PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF FOR QB JOHN WOLFORD
BUILDING A PROGRAM Danny Manning goes through steady process to bring WFU to national prominence
WANTING MORE Senior Amber Campbell excited about final season with Deacon women’s team
NOVEMBER 2017
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CONTENTS
// N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
Senior quarterback John Wolford has fought off challenges each of his four years at Wake Forest to direct the Deacon offense. See Story, Page 6.
Gold Rush is published eight times a year in August, October, November, December, February, March, May and June by 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 one-year 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: IMG College 540 N. Trade St. Winston-Salem, NC 27101 All material produced in this publication is the property of Wake Forest University and IMG 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, 519 Deacon Blvd. Winston-Salem, NC 27105. 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 IMG. The use of the name of the University or any of its identifying marks in advertisements must be approved by WFU and IMG.
4 24 26
FROM THE AD 100% COTTEN INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
30 31 34
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? CALENDAR COMPLIANCE CORNER
// 12 STANDING TALL Danny Manning enters his fourth season as the head coach of the men’s basketball team after leading the Deacons to the NCAA Tournament last year.
// 16 SENIOR SPOTLIGHT After starting every game in her first three seasons and being a double-figure scorer each year, Amber Campbell wants more in the 2017-18 season.
// 20 50 YEARS AGO . . .
ON THE COVER Danny Manning guided the men’s basketball team to a 19-14 record last year; Amber Campbell enters her senior season ranked 19th on the Wake Forest women’s program’s all-time scoring list.
Wake Forest’s Freddie Summers became the ACC’s first black quarterback when he started a game in September 1967.
NOVEMBER 2017
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FROM THE A.D.
// R O N W E L L M A N
Alleged recruiting scandals rock college basketball Dear Demon Deacons,
RON WELLMAN DIRECTOR O F AT H L E T I C S
The college basketball world, and college athletics in general, was rocked recently with the alleged recruiting scandals that the FBI has been investigating for several years. At the very least, these allegations are disturbing and, if true, abominable. If the allegations regarding bribery and payoffs in a few programs are true, it should be
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viewed as a call to action for all of college athletics to assess how this could have happened and to implement processes, rules, regulations and a penal system that will hopefully prevent this type of behavior in the future. Of course, the FBI has investigative advantages that the NCAA doesn’t have available. However, it is extremely important that we find investigative methods that will successfully expose such behavior and punish violators appropriately. College athletics in general and all athletic personnel must support the educational mission of our athletic programs. Athletics is a major part of the education that our student-athletes receive under our tutelage. We all serve as role
models for them, and we teach them. We often reinforce the values and ethics they learned from their parents that will serve them well throughout their lives. When coaches or administrators fall short of that goal, a tremendous disservice is being done to student-athletes as well as the institution. I am convinced that the vast majority of programs and coaches are committed to abiding by the NCAA rules. However, it only takes a few to tarnish the reputation of everyone. We must do everything in our power to prevent that from happening in the future. I assure you that our coaches and administrators will continue to do everything we can to represent our university in a manner that depicts the values and standards that we all expect Wake Forest to honor. Go Deacs!
Ron Wellman
For a compliance perspective on this issue, please see Associate AD Todd Hairston’s column on Page 34.
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// J O H N W O L F O R D
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
BEING
‘THE GUY’ SENIOR JOHN WOLFORD OVERCOMES CONSTANT CHALLENGES TO START AT QUARTERBACK FOUR STRAIGHT YEARS By Sam Walker
E
ver since John Wolford has played football at Wake Forest, he’s fought to be the starting quarterback. In each of the last four seasons, circumstances have produced a lingering question of who would be Wake Forest’s signal caller. The typical college football culture usually has head coaches who like to find “the guy” who will lead the offense, the catalyst of virtually every offensive play. Usually, head coaches like to settle on a starting quarterback quickly.
Wolford’s response, year after year, has been to trust the process and prove himself to be “the guy,” add a wrinkle to his game, and earn, keep or regain his spot under center. Uncertainty can breed fear, but it’s only revealed courage looking back on Wolford’s threeplus seasons. There’s been the opportunity for diffidence, but never has Wolford given in, at least not outwardly. Over his career, he has probably been underestimated as a runner and perhaps not given
enough credit as a leader. He has shown toughness as a rebuilding Demon Deacon program couldn’t always protect him as a passer. But there have been times when his improvisation has been brilliant. Persistence is omnipotent. In his first year, he emerged as the answer and became the first true freshman quarterback in school history to start all 12 games. But he had to beat out the highly regarded recruit Travis Smith. Once Wolford earned the starting job, Smith was slated to be redshirted NOVEMBER 2017
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but soon left the Wake Forest football Hens and then went on to start the program as a transfer. next seven games. In that freshman season, Wolford “I don’t make excuses with injuries, set school records for most passing but my junior year I had tendonitis attempts, completions, yards, in my left knee, and that was hard POSITION: Quarterback touchdown passes and completion because I think it affected the way HEIGHT: 6-1 percentage by a true freshman I was throwing the ball,” Wolford quarterback. He earned more wins as said. “So there are times I felt I WEIGHT: 200 a true freshman quarterback than any was inaccurate.” CLASS: Senior other player in Wake Forest history. He had a shoulder sprain during the MAJOR: Finance As Wolford compiled his early Louisville game that same season, and success, head coach Dave Clawson he didn’t play in the Clemson game the HOMETOWN: Jacksonville, continued bringing in talented players, following week. He returned to finish Fla. rebuilding the program, and his young out the season against Boston College, a FAVORITE BOOK: “The 7 Habits of Highly QB, like any other player, was never 17-14 loss, but the team earned a berth in Effective People” by Stephen Covey guaranteed anything. As a sophomore, the 2016 Military Bowl. Wolford led the FAVORITE FOOD: Steak, medium rare Wolford sprained his ankle at Syracuse Deacons to an early 31-10 lead in Wake in week two and says he pushed it too Forest’s first bowl game since 2011 before FAVORITE ATHLETE: Tom Brady (New England Patriots), Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) hard and reinjured it during the game leaving the game with a neck injury. at Army West Point the next week. Wake Forest went on to defeat FAVORITE WAKE FOREST MOMENT: Winning Wolford still started 10 games and Temple 34-26 largely behind Wolford’s the 2016 Military Bowl played in 11 and surpassed the 3,00010 completions for 183 yards and two yard mark in career passing in just 18 passing touchdowns. He ended his junior games. But he played throughout the campaign having played 731 snaps. season on an ankle he kept reinjuring, which left him at less than Starting the 2017 season, he once again proved himself to be “the his best. guy” at quarterback. “I couldn’t be more proud of him,” tight end As a junior, Wolford began the season as the starter but didn’t Cam Serigne said. “He’s a guy going into pre-season camp that had play much in the Duke game and didn’t start the next week against a big mountain to climb because he wasn’t the incoming starter. Delaware. He returned to action after fellow quarterback Kendall He was a backup, and he had to change the opinions of the whole Hinton sustained a season-ending knee injury against the Blue (coaching) staff. But he just outworks everybody. He’s the first
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// J O H N W O L F O R D
person in, he’s in the film room the longest. He’s a great leader, constantly throwing, getting us (receivers) together, and he takes care of his body. He does everything at an elite level. That’s pretty special when you can do that as a quarterback, and it’s contagious to the rest of the team.” Four seasons later, Wolford is the first quarterback in school history to start four consecutive season openers and in his senior season has grown into a player with a myriad of capabilities as a playmaker. He was also elected by his teammates as a co-captain for this year’s team. “It’s been an up-and-down ride, and I don’t mind telling you that,” Wolford said. “It’s not like I’m a robot. There are times when you get discouraged, and I think there are times you have to push through. My dad (Robert Wolford) did a great job raising me, and the coaching staff preaches so much about mental toughness and being able to push through. I think I’ve just learned that.
