiums and will now that this has been worked out. I think it’s a win for both schools.

I’m sure all of you noticed the games with Carolina, State and Duke are all on the road. If Wake is gonna lay claim to another ‘Big Four’ title, it will have to play well away from home against its instate ACC foes. The Deacs travel to Raleigh in week two of Wake’s schedule on Sept. 19 and then will have to wait until late in the season before heading to Chapel Hill and Durham in back-to-back weeks on the 14th and 21st of November.

Notre Dame gets a hall pass for the 2020 season and will be eligible

for the ACC Championship Game.

Wake was set to play the Irish in Charlotte, and that game sticks on Saturday, Sept. 26, a home game for the Deacons played at Bank of America Stadium – home to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.

After the restructured schedule was announced, the Deacs’ only non-league game was to be at home on Friday night, Oct. 9, against Old Dominion, but then it canceled its season. Now, the October schedule starts with back-to-back home games against Virginia (Oct. 17) and Virginia Tech (Oct. 24). If Wake could pull the sweep, the Deacs could lay claim to the ‘Commonwealth Cup’ even before they’re crowned Big Four Champs for the second season in a row. Just sayin’.

The Deacs make a return trip to the Dome to play Syracuse after playing there last season in one of the crazier endings we’ve witnessed in a while. Late October in Syracuse is a roll of the dice weather-wise, but I’d rather be there late fall as earlier in the season. Once the Carrier Dome, it’s just the Dome now. I mean it never had air conditioning anyway, which is just strange given the sponsor.

Regardless, not an easy place to play. In recent years there, the Wake game has resembled more of a track meet at times. Always fun, though.

Let’s see. Miami and Louisville are the two left of the 11 games. The Canes come to town Thanksgiving weekend, and then the schedule concludes with a December game at Louisville on the 5th. Regular season football in December. Hey, that’s 2020 for you.

And that’s my space for this edition. I’m buckled up and ready.

See you on the radio.

GO DEACS!

PROUD TO BE A DEMON DEACON! Women’s Golf ACC & East Regional Championship Teams 1994 & 1995

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It’s

TREASURE T ime

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21

INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB

Seeing our community come together

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

22

As I reflect on last year, it comes with an incredible sense of pride in our student-athletes and our fans. We dedicated the most ambitious facility project in our history with the Sutton Sports Performance Center and Shah Basketball Complex.

We honored Ron Wellman and dedicated Wellman Way while also welcoming in our new athletic director John Currie. We had one of our largest and most successful tailgate parties at the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in New York City as well as an incredible gathering at the College Cup in Cary.

In February, we also had the opportunity to host an incredible Scholarship Brunch, an event that always fosters a powerful connection between our fans and student-athletes. The 2020 Scholarship Brunch, undoubtedly one of our most meaningful occasions, was the last large in-person gathering we hosted before the world, as we knew it, changed dramatically. The memories of that day make me

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

long for the time in which we will, once again, welcome you all back to our campus for fun and fellowship. That’s what I look forward to as we wait for our lives to return to some semblance of “normal” in the hopefully near future.

As our students-athletes began to return to campus for class, training and competition just a short time ago, it was inspiring to see our community come together to ensure a safe and successful return. Our coaches and staff wasted no time, working incredibly hard to get their teams prepared to compete in the safest way possible. It is amazing to me the level of commitment our studentathletes have shown through their willingness to adhere to numerous safety protocols — they’ve proven just how much they’re willing to endure in order to play the sport they love.

We have also been working diligently to prepare our facilities and put safety protocols in place that

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

will allow us to safely bring fans back to our venues to cheer on our student-athletes. There is no doubt that our stadiums and arenas will look and feel very different this fall, but we must do what is necessary to ensure the safety of our community.

The financial pressures that we are experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic — costly safety measures, lost revenue due to reduced attendance, and more — are very real. In order to sustain our operation, we will need support from our fans. Over the course of the last couple of years, we have expanded our giving opportunities, in the form of Excellence Funds, to ensure that Deacon Nation can support the sports they care most about.

The Excellence Funds have grown tremendously in popularity and are a critical part of our coaches’ tool kit to compete at the highest level.

On page 26, you can find additional information about the various Excellence Funds and an overview of the funds’ progress toward their goals. I encourage you to consider whether supporting one or more of our Excellence Funds would be of interest to you. If so, please reach out to your Deacon Club representative or call (336) 758-5626.

