Gold Rush - December 2019 by Wake Forest Athletics

DEACS HEADED TO PINSTRIPE BOWL

Wake Forestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior class puts together historic four-year run of winning seasons and bowl appearances

DECEMBER 2019

WAKEFORESTSPORTS.COM

so happy they can dance again Bill and Susan Fagg of Thomasville, N.C.

care for life Bill and Susan Fagg danced through life until his hip pain ended the fun. For years, Bill avoided what he feared would be extensive surgery. As the pain worsened, he talked to a friend, an orthopaedic surgeon. He suggested the nationally renowned bone and joint care at Wake Forest Baptist Health, where Bill was identified as a great candidate for anterior hip replacement â&#x20AC;&#x201D; just the kind of less invasive option he was looking for. Getting both hips replaced over three months relieved the pain, leaving Bill and Susan so happy they can dance again.

ORTHOPAEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE 888-716-WAKE WakeHealth.edu/Orthopaedics ACCEPTING MOST MAJOR INSURANCE PROVIDERS.

VOL. 29 // ISSUE 4 (USPS 014-373) EDITOR

Jim Buice PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brian Westerholt, WFU Athletics and others as noted WRITERS

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CONTENTS

// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9

ANOTHER COLLEGE CUP: Alistair Johnston celebrates as No. 4 Wake Forest punched its ticket into the NCAA College Cup for the sixth time in program history, defeating UC Santa Barbara in the NCAA quarterfinals 1-0 at Spry Stadium on Dec. 5 to advance to the national semifinals. Johnston scored the only goal of the game for the Deacons, who previously reached the College Cup in 2016, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006, winning the title in 2007. Because of our deadline for this issue of Gold Rush, we’ll have more coverage on WFU soccer in the College Cup in the next issue.

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FROM THE AD INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? COMPLIANCE CORNER

// 6 BEST IN CLASS The 2019 seniors on the football team are the first class in school history to achieve seven or more wins in four consecutive seasons and are looking for their fourth straight bowl game victory.

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. 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 Learfield IMG College. The use of the name of the University or any of its identifying marks in advertisements must be approved by WFU and IMG.

ON THE COVER (Left to Right) -- Seniors Justin Herron, Cade Carney, Essang Bassey and Jack Freudenthal are team captains and leaders of the 2019 Demon Deacons, who took an 8-4 record into the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 27 against Michigan State in Yankee Stadium.

// 10 PUTTING IN THE TIME Sophomore forward Isaiah Mucius lived in the weight room, put up thousands of shots in the offseason and watched endless film sessions in an effort to improve his game and help with the necessary steps to produce a winning team in men’s basketball.

// 14 TAKING ON A NEW ROLE Junior guard Gina Conti’s production has increased with each season and so has her development as a student of the game and leader for the women’s basketball team.

DECEMBER 2019

FROM THE A.D.

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

Football, Men’s Soccer Successes Should Make Every Deacon Proud JOHN CURRIE DIRECTOR O F AT H L E T I C S

Demon Deacon Nation, Seasons Greetings and Happy Bowl Season! As I write this letter, we are excitedly making our final plans and preparations for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, and I look forward to seeing all of Deacon Nation at Yankee Stadium on December 27. Competing in the Pinstripe Bowl is a great way to cap off an amazing season for a truly special team. Coach Clawson and his squad set a school record with six home wins at BB&T Field and claimed another Big 4 Championship — our eighth title in program history. The Deacs have been on the rise since the turn of the century, and our competitiveness among the Big 4 schools is evidence of that trend. Since 2001, Wake Forest boasts a record of 30-18 against our Big 4 rivals. We are 14-5 against the Blue Devils, 6-4 versus the Tar Heels, and 10-9 against the Wolfpack. In fact, we are 43-18 against all in-state opponents during the same time period. While we certainly owe a lot of this success to Coach Clawson and his staff as well as our dedicated student-athletes, our fans deserve so much credit. Deacon Nation has been there every step of the way and never stopped believing that we can compete for championships in football at Wake Forest. Your