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“IT’S A TESTAMENT TO THE WAY I WAS RAISED, A TESTAMENT TO THE CULTURE THAT THIS TEAM HAS BUILT ABOUT NOT GIVING UP AND EMBRACING YOUR ROLE, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE THE ROLE YOU WANT. SO I TAKE EACH DAY AND TRY AND WORK AS HARD AS I CAN AT FOOTBALL. TEN YEARS FROM NOW WHEN I LOOK BACK AT IT, I WON’T HAVE ANY REGRETS.” JOHN WOLFORD
I’ve played this sport since I was 6, and football teaches you so much about life, about getting knocked down and getting back up, and to keep pushing. “It’s a testament to the way I was raised, a testament to the culture that this team has built about not giving up and embracing your role, even though it may not be the role you want,” Wolford said. “So I take each day and try and work as hard as I can at football. Ten years from now when I look back at it, I won’t have any regrets.” Perhaps his amazing story should be no surprise. Wolford has football in his blood. His uncle (Will Wolford) played in the NFL for 13 years for three different teams - the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers. His older brother (Bobby) played college football at Boston College for three years. “This narrative has been played over and over,” Clawson said of his quarterback. “John has been put into a very difficult
situation, and people are saying how he has improved, and I think he has improved. But more importantly, we’ve improved around him. When you play quarterback and you’re not playing from your back, and you have some guys on the perimeter you can throw the ball to that can make some plays, it makes the position a little bit easier. “So John is a great leader who has persevered. He has never pointed fingers or made excuses when we didn’t play well, and it’s really neat to be at the end of this cycle and to have him come out of it. When you go through that, it either makes you or breaks you. And it didn’t break him, so I’m proud of him.” Through six games, Wolford was the team’s leading rusher (386 yards) and had completed 63 percent of his passes. He’d completed 74 of 117 passes with one interception, helping the Deacons to a 4-2 record. He did not play at Clemson, allowing an injury to his non-throwing shoulder more time to heal. But through the first four games, Wolford threw for eight touchdowns and 99 consecutive pass attempts without an interception. Wake Forest’s victory over Appalachian State marked Wolford’s 16th win as Wake Forest’s starting quarterback, tying him for third place in Demon Deacon history. Neither the challenge to compete for the starting job year after year nor injuries kept Wolford from proving himself to be “the guy” at quarterback time and time again. There remains the second half of this season to play, but with this season’s fast start, the Deacons have positioned themselves for another winning run. Wolford credits the strength and speed programs for helping him personally improve, and he said he feels as accurate as he’s ever been. However the rest of the season goes, Wolford will surely have looked at every angle, watched every film and positioned himself to help Wake Forest complete another winning season.
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// D A N N Y M A N N I N G
By Brad S. O’Neil
ustin Bauman will never forget the first time he met Danny Manning. Bauman, then a junior at the University of Kansas, was a bit star-struck. But more than that, he was surprised and impressed. “He had just retired from the NBA,” said Bauman, now Wake Forest’s director of basketball operations but then a student manager for the Jayhawks. “It’s late at night, and we had just gotten an inventory shipment from Nike. I’m counting socks, and he comes in and starts helping me. I knew who he was, and I remember thinking to myself, ‘Here’s the all-time leading scorer in Kansas history and one of the greatest players of all time, and he’s counting socks with me.’ I’m thinking, ‘Man, you just finished 15 years in the NBA. You don’t really need to be doing this.’ But that was his role. And I learned that there is nothing above or below him.” Having made a lot of money and having managed it wisely, Manning didn’t have to get into coaching. And once he decided to start the climb, his name recognition could have accelerated the process. Like many an NBA player on a contested drive down the lane, he could have skipped a step or two. Trading in one’s name isn’t a crime. If they’re funny enough and famous enough, comedians who want to get into acting after years of heckling at beer-scented joints named Guffaws can often bypass the community-theatre circuit. Nobody seems to mind.
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Likewise, nobody in the general public would have been surprised if Manning had become a head coach in college or even the NBA two years after he scored his final field goal. But he resisted. And he got to the top of the business – in the ACC, at Wake Forest – anyway. Driven by the examples of others and the needs of his young family, Manning elected to take a long but not especially winding road that is today helping return the Demon Deacon program to national prominence. This, as is turns out, makes him an even better fit for the Wake Forest gig than the rest of the country can appreciate. “I feel very comfortable,” he said recently in a Manchester Athletic Center space he will eventually vacate for new offices now under construction. “I like the direction we’re moving in, and I’m excited about our future.” The good vibes stem in part from the development of John Collins, who, under Manning’s guidance, went from a high school player not ranked in the Top 100 to the No. 20 spot in the NBA draft in less than two years. The Deacs didn’t expect to lose Collins a year ago, but neither are they forlorn. The buzz from returning to the NCAA Tournament validated Manning’s reputation as a teacher dedicated to the development of his pupils, and it seems to have paid off in recruiting. “Any time a young man from our program moves on to the professional level, it creates momentum,” Manning said. “And it creates an opportunity for someone else to move in and have that same chance.” It will still be a gradual construction process with several distinct stages. Manning probably wouldn’t trust any other kind. Pressed to think about it, Manning thinks Portland, Ore., is the first place he remembers.
NOTHING ABOVE (OR BELOW) HIM A STAR AS A PLAYER, DANNY MANNING WORKS HIS WAY THROUGH THE COACHING RANKS, CONSTRUCTING A DEACON PROGRAM THROUGH TEACHING AND EXPERIENCE NOVEMBER 2017
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2017-18
OUTLOOK LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 19-14 (9-9 in ACC, 10th place) RETURNING STARTERS: 2 KEY RETURNEES: Bryant Crawford - 6-3, Jr. (16.1 ppg), Keyshawn Woods - 6-3, Jr. (12.8 ppg), Mitchell Wilbekin - 6-2, Sr. (7.0 ppg), Brandon Childress - 6-0 So. (6.6 ppg) KEY LOSSES: John Collins (19.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg), Dinos Mitoglou (8.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Austin Arians (8.5 ppg) OUTLOOK: The Demon Deacons look to build on last year’s success which included the school’s first NCAA Tournament trip since 2010. Returning starters Bryant Crawford and Keyshawn Woods, along with veteran Mitchell Wilbekin and savvy sophomore Brandon Childress, give the Deacs a proven perimeter attack. Replacing top scorer and rebounder John Collins, a first-round draft pick by the Atlanta Hawks, will be a challenge inside.