It is no secret that today is unlike any other time in the history of college athletics. As we move into the fall with excitement and anticipation, ready to face the challenges and uncertainties that may lie ahead, please remember that we greatly appreciate all that you do to help in our overall mission to Develop Champions.

Go Deacs!

Barry

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 AUGUST 2020

23

REMEMBER WHEN

//

MARK ERWIN

FLEDGLING PROGRAM MARK ERWIN RECALLS 1980, THE INAUGURAL YEAR FOR A WAKE FOREST SOCCER PROGRAM THAT HAS DEVELOPED INTO A NATIONAL POWERHOUSE

A

s an exercise in selfpreservation, Mark Erwin and his Wake Forest soccer teammates cleared the playing field of rocks like clockwork every Wednesday. As part of the inaugural Wake Forest men’s soccer team under coach George Kennedy in 1980, the environment was much different than in the modern era under coaches Walt Chyzowych, Jay Vidovich and Bobby Muuss.

“It wasn’t much different than my high school,” Erwin said about first arriving in Winston-Salem. “It was a start-up program. We had a 15-passenger van that was shared among other sports for road trips.

“We were kind of extras in the weight room. It was just a different priority then. To see what they’ve created now is just incredible. We don’t take any claim on what they’ve created, but we’re sure proud to be a part of it. It’s incredible to see the commitment from the administration, coaches, players and families that has made it one of the top programs in the nation today.”

Wake Forest soccer has now established itself as a national powerhouse, having reached the College Cup six times — all within the last 13 seasons. Since the hiring of Coach Muuss in 2015, Wake Forest leads the country with 89 victories, ahead of second-place Indiana with 78.

The Deacs are dominant, but it wasn’t that way when Erwin was a part of the fledgling program 40 years ago.

“We might have had 100 people at a game for a huge contest,” he said. “We just had portable bleachers. Other than

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GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

By Les Johns

Mark and his wife Melanie Erwin (’86) a few Winston-Salem diehards, we didn’t have much of a fanbase at all.”

Erwin began his soccer journey playing at the local YMCA in Atlanta, Ga. “That was the way things got going,” he said. “Then I started playing in the local leagues. In the early 70s, Atlanta had one travel team to be on if you were going to play at a high level. It was called

Data Graphics. I was never invited to be on that team, nor ever tried to be on that club. I just loved what I was doing and loved playing sports.”

Originally playing both soccer and football, Erwin transitioned to a single sport early in high school.

“I was a little guy but grew late in my high school years,” he said. “I got beat up on the football field, so I decided to go soccer only by 10th grade. I loved soccer and wanted to play in college. I wasn’t highly recruited. I did send some letters to some coaches and was told I wouldn’t be able to make the cut.”

Despite facing a wave of rejections and disinterest from college coaches, Erwin’s mother persisted — and her ACC fandom sprouted an advantage for her son.

“She did a lot of the interaction for me with Wake Forest coach George Kennedy,” Erwin said. “He came down and saw me play some in Atlanta, and I happened to score five goals that weekend. So that worked out good. He brought me up for a visit to Wake Forest.

As soon as I visited Wake, I knew that’s where I absolutely wanted to be.”

Kennedy wanted Erwin, and Erwin wanted Wake Forest, but admissions came across with a different opinion.

“I subsequently got my letter of non-acceptance from Wake Forest, but Coach Kennedy talked to some folks and convinced them that I was worth the risk and brought me into the program,” Erwin said. “It was that relationship that was built with George and what he saw in me. My mom, I’m sure, pushed for it.

“She got me in the program and got me invited to Wake 40 years ago this month.”

PA G E H E A D E R

That’s the start of a relationship that worked out for all parties. Erwin had a storied soccer career for the Old Gold & Black and is a 2008 Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame inductee. He’s the all-time Wake Forest career leader in both points (160) and goals (68), leading the nation with 36 goals as a senior in 1983.

“All we really wanted was a bid to the NCAA, and that didn’t happen for us back then,” he said.

“That was what we were shooting for. We had highs and lows. We’d beat a team we weren’t expecting to beat, and then we’d lose to a team we knew we should beat. Consistency wasn’t our best attribute.”