faith in our program has helped propel us to where we are today. On behalf of Coach Clawson and our entire team, we salute you for your passion, commitment, and the incredible pride you take in being a Demon Deacon, and we can’t wait to see you back at BB&T Field next year. Building on the momentum of this year, the 2020 season promises to be another memorable one for the Deacs, so start making your plans now. After a road game at Old Dominion, we’ll open the 2020 season at home versus Appalachian State on Sept. 11, host Villanova on Sept. 19, and then head down the road to Charlotte to take on Notre Dame at Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 26. The game in Charlotte is an amazing opportunity to showcase all our Wake Forest passion and pride on a national stage, and it will undoubtedly be an outstanding experience for our team and our fans. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale in late December, so be on the lookout for more information. Coach Bobby Muuss and the Demon Deacon men’s soccer team concluded an outstanding season with the program’s sixth trip to the College Cup. It is incredible what this truly elite program has accomplished — and none of it is easy to do. While competing in the best collegiate soccer conference in the country, our team defeated

seven top 25 opponents this year, received a top-five seed in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive year under Coach Muuss and made the Round of Eight for the fourth time in five years before advancing to the Final Four. Thank you to all the fans who packed Spry (and Alumni Hill) throughout the season, earning the 2019 NCAA home attendance crown and helping create the electric atmosphere that fueled our team to victory. You play a key role in the continued success of this elite team, and we are grateful for your support! On December 7, we kicked off the 30th anniversary of the LJVM Coliseum and recognized key community leaders who helped make the Coliseum possible. Throughout basketball season and at each men’s and women’s home game, we’ll be spotlighting memories and moments from the Coliseum’s history. Look for a special Gold Rush cover story on 30 years of the Joel Coliseum in the next issue. Cheers to lots of big Deacon wins in 2020!

Go Deacs! John Currie Director of Athletics Ron Wellman and John Currie

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FOOTBALL

// T U R N I N G T H E C O R N E R

TURNING SPECIAL SENIOR CLASS MAKES HISTORY WITH FOUR STRAIGHT WINNING SEASONS AND BOWL APPEARANCES By Sam Walker

t required an unwavering trust, courageous confidence and undaunted perseverance by a group of young men who shared a common goal. The bar was set high from the outset. Still, it is unquestionable that Wake Forest’s 2019 senior class has played a tremendous role in building Demon Deacon football into a winner and relevant ACC football program. When this senior class committed to Wake Forest, the football program had withstood seven straight losing seasons, including head coach Dave Clawson’s first two teams after his arrival in WinstonSalem. Fast forward to this year, and this group of outgoing players will enjoy four straight winning seasons, four consecutive bowl game appearances (with bowl victories in each of the last three seasons). In fact, this group will rank as one of the winningest classes ever to play at Wake Forest, including being the first in school history to achieve seven or more wins all four seasons.

Wake Forest celebrated Senior Day in the final home game of 2019 against Duke, recognizing 22 players in a pregame ceremony. The Deacons earned a hard-fought but satisfying 39-27 victory as they rallied to defeat Duke on a cold and rainy night. The harsh weather kept fans from packing BB&T Field and giving this group a fitting send-off. However, the fans that did battle the elements watched a select senior group walk off the field with a victory, a sweep of in-state ACC rivals North Carolina, NC State and Duke for the first time since the 2007 season and many endearing memories. What did it take to turn around the fortunes of Wake Forest football? Clawson pared the key factors down to three. “I’ve said this many times, but it’s three things,” he said. “We want kids that love football, that are committed to graduating and do the right things on and off the field. We recruit high-character kids, and I think what I like about this group more than anything is their resilience. A lot of teams that face a two-game losing streak don’t know how to handle it. Sometimes it’s hard to enjoy the moment because you’re always focused on the next one, but I’m really proud of this group of players. “This senior class has done a lot for our program. These are the guys who came here and either suffered through or committed to Wake Forest after a 3-9 season. Now they are the first senior class in the history of the school to go to four straight bowl games.”

“ THIS SENIOR CLASS HAS DONE A LOT FOR OUR PROGRAM. THESE ARE THE GUYS WHO CAME HERE AND EITHER SUFFERED THROUGH OR COMMITTED TO WAKE FOREST AFTER A 3-9 SEASON. NOW THEY ARE THE FIRST SENIOR CLASS IN THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL TO GO TO FOUR STRAIGHT BOWL GAMES.” –DAVE CLAWSON 6

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CORNER

Senior captains (from left) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Justin Strnad, Cade Carney, Jack Freudenthal, Justin Herron, Essang Bassey

DECEMBER 2019

FOOTBALL

// T U R N I N G T H E C O R N E R

PINSTRIPE BOWL: WAKE FOREST VS. MICHIGAN STATE WHEN: Friday, Dec. 27, 3:20 p.m. WHERE: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y. RECORDS: Wake Forest, 8-4 overall, 4-4 in ACC; Michigan State, 6-6 overall, 4-5 in Big Ten TV: ESPN TICKETS: Available at Wake Forest Ticket office (336-758-3322, ext. 1) or on-line at GoDeacs.com/Tickets TRAVEL: book.anthonytravel.com/d/wake-forest

THE MATCHUP WAKE FOREST

HOW THEY GOT THERE: The Deacons got off to a sizzling start, winning their first five games and seven of the first eight before losing three of their last four. Wake Forest, which now has four straight winning seasons, will be making its first trip to the Pinstripe Bowl and will be shooting for its fourth straight victory in a bowl game.