DANNY MANNING ALMA MATER: Kansas (1991) RECORD AT WFU: 43-53 (4th year) OVERALL RECORD: 81-82 (6th year) NCAA APPEARANCES AS HEAD COACH: 2014 (Conference USA champion), 2017 COLLEGIATE HIGHLIGHTS AS PLAYER: National Player of the Year (1988), First-team AllAmerican (1987, 1988), Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1988), National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (2008) PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS AS PLAYER: No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft (1988 by L.A. Clippers), two-time NBA All-Star (1993, 1994), NBA Sixth Man of the Year (1998), played 15 seasons for seven different teams
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“Portland, Chicago, Greensboro, St. Louis, New York, Indianapolis, Baltimore. Did I say Chicago?” he said. The itinerant lifestyle stemmed from the playing career of Ed Manning, a native of Summit, Miss., who played for six pro teams – three in the NBA and three in the ABA. One of the family moves came about when former Demon Deacon baseball player Pat Williams (’62), then the general manager of the Chicago Bulls, traded to acquire Manning from the Baltimore Bullets on Jan. 5, 1970. Danny was 3. “I never looked at it as a negative,” Danny Manning said. “It was always a positive in terms of going somewhere; it was a chance to get out of my comfort zone, to meet new friends and have different experiences.” Ed Manning spent his time thinking about ways to make his teams better – no matter how long he lasted. “He was a glue guy,” his son said. “He took on different roles that didn’t receive a lot of attention.” The entire Manning family’s fortunes – generations, as it turned out – benefited from Ed Manning’s association with Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown. The two men played and coached together for the ABA’s Carolina Cougars, an outfit based out of Greensboro. After Ed Manning’s playing days ended, he settled his family in Greensboro, where he was a part-time assistant coach at N.C. A&T when he wasn’t driving trucks or doing construction work. His son, meanwhile, was leading one of the best teams in the history of high school basketball in North Carolina, the 1982-83 Page Pirates, to a 32-0 record. In the process, Danny Manning was coming out of his shell. “I had tough patches growing up in regards to getting nervous when I was younger in playing in front of my dad,” coach Manning said. “There were a lot of reasons. Maybe I was just nervous or wanting to impress him or not wanting to mess up. I finally got mature enough to handle my father being at games.” In the spring of 1983, Brown called his friend Ed Manning with the chance of a lifetime: to get into coaching full time at the University of Kansas. The family moved to Lawrence. Danny Manning was now ready not just to play at a higher level but for his dad. He became a Jayhawk. You know the rest: national player of the year, leader of the 1988 NCAA champions, high NBA draft pick and distinguished NBA career. “Coach Brown made me a better person and a better basketball player and helped me prepare for the future and the career that I had in the NBA,” Manning said. When that 15-year, seven-team career came to a close in 2003, Manning didn’t do what so many are tempted to try. He didn’t attempt to parlay his fame into a short-cut career. He agreed, instead, to the lowest-level gig in the college coaching hierarchy: team manager and administrative assistant at KU for head coach Bill Self, a Jayhawk assistant during Manning’s college playing days. The job offered him a chance to be an engaged, inperson parent, a luxury not afforded to on-the-road, recruitingdriven, full-time assistants. “When I retired, I wanted to be at (my children’s) events,” he said. “Coach Self created a job for me that gave me that opportunity. I also knew I wanted to learn the profession, and I thought the best way was to start at the bottom. And that has paid huge dividends for me as I have continued to get to the point where I am now.” In his first role, he handled travel arrangements and practice schedules and other things that nobody outside the bubble fully appreciates. “Mundane? I don’t know if anything is mundane,” he said. “Something is always going on. While we were at Kansas, Joe Dooley, who is now the head coach at Florida Gulf Coast, said, ‘There’s never a layup.’ And the more you’re in this profession, the more you understand that.”
The new coach worked his way up through the system to full-time assistant, a platform that made him a great choice as the University of Tulsa’s head coach. Successful seasons there put him on Wake Forest’s radar. When athletics director Ron Wellman introduced Manning in 2014, he took great pains to say star power was irrelevant to the choice; experience and teaching were. Manning is therefore able to understand the roles and responsibilities of everyone in his orbit. As a kid, he saw his dad do whatever was asked of him as a player. In his own career, Danny Manning was both an All-Star and a seldom-starting reserve. “I feel I can relate to any player on our team regardless of whatever role that young man has because I’ve had it at some point in my career,” he said. “I might not know exactly how that individual is feeling, but I think I have a pretty good idea. From there, I have a chance to share different ways to navigate it.” And it doesn’t stop with the players. Everybody on the staff knows that when he registers an opinion, they should heed the counsel because he has actually done the job he’s critiquing. This is rare not only in college basketball but in workplaces in any sector. “It gives you a peace of mind,” Bauman said. “He has been through it, and he has done it. If something takes a little longer than it should or if there’s a process to something, he understands. That’s definitely beneficial.” When he walks out of the main basketball offices in Manchester, Danny Manning passes by a small, two-person office. One of its occupants is a relatively recent college graduate pursuing his MBA online and serving as a program assistant and team manager. He’s Evan Manning, son of the coach.
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IT’S
GO TIME By John Justus
Turn on the jets!
J
ust hearing the phrase brings a wide smile and a sparkle to the eyes of Wake Forest senior – the only senior on this year’s women’s basketball team – Amber Campbell. “That’s what Coach (Jen Hoover) always tells me,” Campbell says, laughing. “That’s what my teammates tell me, too. “They are always encouraging me to push the ball up the floor quickly. They know what I’m capable of and that I can blow by people if I don’t hold back. It’s a constant reminder to me that I have that ability, and I need to take full advantage of it for the good of the team.” Campbell has been providing plenty of “good” for the Deacons throughout her outstanding career. The highlights began in her freshman year with game-winning shots in the final second of wins over ACC foes Clemson and Miami. And when her upcoming senior season is completed, her name will be listed frequently throughout the WFU career record book. The Charleston, S.C., product enters the 2017-18 season 19th on the Wake Forest all-time scoring list with 1,162 points and should, based on her three previous years, finish as one of the top 10 Deacon point-makers. When she takes the floor as a starter for the 10th time this year, she’ll be the WFU career leader in that category and should contend for the career No. 1 spot in games and minutes played as well. “Amber has been a double-figure scorer from game one,” Hoover says, “but she has been extremely coachable and continued to develop her basketball IQ. She has always been explosive and very athletic. Her challenge has been to play at a high level consistently.”
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Campbell has averaged in double figures all three seasons. She is a 74 percent career free-throw shooter and has led the squad in steals the past three years as well. But this year, she wants even more. “We’ve got everyone returning except Milan (Quinn, last year’s starting center), so we’re a veteran team even though I’m the only senior,” Campbell says. “We have good chemistry and everyone has been coming together, encouraging each other, throughout the offseason. “We are excited about this season. We want to win more games overall, of course, but definitely get more wins in the ACC. And if we do that, we can reach our ultimate goal which would be to make the NCAA Tournament.” Wake Forest has put together back-to-back WNIT trips, advancing to the second round of that postseason tournament in both 2016 and 2017, but the program’s only NCAA appearance came 30 years ago when one of the leading players was its current head coach. Coach Jen Hoover, then Jenny Mitchell, knows if her ’17-18 team is going to attain that lofty status, her senior backcourt standout will have to play a very prominent role. “Amber has the experience needed. She knows how brutal the ACC is,” Hoover says. “We’ve challenged her to be more aggressive this year, to be more of a scorer. We expect her to be one of the best defenders on the team, too. “She is such a sweet person, and I know she wants what’s best for the team. She’s very unselfish, but this year she has to understand that her teammates are relying on her to be the leader.” Campbell is well aware that her teammates and coaches are depending on her to raise her overall game this season – and is not intimidated at all by that expectation. “There were times as a younger player that I would get a little frustrated with myself, “she admits, “but I just kept asking my
A STARTER IN EVERY GAME WAKE FOREST HAS PLAYED THE LAST THREE SEASONS AND A DOUBLE-FIGURE SCORER ALL THREE YEARS, AMBER CAMPBELL STILL WANTS TO DO MORE FOR THE DEMON DEACONS IN HER FINAL CAMPAIGN.