He’s one of the top 30 all-time scorers in college soccer. After completing his psychology degree at Wake Forest, Erwin served in the United States Army for over 25 years – completing his career as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army Special Operations Command. Starting his military career in the ROTC at Wake Forest, Erwin held leadership positions and became integral to the United States global War on Terror with several deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I’m just proud to be a part of the start of something that’s turned out to be so incredible,” Erwin said. “It has never left my mind of how important Wake Forest Soccer is to how I’ve turned out in my life. I owe tons to Wake Forest and

specifically the soccer program, which is why I want to give back.”

It’s that Pro Humanitate spirit that brings Erwin to the table in 2020, as he looks to celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the Wake Forest men’s soccer program with an initiative to help fuel it to remain at the top of the college soccer landscape.

“I want to use the 40-year mark as a chance to look at where the program has gone and make sure that it keeps going in that direction,” Erwin said. “There’s a number of initiatives that Bobby has for soccer, and we want to make sure he can fund those at the best level.”

AUGUST 2020

25

EXCELLENCE FUNDS

EXCELLENCE FUNDS HELP YOUR FAVORITE PROGRAMS PURSUE EXCELLENCE

W

ake Forest Athletics has a strong tradition of excellence and success, but for many of our sports, the costs of building and sustaining successful programs are rising more rapidly than operating budgets. In 2018, Wake Forest initiated a competitive analysis that identified strategic areas of opportunity to enhance each program's operating budget and further compete on a national level, ultimately allowing Demon Deacon student-athletes to train, practice and perform at the highest level. That analysis was the catalyst for a series of Excellence Funds. Excellence Funds are geared towards sports programs as well as athletic department units that provide support to student-athletes, such as

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GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

nutrition, sports medicine and studentathlete development.

The funds are intended to be used to cover the respective program’s more immediate operational needs as well as provide funds for an endowment that can ultimately generate additional support through an annual payout.

Collectively, these funds will ensure that each program has what it needs to compete for championships — now and in the future.

Excellence Funds have already begun to impact our programs in a positive way. They have been able to obtain resources that have contributed to their competitiveness and success — from push carts for the women’s golf team and team vans for both women’s tennis and the track & field program, to wearable technology, funds to pay for summer school and key coach retention efforts.

Women’s golf coach and 2020 national coach of the year Kim Lewellen has described the Women’s Golf Excellence

FY 19 RAISED

FY 20 RAISED

FY 21 PLEDGES DUE

TOTAL

BASEBALL

$ 188,850

$ 160,321

$ 7,875

$ 357,046

MEN'S BASKETBALL

$ 82,680

$ 320,055

$ 17,835

$ 420,570

$ 6,000

$ 15,760

$ 2,000

$ 23,760

CHEER

$-

$ 3,100

$-

$ 3,100

DANCE

$ 4,150

$ 4,335

$-

$ 8,485

FIELD HOCKEY

$ 27,203

$ 129,688

$ 74,447

$ 231,338

FOOTBALL

$ 13,075

$ 1,353,972

$ 178,355

$ 1,545,402

MEN'S GOLF

$ 192,953

$ 160,289

$ 118,730

$ 471,972

WOMEN'S GOLF

$ 111,677

$ 115,924

$ 27,833

$ 255,434

MEN'S SOCCER

$ 215,725

$ 219,288

$ 120,608

$ 555,621

WOMEN'S SOCCER

$ 288,960

$ 300,235

$ 390,875

$ 980,070

MEN'S TENNIS

$ 407,080

$ 266,473

$ 5,725

$ 679,278

WOMEN'S TENNIS

$ 94,381

$ 82,755

$ 35,666

$ 212,802

MEN'S TRACK/CROSS COUNTRY

$ 13,176

$ 33,900

$ 23,500

$ 70,576

WOMEN'S TRACK/CROSS COUNTRY

$ 15,125

$ 97,960

$ 20,000

$ 133,085

$ 550

$ 62,225

$ 6,150

$ 68,925

$ 34,500

$ 37,122

$ 30,554

$ 102,176

S-A CAREER DEVELOPMENT

$-

$ 42,647

$ 39,714

$ 82,361

S-A SPORTS PERFORMANCE & HEALTHCARE

$-

$ 15,000

$ 15,000

$ 30,000

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

VOLLEYBALL NUTRITION

Fund as “program-altering” for a variety of reasons, one of which is the ability to fund taxes and insurance for international student-athletes which can be a significant expense. That fund also allowed for new technology that Coach Lewellen credits with helping to transform

the game of All-American Siyun “Swing” Liu. Most importantly, the Excellence Fund is providing the opportunity for Swing to come back to Wake Forest for a fifth year and pursue a national championship with her teammates after her senior season was cut short by the pandemic.