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2017-18
OUTLOOK LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 16-16 (6-10 in ACC, 9th place) COACH: Jen Hoover – 74-87 record at Wake Forest, 6 years; 94-100 overall record, 7 years as head coach RETURNING STARTERS: 4 KEY RETURNEES: Amber Campbell, Elisa Penna, Ariel Stephenson, Alex Sharp KEY LOSSES: Milan Quinn OUTLOOK: The Demon Deacons look to make three consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in program history in 2017-18 after back-to-back WNIT berths the last two seasons. Wake Forest returns its top three scorers from a year ago, led by Elisa Penna who averaged 13.4 ppg.
coaches questions, watching film so I could learn from my mistakes and what I have to do. My older teammates, like Milan and Candace (Ball), helped me so much, too, both on the court and outside of basketball. “I do feel that I’m ready to be more vocal on the court, and that I’ve improved a lot in that area. I used to not be the person who called out a teammate if they weren’t doing something right. Now I know that if it’s best for the team for me to do that, I have to do it because I definitely want our team to succeed.” The Demon Deacons will certainly be tested this season if they are to reach the level Campbell and the rest of Hoover’s talented team aspire to. In addition to the demanding 16 ACC dates, Wake Forest will face five, and possibly six, non-conference opponents on the road. One of those away games has special meaning for Campbell – a Dec. 21 visit to the College of Charleston in her hometown. She credits her family with being a key to her development as a young woman and as a basketball player in one of the nation’s toughest leagues. “You always should stay in touch with the ones you love the most,” Campbell says. “I’ve made it a point to stay in contact with my family who have been so supportive of me.” Her achievements at Wake Forest have not been limited to
“I DO FEEL THAT I’M READY TO BE MORE VOCAL ON THE COURT, AND THAT I’VE IMPROVED A LOT IN THAT AREA. I USED TO NOT BE THE PERSON WHO CALLED OUT A TEAMMATE IF THEY WEREN’T DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. NOW I KNOW THAT IF IT’S BEST FOR THE TEAM FOR ME TO DO THAT, I HAVE TO DO IT BECAUSE I DEFINITELY WANT OUR AMBER CAMPBELL TEAM TO SUCCEED.” AMBER CAMPBELL POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 5-9 CLASS: Senior MAJOR: Communication HOMETOWN: Charleston, S.C. FAVORITE FOOD: Chicken Alfredo or Macaroni FAVORITE BOOK: Harry Potter Series FAVORITE ATHLETE: Lebron James FAVORITE WFU MOMENT: During the 2015-16 season when we beat UNC, Duke and NC State all in the same year.
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basketball either. She is on schedule to graduate in 2018 with a degree in communication. And sometimes the two pursuits have some interesting connections. Such as this summer, when Campbell was enrolled in Communication 323, “Superheroes, Cinema and American Mythology.” The class looked at “films as a lens to critique society,” according to instructor Serena Daya. Superman, Batman, The Incredible Hulk – all were studied and Campbell said the class was one of her favorites. Daya says that Wonder Woman may be added to the films on the class list in the future. Campbell cannot take the course again, of course, but she will be striving to perform her own Wonder Woman-like acts this winter on the basketball court. A “superhero?” Well, that may be asking too much. But a super leader and competitor. She’s certainly positioned herself for that role. It’s time to turn on the jets.
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FOOTBALL
// F R E D D I E S U M M E R S
MAKING HISTORY 20
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
WAKE’S FREDDIE SUMMERS BECAME THE ACC’S FIRST BLACK STARTING QUARTERBACK 50 YEARS AGO By Steve Shutt
W
hen Wake Forest took the field at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Sept. 23, 2017, the day posed more significance than simply marking the Demon Deacons’ first visit to Appalachian State. It was a day that helped commemorate a major though subtle change in the make-up of college football. For it was 50 years to the day that Freddie Summers started his first game at quarterback for Wake Forest. And that milestone helped change the face of college football. While Wake Forest was not the first Southern institution to integrate its football team, it was among the first. In January 1964, Wake Forest hired former Illinois assistant Bill Tate as head coach. Tate was tasked with turning around a program that had lost 19 of its previous 20 games. During his introductory press conference on Jan. 29, 1964, Tate announced that he and his staff would actively seek to recruit black student-athletes. Within weeks, Tate had offered scholarships to a pair of Greensboro Dudley players in Kenneth “Butch” Henry and Charles Sanders. The pair visited the campus on Feb. 8-9, 1964, and were hosted by varsity stars Brian Piccolo and quarterback John Mackovic. On April 1, Henry, a high school quarterback, became the first African-American to sign a grant-in-aid at Wake Forest and the second African-American to sign with an ACC school, following Maryland’s Darryl Hill who had signed a year earlier. Robert Grant from Jacksonville, N.C., and William Smith from Greenville, S.C., would soon follow Henry’s commitment. During that initial news conference, Tate announced that he would also pursue junior college players. Andy Heck was an All-American halfback at McCook, Neb. Junior College in 1964, and among the first junior college imports that Tate added to the team. Tackle Claude Gholson transferred in from Hinds Junior College in Mississippi, and both were members of the 1965 Wake Forest team. The connection with McCook JC would prove to be essential. Born in Columbia, S.C., Summers and his family had moved to Dorchester, Mass. Playing for coach Jerome Buckley at Dorchester High, Summers was an all-city and honorable mention all-state pick as a prototypical drop-back passer. The era of the running quarterback was still decades away.
“I didn’t learn to really run until I went to McCook.” Freddie told the Old Gold and Black. “I picked up more speed and agility playing in the defensive backfield my freshman year there.” As a freshman, Summers led the McCook Indians to a 10-0 regular season record and the No. 1 ranking among the nation’s junior colleges. McCook lost to Ferrum, Va., in the National Junior College Bowl. As a sophomore in 1966, Summers nearly single-handedly led McCook to a 52-21 win over Dodge City JC by running for two touchdowns and throwing for three more. The Indians finished with a 7-2-1 record and a No. 9 national ranking among junior colleges while Freddie rushed for 11 touchdowns and threw for 10 more. Hayes Hofler wrote about the recruitment of Summers to Wake Forest in the Sept. 25, 1967, edition of the Old Gold & Black: “Backfield coach Dick Anderson first spotted Summers when he was finishing out his freshman year at McCook Junior College in the National Junior College Championship Bowl in Savannah, Georgia, as a defensive back,” Hofler wrote. “Impressed with his quickness, Anderson kept close tabs on Summers the following year as he guided McCook to a 7-2-1 record and garnered allconference honors as both a quarterback and a defensive back. He turned down Wyoming. Colorado State and the University of Massachusetts to come to Wake.” In April 1967, it was announced that Summers had signed with Wake Forest. The New York Times, on April 2, 1967, printed a story from United Press International stating that Wake Forest “became the third major school in the South to announce it will use Negro athletes.” Living in Kitchin, Summers had photos of his hero, Joe Namath, plastered on the walls of his dorm. “He’s the only quarterback who came straight out of college and made it big his first year in the pros,” Freddie said to the OGB. Freddie shared that his dream was to make the NFL as a flanker. Heading into that first preseason camp in 1967, Summers was neck-and-neck with a pair of returning Deacons for the quarterback job – Ken Erickson and Phil Cheatwood. “We are anxious to see Freddie Summers, our junior college quarterback, in action. Ken Erickson had a good spring at quarterback, and he and Summers should give us good strength at this position,” Tate said during camp. It wasn’t until Sept. 11, 1967, that the media noticed that Freddie Summers was black. In a preview of the coming season, the Associated Press noted that Erickson would “have to hustle to hold off Freddie Summers, who comes from McCook Junior College in Nebraska, where he scored 11 touchdowns and passed for 10 last NOVEMBER 2017
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season. Although he missed the Deacons’ spring practice, he could wind up as the first Negro quarterback in the ACC if Erickson falters.” In the week leading up to the first game, Tate revealed that Erickson and Summers were alternating at quarterback. As the game approached, Tate gave Erickson the nod due to his experience and improvement. But Freddie was waiting in the wings. On Sept. 15, 1967, John Phelps of the Newport News Daily Press noted that “Right behind Erickson, in a tight battle for the top spot, is junior college transfer Freddie Summers, the ACC’s first Negro quarterback.” Wake Forest opened the 1967 season in Raleigh as part of a unique season-opening doubleheader at NC State’s Carter Stadium. The “Big Four” doubleheader saw NC State defeat North Carolina 13-7 in the afternoon game and the Deacons fall 31-13 to Duke in the evening game. While Erickson and Summers may have split reps in the preseason, it didn’t take long for Freddie to take control. Erickson started and on the first play from scrimmage threw an interception. On the second possession, the Deacons got the ball at their own 20 and Wake Forest’s running back fumbled on the first play from scrimmage. A third time with the ball, the Deacons got one first down, and that was it. According to the OGB, “many Deacon rooters at Raleigh were reaching for their programs when number 7 trotted in for starter Ken Erickson early in the game against Duke. And although it wasn’t the threat of rain which caused the Wake Forest stands to begin emptying early in the fourth quarter, Summers had imparted at last a promise of excitement for Deacon fans to think about
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during the long drive home that night. His poised, crisp passing and Lenny Moore-styled running ensured that there would be little contemplation over who would be the starting quarterback at Clemson the following week.” Despite the loss to Duke, Summers cemented his position as the starting quarterback. He finished that first game by completing five of 16 passes for 69 and rushing 16 times for 66 yards. He rushed for both of Wake Forest’s touchdowns. Phelps lauded Freddie, writing “Summers, with an amazing display of speed, shifty running and accurate passing, almost single-handedly kept the Deacons in the game against Duke after relieving starter Ken Erickson early in the first quarter.” Rip Slusser of UPI wrote that Summers “lived up to his advance notices.” Tate told Jim Morris of the Asheville Citizen-Times after the game that “I felt (Freddie) could do more and was a greater threat running.” Phelps wrote the following week that Summers “obviously moved into a starting spot at quarterback with dazzling running and passing.” Morris wrote that “it’s a pretty good bet that Summers is going to be one of the top ACC players and perhaps 1967’s most colorful before the season ends. His long strides and ability to sidestep and find holes gave the Blue Devil defenders their toughest job. He threw well on the run but, as Tate pointed out, bad position most of the game and the inability of the pass receivers to shake loose from the tight Duke defense hampered his throwing.” On Monday, Sept. 18, Tate would not name a starting quarterback but rather focused on the team working “on achieving better play execution” according to UPI.
Phelps, in the Sept. 20 edition of the Newport Daily Press, wrote that “it would be surprising if Freddie Summers, the McCook (Neb.) Junior College transfer, doesn’t become the first Negro quarterback to start an ACC game.” By Saturday morning, Phelps was writing that Wake Forest “has junior college transfer Freddie Summers at quarterback, replacing veteran Ken Erickson. Freddie gives our offense a whole new dimension with his ability to run the ball,” Tate said. Wake Forest had the Duke game under its belt but this would be the season-opener for the Clemson Tigers. It was a beautiful day at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium on Sept. 23, 1967. The temperature was an ideal 70 degrees and sunny as 36,000 people filled the stands. On this day, Freddie Summers wouldn’t have to worry about coming off the bench or being replaced by Erickson. This was his day and his game. The details of the game are not that important. Clemson won 23-6 and the Tigers would go on to post a 6-0 league record and win their second consecutive ACC title. But Freddie continued to impress. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 123 yards. He rushed for 40 yards on 19 carries but was sacked a number of times, reducing his net rushing yardage to -23. The Tigers built a 10-0 advantage before the Deacons scored their lone touchdown early in the third quarter on a 62-yard run by Jimmy Johnson that was set up by a magnificent play fake by Summers. Freddie would go on to start the remaining eight games of the 1967 season and all 10 games in 1968. He climaxed his outstanding junior season by being named to the All-ACC first team. Summers led the ACC in total offense with 1,419 yards, including 909 yards passing and 510 yards rushing. For the year, he completed 77 of 159 passes and scored 10 touchdowns
to tie for second in ACC with 60 points. Summers posted over 100 yards total offense in eight games with his top effort coming against Maryland in the season finale when he had 115 rushing and 133 passing for 248 total. Summers’ success at quarterback paved the way for generations of future black quarterbacks in college. Bill McAshan would start at quarterback at Georgia Tech in 1970. And Tennessee’s Condredge Holloway would become the first black starting quarterback in the Southeastern Conference in 1972. But Freddie’s playing career wasn’t finished at Wake Forest. He would be drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 1969 NFL Draft. Converted to a defensive back, Summers would go on to earn another piece of football immortality. On Sept. 21, 1970, the NFL and ABC would mark the debut of Monday Night Football. Freddie, as a member of the kickoff team, was credited with the very first tackle in the history of MNF. After his stint in the NFL, Freddie spent time in the Canadian Football League before retiring after suffering a broken neck. He returned to Massachusetts and worked as a teacher. He passed away in 1994 at the all-too-young age of 47. Freddie’s junior college and Wake Forest teammate Bill Overton penned a fitting tribute to Summers following his death: “Ever since high school, Freddie had his own style and a sense of who he was and what he wanted to be. Freddie was a meticulous dresser and as sharp as his pockets could afford. In all the sports that he played, you would never catch him in a raggedy uniform. If Freddie was your friend, you had a good one. He became a husband, father and always remained the kind of friend you would always treasure.”
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// S TA N C O T T E N
Here Comes November
S TA N COTTEN VOICE OF THE DEMON DEACONS
It’s Wednesday of ‘Open Date Week’ as I write, looking forward to the Dave Clawson Show tonight as we embark on an eighth program and begin the second half of the season not only in taking questions from fans but also on the field with six games played and six to go (maybe less by the time you read this). I’ll be on the coast tomorrow, taking the opportunity that the off weekend provides to visit daughters #1 and #2 who are strategically, nah – just coincidentally, located just over an hour apart close to beaches, golf courses and great food, not that I’ll necessarily indulge in any of the three (insert wry smile here). Maybe I will, and maybe I won’t. But what I will certainly be doing is recharging the batteries for a half dozen football games that will determine whether or not Clawson’s Demon Deacons will make a second consecutive
bowl game and the beginning of basketball season, which begins its cruel overlap with football on Friday night, Nov. 10, against Georgia Southern. Do the Eagles still run the triple option? Wait, that’s football. And I don’t think they do. Anyway… As I’ve written before in this space, November is a month like none other in my world. The ground shakes. I just toss the day of the week, city, time zone, spending time with family and many other things out the window and hunker down for the toughest, hardest, most tiring joy ride of the year. I honestly dread it and love it at the same time. Right now I can see a small light coming, getting larger. It’s got an accompanying sound that gets louder and louder. It’s heading our way. I know it. It scares me. But I can’t wait. And I know from talking with many of you that it’s also your favorite time of the year. Just think of the excitement the next six weeks will bring in football. Three games at home: Louisville, North Carolina State and Duke. Three games on the road: Georgia Tech, Notre Dame and Syracuse. It goes without saying I love being at home. The crowds and excitement have steadily grown throughout the season, and there’s no real reason not to believe now that packed stands will await the Deacons pretty much the rest of the way. Our vantage point from the radio booth on McCreary Tower’s sixth floor gives us unobstructed sight lines to the field down below, and with a solid pane of glass that spans the width of the booth and rises up and out of the way, we can see what you at the game see. Smell what you smell. Feel what you feel – even when the mercury takes
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a nose dive. Our job is to paint that picture for those who can’t be there. And hopefully the coming weeks, home and away, will be a work of art. And then there’s basketball. So much is going right with Danny Manning’s program as it begins a fourth year. Anyone who doubts the bright future of the Demon Deacon basketball team just isn’t looking squarely at the target. Yes, John Collins and Dinos Mitoglou have moved on to professional basketball and will be missed. But the players and reasons to be optimistic for the 2017-18 season are too many to mention in this limited space. Talented veterans return as do a shiny freshman class and other newcomers. I have every reason to believe that this team will be able to build on Manning’s first three seasons in Winston-Salem and continue the trend upward through the treacherous ACC. By my count there will be four football games and six basketball dates that will all be contested in Crossover November. That’s actually not that bad. Other than the Lynchburg Jam (once Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands) to be played at Liberty University now due to damage inflicted by Hurricane Irma, the rest of the basketball games (Georgia Southern, Liberty, UNCG) will be at home. The football game at Syracuse following the basketball home opener with Georgia Southern will provide a stiff travel obstacle as will a Saturday game in Lynchburg as part of the Jam when the football team hosts N.C. State the same day. I’m not sure yet how we’ll tackle all of this or if I’ll be able to make all of the games. The goal is to make them all. Sometimes we can make that happen. Sometimes not. We shall see. And should the football Deacs go bowling, and who among us doesn’t want that, then another later scheduling hurdle will present itself. But that’s what I’m hoping for. Right now, though, I’m looking forward to 8 p.m. ET tonight. Sorry, coach. But I need to see my daughters, and I’m taking my clubs.