Each program’s list of needs continues to grow and evolve, so if you are interested in learning more about supporting your favorite Demon Deacon programs and helping them pursue championships, please contact the Deacon Club at (336) 758-5626.

AUGUST 2020

27

DEACONS IN THE PROS BASEBALL COACHES/SCOUTS Ross Atkins Neil Avent TJ Barra Dave Bush Michael Holmes Bill Masse Matt Price Mike Rikard Eric Schmitt

MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB

Toronto Blue Jays General Manager Oakland A’s Area Scout Major League Baseball Sr. Baseball Data Quality Analyst Boston Red Sox Pitching Coach San Francisco Giants Amateur Scouting Director Miami Marlins Special Assignment Scout Kansas City Royals Area Scouting Supervisor Boston Red Sox Vice President of Amateur Scouting New York Yankees Director of Player Development

MAJOR LEAGUES

Minor League Ranks Johnny Aiello Carter Bach Ben Breazeale Will Craig Parker Dunshee Stuart Fairchild Aaron Fossas Patrick Frick Connor Johnstone Garrett Kelly Morgan McSweeney Nate Mondou Colin Peluse D.J. Poteet Griffin Roberts Jared Schuster Donnie Sellers Gavin Sheets Bruce Steel Mac Williamson

Toronto Blue Jays (A) Tampa Bay Rays (Rookie) Free Agent Pittsburgh Pirates (AAA) Oakland Athletics (AAA) Cincinnati Reds (AA) Cincinnati Reds (AA) Seattle Mariners (Short Season A) Atlanta Braves (AA) Chicago Cubs (High A) Baltimore Orioles (A) Oakland Athletics (AA) Oakland Athletics (Short Season A) Detroit Tigers St. Louis Cardinals (High A) Atlanta Braves Toronto Blue Jays (High A) Chicago White Sox (AA) Kansas City Royals (A) Free Agent

WOMEN’S GOLF Jennifer Kupcho Natalie Sheary Sierra Sims Cheyenne Woods

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 Hayden Partain Kevin Politz Sam Raben Jalen Robinson Brandon Servania Ema Twumasi

LPGA Symetra Symetra LPGA 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) 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

Washington Spirit (NWSL) Washington Spirit (NWSL) Houston Dash (NWSL) Houston Dash (NWSL) Lille Olympique Sporting Club (Ligue 1 – France) Kvarnsvedens IK (Swedish Premier League)

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Al-Farouq Aminu John Collins James Johnson Chris Paul Ishmael Smith Jeff Teague Jaylen Hoard Doral Moore Austin Arians Bryant Crawford

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NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA/G-League NBA G-League Germany Lithuania

Orlando Magic Atlanta Hawks Minnesota Timberwolves Oklahoma City Thunder Washington Wizards Atlanta Hawks Portland Delaware Blue Coats Schalke Juventus

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

C.J. Harris Darius Leonard Jamaal Levy Nikita Mescheriakov Codi Miller-McIntyre Dinos Mitoglou Troy Rike Devin Thomas Terrence Thompson Ty Walker Andre Washington David Weaver Mitchell Wilbekin Coron Williams L.D. Williams Keyshawn Woods

China Argentina Argentina Russia Slovenia Greece Philippines Argentina Georgia Canada Bahrain Japan Turkey Mexico Egypt Netherlands

Guangzhou LL Sportivo America Bahia Basket Spartak SP Cedevita Olimpija Panathinaikos AMA Penarol Kutaisi Windsor Al-Hala Kumamoto Konyaspor Dorados Sporting Rotterdam

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Dearica Hamby Chelsea Douglas Amber Campbell Elisa Penna Alex Sharp

WNBA Romania Ireland Italy WNBL

Las Vegas Aces and Italy Phoenix Constanta Ambassador UCC Glanmire Cork Venezia Perth Lynx

FOOTBALL Alex Bachman Essang Bassey Jessie Bates III Jake Benzinger Greg Dortch Duke Ejiofor Nate Gilliam Phil Haynes Amari Henderson Justin Herron Kendall Hinton Kevin Johnson Marquel Lee Joe Looney Justin Strnad Scotty Washington Kyle Wilber John Wolford

NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL

WR DB S OL WR/KR DE OL OL DB OL WR CB LB OL LB WR LB QB

NY Giants Denver Cincinnati Free Agent Free Agent Houston LA Chargers Seattle Jacksonville New England Denver Cleveland Oakland Dallas Denver Cincinnati Oakland LA Rams

NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL

NY Jets Carolina Chargers Chargers Seahawks Steelers NY Jets

COACHES/STAFF Chad Alexander Joe Kenn John Spanos James MacPherson Brad Idzik Teryl Austin Chip Vaughn

Dir Player Personnel Strength Coach Executive VP of Football Operations Scout Assistant WR coach Secondary coach Defensive assistant

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

FIELD HOCKEY Lauren Crandall Michelle Kasold Melissa Gonzalez (Coach)

USA National Team (Retired Fall 2016) USA National Team (Retired Spring 2017) USA National Team (Captain, Retired Summer 2018)

MEN’S TENNIS Noah Rubin Petros Chrysochos Skander Mansouri Borna Gojo

ATP ITF Futures ITF Futures ITF Futures

WOMEN’S TENNIS Emma Davis

WTA

NASCAR PIT CREWS Kevin Harris (football) Spencer Bishop (football) Dion Williams

No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing (Daniel Suarez) No. 15 Premium Motorsports (Ross Chastain) Motor Racing Network analyst

FANS DON’T STOP BEING FANS ONCE THE CLOCK HITS ZERO.

Connect with fans on game day and beyond.

For more information regarding sponsorship and marketing with Wake Forest and Learfield IMG College, please contact Jeff Salisbury at (336) 483-7374.

COMPLIANCE CORNER

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

EXPANDING COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES TODD HAIRSTON SENIOR A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, COMPLIANCE

As the landscape of college athletics continues to evolve in response to the COVID-19 crisis, NCAA legislation has also remained fluid. With the possibility that fall sport seasons may be cancelled, the NCAA has deviated from its normal policies by announcing that it will allow student-athletes to participate on outside amateur teams during the academic year if competitive seasons are cancelled.

Typically, participation on outside teams is only permitted during the summer but is prohibited during the regular academic year.

However, given the fact that a cancellation of fall seasons could have meant that some individuals would go as long as nine months without a competitive opportunity, this

Downtown Winston-Salem 125 S. Main Street 336.714.2800

For group and event bookings Contact Daria Via at dvia@shgltd.com

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GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

flexible approach seemed to be a reasonable accommodation.

As is the case during the summer vacation period, any participation on an outside team must be amateur in nature, and student-athletes may not receive financial benefits beyond those that are deemed to be actual and necessary for their involvement. If fall seasons do proceed on schedule, however, these opportunities for outside team participation would not exist.

Of course, while these opportunities will now be permitted under the legislation, students are expected to exercise sound judgment and prioritize health and safety before participating in an outside competitive setting.

2019-20

// Y E A R I N R E V I E W

5 GOALS DRIVE WAKE FOREST ATHLETICS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

A World Class Student-Athlete Experience Integrity in Academics, Compliance, Finance, Inclusion and Safety Value to the University, Winston-Salem and Triad Communities Win Championships The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina

NEW DEACON LEADERS

ENHANCED COMMUNICATION WITH DEACON NATION

Several new administrators joined Athletics in 2019-20 and have had a positive impact on the student-athlete and fan experiences.

Deacon Nation is now more informed than ever before!

From an increased social media presence to regular updates “From the Quad� and the introduction of Deacon Sports Xtra, a daily email featuring exclusive stories and profiles, there are plenty of opportunities for fans to stay up-to-date on the latest Demon Deacon news.

Lindsey Babcock Deputy AD, Internal Operations

Murphy Grant Sr. Associate AD, AHCA

10%+ Rhett Hobart Associate AD Fan Experience & Sales

Will Pantages Associate AD Athletic Communications

Cameron Speaks Sr. Creative Director Video Services

growth of social media audience since January 1

8 accounts had the highest growth percentage among ACC schools

ATHLETICS TASK FORCE

RESPONDING TO COVID-19 Wake Forest Athletics is proud of the perseverance of all our studentathletes, coaches and staff throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as they faced a variety of challenges from the upheaval of the spring semester and adapting to remote learning, to staying fueled and in shape while sheltering at home.