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INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
Deacon Connectors: A New Initiative
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
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For the past few weeks, our Deacon Club team has been reading “The Power of Who.” The central theme of this book is that, rather than searching far and wide for new contacts to help us succeed, we already know everyone we need to know to achieve our desired goals. This message alludes to the idea that we succeed most when we ask those closest to us for help. As we begin to implement a new initiative that utilizes similar ideas, the timing of our staff reading this book could not have been more fitting. With that said, as those who are closest to us, it is you to whom we’re turning to ask for help. We are launching a new program called “Deacon Connectors” and opening participation to all Deacon Club members. This initiative will serve as the foundation for our communication and outreach strategy throughout the remainder of the campaign. The program puts you — the individuals who have laid the groundwork for our success thus far in the Wake Will Lead campaign — at the forefront of our grassroots effort to create even more growth within the Deacon Club. It will be the combined effort of each of you that will become the driving force in enabling us to introduce the new initiatives necessary to continue Developing Champions. The program begins with the understanding that we must continue to increase our Deacon Club Annual Fund to continue to recruit and train elite student-athletes. To attract and develop these student-athletes into champions in the classroom, in competition and in life, we need to continue to invest in new programs that will provide growth. These new initiatives include ventures into increasing sports performance (i.e., nutrition and sports psychology), summer school aid and leadership development, among other areas. We see our Deacon Connectors as leaders in sharing this message with friends, family and colleagues — sharing both why these areas are so critical to our growth, as well as the life-changing impact that comes from providing these types of opportunities for our student-athletes. Before we get into more specifics around the role of a Deacon Connector, I’d like to share
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how we plan to engage this group, and in turn, empower you to engage your network. Through monthly emails and a quarterly conference call with a guest coach or administrator, we plan to provide a behind-the-scenes look into the vision and direction of our programs. We’ll highlight programmatic enhancements and facility plans, in addition to sharing the successes both within our department and among fellow Deacon Connectors. We hope this information spurs excitement to share this news with friends, family, colleagues and neighbors. We will provide sample scripts for emails, as well as marketing materials to aid in your conversations. If you were a member of Greek life, are a former student-athlete or have another unique Wake Forest affiliation, we hope to work together to create specific messaging targeted towards those you were closest to throughout your time on campus. For some, this might mean collaborating with Deacon Club staff to host a lunch or happy hour in your hometown. For others, this could include a campus or facility tour prior to a Wake Forest home game, or perhaps it’s even a virtual conference call. Whatever method it may be, the intention is to rely on you as experts to help us share the excitement surrounding athletics with a new group of individuals in a way that encourages Deacon Club participation. Our hope is that each Deacon Connector will be able to recruit at least three new Deacon Club members or season ticket holders. Through the power of your efforts, we can raise the bar yet again within our department, increase the resources available to our student-athletes and collectively shape the future of Wake Forest Athletics. For more information on becoming a Deacon Connector, please contact the Deacon Club by emailing DeacClub@wfu.edu or calling our offices at (336) 758-5626. Thank you again for all you do to help make Wake Forest a better place. Go Deacs!
INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
BASKETBALL BEST DARN PACKAGE NOW AVAILABLE The Best Darn Package is back again this year and is available starting at $165. The package includes five premium ACC matchups at the Coliseum: Syracuse on Wednesday, Jan. 3; Virginia on Sunday, Jan. 21; Duke on Tuesday, Jan. 23; NC State on Saturday, Feb. 17; and Notre Dame on Saturday, Feb. 24. Packages are only available while supplies last, so contact Wake Forest Athletics at (336) 758-3322 ext. 1 to purchase today.
Keep up with the Deacon Club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! For the latest news and information from the Deacon Club and to connect with other members, be sure to find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! @WFUDeaconClub Facebook.com/DeaconClub @WFUDeaconClub | @DeacOnTheRun | @BarryFaircloth
IS WAKE FOREST ATHLETICS IN YOUR WILL?
ACC SINGLE GAME TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR DEACON CLUB MEMBERS ON NOV. 13
Planned giving ties your legacy with the future of Wake Forest Athletics. To learn more about the many ways you can support Wake Forest Athletics through planned giving, please contact Paul Kennedy at (336) 758-3875 or kennedpj@wfu.edu.
Single game tickets for the 2017-18 men’s basketball season will go on sale to Deacon Club members on Monday, Nov. 13. For ticket information or to purchase, please visit WakeForestSports. com or contact Wake Forest Athletics at (336) 758-5626 ext. 1.
NOVEMBER 2017
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DONOR PROFILE
// M AT T & S A R A C R AW F O R D
Crawfords establish many connections among Deacon family
T
here is a remarkably unique sense of community that embodies Wake Forest. While we frequently refer to it as the “Wake Forest family,” it’s hard to put into words how special this community truly is. The relationships created between those who have a connection with the University lead to lifelong bonds that are irreplaceable. As alumni, Matt (’88, MBA ’00) and Sara (’90) Crawford have experienced this first-hand and are big advocates of continuing to promote meaningful connections amongst fellow Demon Deacons. Not only have the personal relationships Matt and Sara formed at Wake Forest brought them together as a couple, those bonds are also a primary motivator for their involvement with the Deacon Club. For both Matt and Sara, Wake Forest Athletics served as their gateway to the University, stemming from their experiences as children. Although Matt grew up Houston, Texas — over 1,000 miles from Winston-Salem — he had the opportunity to attend a Wake Forest golf camp for kids. That experience stuck
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with him as he grew up, and when it came time to start looking at colleges, Wake Forest stood out as somewhere that closely aligned with what he valued. Sara, on the other hand, spent her childhood attending a plethora of Wake Forest athletic events. While this was due in part to growing up nearby in Greensboro, the fact that her father, Larry Sitton (’61, JD ’64), was a Double Deac also played a major role. Sara’s father instilled his love and passion for the Deacs into Sara and her siblings. Having grown up within the Wake Forest community, Sara knew the ins and outs of the University and everything it had to offer. “Wake was a really good fit for what I was hoping to experience during my college years,” Sara reiterated. Aside from top-tier academics and athletics, both of which were important to Sara, she also cherished the idea of continuing the family legacy started by her father. While attending Wake Forest as undergraduates, Matt and Sara were both involved in different activities around campus. Matt was a history major and a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, while Sara majored in psychology, was a
member of the S.O.P.H. society and also played on the club soccer team. Both, however, were ardent supporters of Wake Forest sports and were adamant about attending every game possible. During that time, Matt and Sara shared several mutual friends and crossed paths on numerous occasions; but, ultimately, they were two years apart in age and weren’t very close throughout their years as students. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 1988, Matt spent time working in London, before returning to Charlotte. Two years later, Sara received her degree from Wake Forest and decided to pursue graduate coursework in counseling at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Shortly thereafter, two of their mutual friends got married and set Matt and Sara up. After successfully hitting it off, the couple has been together ever since. Once they got married in 1995, they decided to move to Greensboro — a location that was fitting for both of their careers and also just a short drive back to the Wake Forest campus.
Matt and Sara started their family while residing in Greensboro and had three kids: Matt, Jr. (’20), Rand and Molly. Mirroring Sara’s childhood, the couple had the opportunity to bring their own children to a multitude of Wake Forest games and events, creating special memories. As a family, they were also able to witness the Deacs win the ACC Men’s Basketball Championship in 1995 and 1996, as well as attend the 2007 Orange Bowl game. Although they moved to Texas in 2002, Matt and Sara have maintained their strong connection with Wake Forest. The couple first decided to get involved with the Deacon Club in 2011 after hearing how baseball coach Tom Walter donated a kidney to Kevin Jordan, who was one of his players. “As soon as we saw that story, we knew we wanted to get involved and help support people and programs like that,” Matt stated. Since that time, Matt and Sara have enjoyed meeting many of the Wake Forest coaches and have expanded their
contributions because they believe in these men and women as leaders. “It’s important to us to support our coaches who are doing things the right way, and we want to help bring them the success they deserve,” Matt said. Sara continued, stating, “We get great joy in investing in people and creating opportunities as we strive to build programs that everyone is proud of.” Moving forward, they are excited about the success that will be seen under the leadership of our coaches, combined with all of the new, state-ofthe-art facilities. “It’s great to see that people are understanding the importance of investing in all of our athletic programs and the benefit that can have,” Matt emphasized. “We’re also proud that Wake Forest continues to create young men and women of character who go out and lead lives that matter, whether it is inside or outside of their respective sport,” Sara adds. Aside from their loyal support of the Athletic Department and the University,
they have each volunteered their time in various capacities, helping to make Wake Forest the best place it can possibly be. Matt has previously served on the Deacon Club Board of Directors and Sara is an active member on the University’s Alumni Council. Matt and Sara have also had the privilege of experiencing a different type of connection with Wake Forest, as their oldest son, Matt, Jr., is currently a student. “It’s been a joy for us to continue the Wake Forest legacy within our family, and we’ve been able to see the University through a different lens because he’s involved in many things that we weren’t,” the couple shared. As they reflect upon their own Wake Forest experiences over the years, both Matt and Sara reference the friendships and relationships they have formed as highlights. “When I think of Wake Forest, I think of the sense of community that is present and remains so throughout your life,” Sara affirms, “This is something that truly sets us apart.”
deacon club photos Deacon Club members are encouraged to submit photos for publication in the Gold Rush. Send your photos in digital format to DeacClub@wfu.edu. Submission of a photo does not guarantee that it will be published. Thanks for showing off your Demon Deacon pride!
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2 1 Dr. Wiley Doby (’70, PHD ’84) is presented with the 2017 Pete Moffitt Courage Award. Doby was recognized for the courage he has displayed while battling bone marrow cancer.
2 Men’s soccer alumni gather around
3 D eacon Club member Emily Giffin (’94) is joined by her daughter, Harriet, and the Baker family prior to the football game versus Florida State.
current players after the team’s win over Pitt during Varsity Club and Homecoming Weekend.
NOVEMBER 2017
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
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LIZ BECKER HOWELLS
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n each issue, Where Are They Now showcases a former Wake Forest student-athlete. One of the biggest cross country and track & field recruits for the Demon Deacons in 1985, Liz Becker Howells (’90) came to Wake Forest from Portland, Ore., and immediately made an impact on the program. She was a top-seven runner as a freshman, and later that year, she set a school record in the women’s 800m run in outdoor track. Her sophomore season, she set another school record with her sixth-place finish in the indoor mile at the ACC Championship while anchoring the 2-mile relay team that also set a school record. Her junior year, she finished 19th at the ACC Cross Country Championship, helping propel the Deacs to a second-place finish in their first-ever NCAA Championship appearance. In addition, she won the 1988 ACC 3,000m run, becoming the first female Deacon to win an individual ACC Championship. Howells also earned All-ACC honors twice in her career.
Liz Becker Howells
my junior year, being awarded the first-ever NCAA Award of Courage for personal strength, both on and off the field of play, and occasionally running with my HSS professors on their lunch hour. More fond memories include often running into President Hearns at campus movie night, Dr. Wilson’s poetry class and running through Reynolda Village and Graylyn on my way to a 10-mile workout. I loved the artwork in Reynolda Hall, Moravian Love Feast and, of course, the rolled Quad with Tom Petty blasting in the background.
When did you graduate from Wake Forest? I graduated from Wake in 1990, though I had to take a semester off due to the diagnosis of a brain tumor at the end of my junior year. What was your major and/or minor? I majored in Health and Sport Science, which is now known as Health and Exercise Science. What does being a Demon Deacon mean to you? When I think about being a Demon Deacon, Wake’s motto, Pro Humanitate, immediately comes to mind. “For Humanity.” Isn’t it impressive that a University’s mission is to make the world a better place? Why are you still involved in Wake Forest Athletics? Wake Forest gave me the extraordinary opportunity to receive an excellent
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education and to see a part of the country I probably would have never been exposed to had I not gone to school at Wake. Wake Forest taught me so many things about life, interacting with people from all backgrounds and overcoming obstacles. I feel so grateful to have had that chance to be a Demon Deacon. Why do you feel it is important to give back to the University? Wake played a major role in the person that I am today. By giving back, it is my way of thanking the University and all those who I met along the way. What is your current occupation? I coach cross country and track at Lake Oswego High School in Oregon. What is your favorite memory of your time at Wake Forest? I have so many fond memories of Wake: winning the ACC 3,000m title
What makes you most proud of Wake Forest? Wake Forest’s commitment to being one of the top universities in the country. When you come back to Wake Forest, you always… I do not get a chance to travel to Winston-Salem often, however, last fall my daughter Katy wanted to see Wake. I took her to the track and Reynolds Gym, where I spent the majority of my time for both classes and athletics. Of course, I also had to show her the Quad and Wait Chapel. I was there when… Muggsy Bogues was a star on the basketball team and the men’s golf team won the NCAA Tournament. Who is your favorite coach at Wake Forest, current or past? One of my favorite coaches was Jesse Haddock, the men’s golf coach. He would often compare runners with golfers — 10 percent talent and 90 percent mental.
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TUE 07
WED 08
THUR 09
Volleyball vs. Duke 6:30pm
Volleyball vs. Notre Dame 1pm
NOVEMBER // DECEMBER 2017
WAKE FOREST ATHLETICS
Deacon Club members at or above the Deacon Bench level may present their 2017-18 membership cards for free admission to Olympic Sport events (immediate family only). Olympic Sport single game tickets and season passes are available at WakeForestSports.com or by calling (336) 758-3322.