Created on March 10, the Athletics Task Force led by Assoc.

AD Ellie Shannon met daily to ensure a safe and appropriate operation for Wake Forest Athletics.

Remote Learning

Instagram Workouts

PHASED RETURN (WFAPARP) Wake Forest Athletics created a detailed phased return plan that began in early June when select student-athletes recovering from a previous serious athletic injury or surgery were provided an opportunity to return to campus for rehabilitation and treatment in the Miller Athletic Training Room. Phased return continued throughout the summer until all fall sport athletes were back on campus by mid-August.

WAKE ATHLETICS 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW

874,000+ Views The Forbes video announcement received the most views of any social media video in Wake Forest history.

page

A NEW ERA OF DEACON BASKETBALL In the midst of the pandemic, Wake Forest ushered in a new era of Deacon Basketball with the hiring of Steve Forbes.

Despite the restrictions and social distancing requirements, the announcement was made with much fanfare and got Deacon Nation fired up about the future of the program.

A SCHOOL RECORD 4TH STRAIGHT BOWL APPEARANCE The New Era Pinstripe Bowl garnered 3.8 million viewers on ESPN, the highest national TV viewership of any North Carolina bowl team – outpacing the next closest team by more than 1.7 million viewers. Highlights from the experience included Coach Clawson and team captains ringing the bell at the NYSE, the most Wake students at a bowl game since the 2007 Orange Bowl, a sold out 2,000-person pep rally prior to the game and an estimated 10,000 Deacon fans in attendance.

WOMEN’S GOLF KICKS OFF GREAT YEAR BY WINNING PRESTIGIOUS EAST LAKE CUP Last fall, women’s golf took on the nation’s top 8 teams and claimed its first win at the prestigious East Lake Cup. It was one of four team championships for the Deacs before the spring season ended abruptly due to the pandemic. The team finished the shortened season ranked No. 1 in the country.

MEN’S SOCCER RETURNS TO THE COLLEGE CUP After surpassing the 500-win mark this season, the men’s soccer program reached the College Cup for the sixth time in school history and defeated seven top 25 opponents.

Wake Forest is the only school in the nation to earn a top 4 seed in five consecutive years since the NCAA started seeding in 1994.

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WAKE ATHLETICS 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW

SPRY STADIUM WAS THE HOME OF THE 2019 NCAA MEN’S SOCCER TOTAL SEASON ATTENDANCE CHAMPIONS Wake Forest advanced to its sixth College Cup and beat seven top-25 opponents.

THE SUTTON SPORTS PERFORMANCE CENTER AND SHAH BASKETBALL COMPLEX, which opened last fall, has quickly proven to be an advantage for all Wake Forest student-athletes.

THE KEENER WEIGHT ROOM IN THE SUTTON SPORTS PERFORMANCE CENTER provides more than 10,000 square feet of dedicated strength and conditioning equipment for all men’s and women’s Olympic sports.

BB&T FIELD SAW A SCHOOL-RECORD 6 HOME WINS IN 2019, including three victories over UNC, NC State and Duke for the Deacs eighth Big 4 Championship.

WAKE FOREST CELEBRATED THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LJVM COLISEUM By the early 1980s, the need for a new coliseum in Winston-Salem had been a topic of discussion for years. Previous bond referendums had failed in 1976 and 1979, but Memorial Coliseum was decaying and a majority of Wake Forest’s home ACC basketball games had been moved to the Greensboro Coliseum. But in 1984, spurred by the construction of large, new coliseums in Charlotte and Chapel Hill, city officials received enough support to put in motion the events that brought about the construction of the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. As part of the yearlong anniversary commemoration, Wake Forest celebrated by honoring the 1995 ACC Championship team, raising a banner for Coach Dave Odom, and inviting and honoring countless Winston-Salem city officials and former Demon Deacons.