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Men’s Basketball vs. Georgia Southern 7:30pm
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Men’s Basketball vs. Liberty 7pm
Women’s Basketball vs. Seton Hall 2pm
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SAT
Women’s Basketball vs. Texas Southern 4pm
Men’s Tennis WF Invitational
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FRI
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18 Football vs. NC State TBA
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Volleyball vs. North Carolina 2pm
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Volleyball vs. NC State 1:30pm
Football vs. Duke TBA
Men’s Basketball vs. UNCG 7pm
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DEC 01
Men’s Basketball vs. Illinois 9pm
02 Women’s Basketball vs. Elon 12pm Men’s Basketball vs. Richmond 4pm
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Women’s Basketball vs. App State 7pm
Men’s Basketball vs. Army West Point 7pm
Women’s Basketball vs. Maryland Eastern Shore 5pm
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Women’s Basketball vs. Charlotte 11am
23 Men’s Basketball vs. Tennessee 12:30pm
SPORTS MARKETING (336) 758-5011
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
TICKET OFFICE (336) 758-3322
DEACON CLUB OFFICES: The Deacon Club offices will be closed November 23-24 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
GROUP TICKETS (Football & Basketball) (336) 758-4030
TICKET OFFICE: The Ticket Office will operate on the following schedule during the Thanksgiving holiday: Thursday, November 23 - Closed Friday, November 24 - Open 12pm-5pm Saturday, November 25 - Open three hours prior to kickoff of the Wake Forest vs. Duke football game
DEACON CLUB (336) 758-5626 www.DeaconClub.com DeacClub@wfu.edu
PA ER DEG AE C OHNESA D IN THE PROS MEN’S SOCCER Corben Bone Brian Carroll Sam Cronin Austin da Luz Chris Duvall Alec Ferrell Sam Fink Akira Fitzgerald Ian Harkes Jack Harrison Jacori Hayes Tolani Ibikunle Andy Lubahn Collin Martin Justin Moose Ben Newnam Ike Opara Sean Okoli Michael Parkhurst Jalen Robinson Jared Watts
FC Cincinnati Philadelphia Union Minnesota United FC North Carolina FC Montreal Impact Minnesota United FC Oklahoma City Energy FC Tampa Bay Rowdies D.C. United New York City FC FC Dallas Ekenas Sport Club (Finland) San Francisco Deltas Minnesota United FC Wilmington Hammerheads San Antonio FC Sporting Kansas City New York City FC Atlanta United FC D.C. United Colorado Rapids
WOMEN’S SOCCER Aubrey Bledsoe Katie Stengel Sarah Teegarden Annick McBryar Kelsey Zalimeni
Orlando Pride (NWSL) Boston Breakers (NWSL) Kopparbergs Goteborg (Swedish Premier League) Boston Breakers (Reserves) Crystal Palace Ladies FC First Team
MEN’S BASKETBALL Al-Farouq Aminu John Collins James Johnson Chris Paul Ishmael Smith Jeff Teague Coron Williams Austin Arians Justin Gray C.J. Harris
NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA G-League Ukraine Romaina Turkey
Portland Trail Blazers Atlanta Hawks Miami Heat Houston Rockets Detroit Pistons Minnesota Timberwolves Maine Red Claws Khimik UBT Cluj Napoca Sakarya BSB
Jamaal Levy Travis McKie Nikita Mescheriakov Codi Miller-McIntyre Dinos Mitoglou Aaron Rountree Devin Thomas David Weaver L.D. Williams Eric Williams
Argentina Lebanon Belarus Russia Greece Greece Turkey Turkey Finland Switzerland
Weber Bahia Louaize Tsmoki-Minsk Parma Panathinaikos Koroivos TED Kolejliler TED Kolejliler ToPo Lugano Tigers
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Dearica Hamby Sandra Garcia Milan Quinn
WNBA Puerto Rico Germany
San Antonio Stars Indias De Mayaguez SV Halle Lions
FOOTBALL Josh Banks Tommy Bohanon K.J. Brent Thomas Brown Michael Campanaro Brandon Chubb Chris Givens Josh Harris Kevin Johnson Marquel Lee Joe Looney Brad Watson Nikita Whitlock Kyle Wilber
NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL CFL NFL NFL NFL NFL CFL NFL
DT FB WR LB WR LB WR RB CB LB OL CB DL LB
New York Giants Jacksonville Free Agent Free Agent Baltimore Detroit Free Agent Saskatchewan Houston Oakland Dallas Free Agent Hamilton Tiger-Cats Dallas
COACHES/STAFF Jim Caldwell Charlie Dayton Pat Flaherty Joe Kenn John Spanos Brad White Jeff Triplette James MacPherson
NFL Detroit NFL Carolina NFL NY Giants NFL Carolina NFL Chargers NFL Indianapolis NFL NFL Chargers
Head Coach Vice President Offensive Line Coach Strength Coach Executive VP of Football Operations OLB Coach Referee Scout
The Hawthorne Inn and Conference Center
420 High Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Owned and operated by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, we uphold the highest of standards in service excellence. We are a AAA Three Diamond hotel in the business of caring for you. Complimentary hot breakfast Full service restaurant serving lunch and dinner Pets welcome with a fee High speed Wi-Fi In-room refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker Outdoor pool Fitness center.
To make a reservation call 1-800-972-3774 or visit HawthorneInn.com Mention “Gold Rush” for special university rates! (subject to availability)
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Italian Specialty Seafood, Steaks & Chops 2000 REYNOLDA RD. WINSTON-SALEM, NC | 336.448.1704 Hours: Monday - Thursday 4 - 10pm | Friday 4 - 11pm | Sunday 11 - 9pm Please visit our website at www.fratellis-steakhouse.com
Take some of the hassle out of moving with Goodwill’s GoodMoves. Get a free donation container for up to 3 weeks (a $400 value). Pack stuff you want to keep. Fill the container with stuff you don’t. Goodwill uses your donations to provide hope, opportunity and jobs for people in your community.
Goodwill GoodMoves • 336-831-4171 • goodwillpickup.org NOVEMBER 2017
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COMPLIANCE CORNER
// T O D D H A I R S T O N
COLLEGE BASKETBALL RECRUITING SCANDAL The college basketball world was rocked by the recent allegations of an intricate recruiting scandal involving apparel companies, agents and coaches. While the ongoing federal investigation is separate from any action taken by NCAA enforcement, the outcome of the FBI probe will certainly have significant ramifications for any NCAA institution found to be involved.
TODD HAIRSTON A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, COMPLIANCE
NCAA President Mark Emmert recently announced the creation of a new Commission on College Basketball, which mandates that each institution conduct an internal investigation of its men’s basketball program. With the start of the basketball season only weeks away, the timing of the FBI probe, as well as any NCAA and institutional investigations, is critical. NCAA eligibility rules prohibit institutions from allowing a student-athlete to engage in competition if it has reason to believe that the student has been involved in activities that would render him or her ineligible. If a student
Come In Today!
No Appointment Necessary Mon-Fri 8am-6pm & Sat 8am-4pm
WE DO STATE INSPECTIONS
were to participate in a contest under such circumstances, the school would be subject to fines, as well as forfeiture of the contest(s). It is possible that three separate entities (i.e., FBI, NCAA, institutions) could be conducting their own independent investigations into these allegations simultaneously. These investigations, however, would differ in significant ways. Since neither the NCAA nor institutions have the authority to issue a subpoena, they lack the power to compel testimony from any of the individuals involved. Further, surveillance tactics, such as wiretapping, provide the federal government a decided advantage in its investigative capabilities. Nevertheless, athletic departments around the country and the NCAA itself will be utilizing every resource available to address an issue that has undoubtedly left a black eye on one of the association’s most prominent and lucrative sports.
Proud Supporter Morgan Stanley is proud to support Wake Forest University Athletics. Christopher Leak Family Wealth Director Vice President Financial Advisor 100 N. Main Street/Suite 2500 Winston-Salem, NC 27101 +1 336 721-9203 chris.leak@morganstanley.com https://fa.morganstanley.com/theyatesleakgroup/index.htm 1252924
© 2017 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. SUP020 CRC 1596669 09/16 CS 8761888 11/16
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WH A
EAC
O L Y A A L S D ’ T
The Loyal Deac program is for those who wear their school spirit like a top hat. Loud, proud and part of a select crowd unrivaled by any. Be a Loyal Deac. Visit loyaldeac.wfu.edu today, or download the DeacOn app for iPhone or Android at the App Store or Google Play. Let your Deac flag fly!
#LoyalDEAC
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