WAKE ATHLETICS 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW

NATIONALLY RANKED WOMEN’S GOLF & WGCA NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

#1

page

4x1 7

4

DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY ACC CHAMPIONS

PROGRAMS SCORE 990+ IN APR REPORT

72

SCHOOL-RECORD CONSECUTIVE BOWL GAMES

#5

STUDENT-ATHLETES GRADUATED IN 2019-20

NATIONALLY RANKED MEN’S GOLF

(when the season ended due to the pandemic)

#13 NATIONALLY RANKED MEN’S TENNIS (when the season ended due to the pandemic)

14 SCHOOL RECORD FOOTBALL ALL-ACC SELECTIONS

#16 NATIONALLY RANKED WOMEN’S TENNIS (when the season ended due to the pandemic)

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5

WAKE ATHLETICS 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW

4

ACC POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARS Madison Hammond (women’s soccer), Alistair Johnston (men’s soccer), Elijah Shalaway (men’s track & field), Siyn Liu (women’s golf)

95%

GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE (GSR)

72

Wake Forest student-athletes earned their degrees.

TOP 10%

73%

of Wake Forest student-athletes made the ACC Honor Roll.

(highest team GPA)

2019-20 DEAN’S CUP WINNERS

Five of Wake Forest’s teams were honored with NCAA Public Recognition Awards which are presented annually to teams finishing among the top 10% of their sport in APR: field hockey, football, men’s golf, women’s tennis, and women’s basketball.

990

Wake Forest Football recorded its highest APR score in program history

WOMEN’S SOCCER

MEN’S GOLF

WAKE ATHLETICS 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW

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STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

UNIQUE DEAC

SAAC, in partnership with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, helped organize the first-ever Unique Deac Day on Oct. 24, 2019, which provided an opportunity for all in the Wake Forest community to share, see, understand, and value differences.

PRIVILEGED

In January Wake Forest welcomed 17year NBA veteran Kyle Korver to campus as part of the University’s Voices of Our Time series. Korver garnered national recognition and initiated a larger conversation around systemic racism and being a true ally to others in a personal essay in The Players’ Tribune in April 2019. During his visit Kyle led an impactful discussion with a group of student & student-athlete leaders in the Sutton Sports Performance Center.

He encouraged his audience to identify their blind spots, use their privilege for good, and stand up for what’s right.

INCLUSION & SOCIAL JUSTICE

#BLACKLIVESMATTER In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder Wake Forest student-athletes, staff and coaches shared many thoughtful — and thought provoking — social media posts and videos using their platforms to promote awareness and the need for real social change.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

100%

of Wake Forest teams participated in community service initiatives 34TH ANNUAL SANTA’S HELPER

Student-athletes wrapped and delivered gifts to more than 1,000 underprivileged children in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County community.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP

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WAKE ATHLETICS 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW

$284,099,585

WAKE WILL LEAD COMMITMENTS TO DATE

(INITIAL GOAL OF $95 MILLION)

The Sutton Sports Performance Center and the Shah Basketball Complex, dedicated on September 13, 2019 are the 16th and 17th new or renovated athletic facility completed over the course of the campaign.

$22,955,014

TOTAL CASH DEACON CLUB RECEIVED IN FY20

$21,172,987

TOTAL COMMITMENTS RECEIVED IN FY20

WAKE ATHLETICS 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW

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FOREVER DEACS

Forever Deac members establish a “Forever” endowment through cash gifts or estate commitments.

42 19

$3.9MM

new Forever Deac members

in estate commitments

10% increase in estate donors

new endowed scholarships

EXCELLENCE FUNDS Excellence funds are used to

TRANSFORM SPORT BUDGETS

92%

increase in cash gifts for “Excellence Funds Today” (program-specific contributions)

➤ ➤

Increase recruiting budgets

Provide additional competition opportunities for the entire team ➤

Upgrade technology for teaching, training and performance ➤

Provide additional summer school opportunities ➤

Upgrade travel and transportation

➤

Provide foreign tour opportunities ➤

Retain key coaches

Introduced in spring 2020, the International Leadership Circle (ILC) is a comprehensive new program which recognizes Wake Forest’s top annual athletic donors for their leadership and support through enhanced communication and engagement. Each member of the ILC 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.

142

ILC MEMBERS

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WAKE ATHLETICS 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW

SUTTON SPORTS PERFORMANCE CENTER & SHAH BASKETBALL COMPLEX Dedicated: September 13, 2019 More than 100,000 sq. ft. | 725 tons of steel | 500,000+ bricks | 5,000 cu. yds. concrete

“The opening of Sutton Sports Performance Center and the Shah Basketball Complex is a generational moment symbolizing Wake Forest’s commitment to achieving at the highest level of college athletics. This transformative facility is yet another enhancement to our world-class student-athlete experience.”

- Athletics Director John Currie

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