LAST BOWL GAME: Defeated Memphis 37-34 at the Birmingham Bowl in Birmingham in 2018 BOWL HISTORY: 9-4 all-time record QUOTING HEAD COACH DAVE CLAWSON: “"I'm happy and pleased for our student-athletes after an outstanding season. This will be an excellent opportunity for our program as we play an outstanding opponent in Michigan State. It will be a great trip for our players and it will be nice to play in front of our large alumni base in the New York City area." 2019 SCHEDULE/RESULTS: Aug. 30: Utah State, W, 38-35 Sept. 6: at Rice, W, 41-21 Sept. 13: North Carolina, W, 24-18 Sept. 21: Elon, W, 49-7 Sept. 28: at Boston College, W, 27-24 Oct. 12: Louisville, L, 59-62

Oct. 19: Florida State, W, 22-20 Nov. 2: NC State, W, 44-10 Nov. 9: at Virginia Tech, L, 17-36 Nov. 16: at Clemson, L, 3-52 Nov. 23: Duke, W, 39-27 Nov. 30: at Syracuse, L, 30-39 (ot)

MICHIGAN STATE

HOW THEY GOT THERE: Michigan State overcame a fivegame losing streak in October and stretching into November before winning its last two games to become bowl eligible for the 12th time in 13 seasons under head coach Mark Dantonio. It will be the Spartans’ first appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl and first meeting against Wake Forest. LAST BOWL GAME: Lost to Oregon 7-6 at the Redbox Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif., in 2018 BOWL HISTORY: 12-16 all-time record QUOTING HEAD COACH MIKE DANTONIO: ""We're excited about representing the Big Ten in the Pinstripe Bowl against a high quality ACC opponent in Wake Forest. Playing in New York for a bowl game will be a new experience for our program, and it should be a really fun atmosphere to be right in the city during the holiday season." 2019 SCHEDULE/RESULTS: Aug. 30: Tulsa, W, 28-7 Sept. 7: Western Michigan, W, 51-17 Sept. 14: Arizona State, L, 7-10 Sept. 21: at Northwestern, W, 31-10 Sept. 28: Indiana, W, 40-31 Oct. 5: at Ohio State, L, 10-34

Oct. 12: at Wisconsin, L, 0-38 Oct. 26: Penn State, L, 7-28 Nov. 9: Illinois, L, 34-37 Nov. 16: at Michigan, L, 10-44 Nov. 23: at Rutgers, W, 27-0 Nov. 30: Maryland, W, 19-16

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BASSEY

CARNEY

FREUDENTHAL

In 2016, the Deacons defeated Temple 34-26 in the Military Bowl. Following the 2017 season, Wake Forest defeated Texas A&M 55-52 in the Belk Bowl, and last year the Deacons won the Birmingham Bowl with a 37-34 win over Memphis. “I just kept talking about how lucky I am to have to come here when I did,” senior running back Cade Carney said before the season began – as if he understood the significance of what this team could accomplish: “I didn’t have to go through some of the things some of the other guys did to get to where we are these last three years. And we’re nowhere near done.” Carney proved to be correct as the Deacons rolled off five straight wins to start the season and then battled through injury and adversity to an 8-4 overall record (4-4 in the ACC) and won six home games for the first time in program history. Over the last four seasons, the Deacons have posted 30 victories. In 2015, seasons like these most recent four seemed improbable. Still, even as Wake Forest was finishing its second straight 3-9 campaign, there was a sense among the players the program was improving in essential ways, according to offensive lineman Justin Herron – one of the senior captains along with Carney, Essang Bassey, Jack Freudenthal and Justin Strnad. “I’ve been here since 2014, was here for the two 3-9 seasons, and it was hard,” Herron said. “There was a little moment when I questioned if we were ever going to win and turn that corner. But there was something in that confidence that Coach Clawson had, and I trusted in what he was doing and in our system. And then I noticed just playing against other players that we had talent. So I just knew when we started getting those guys and developing we were to become ourselves and things would start changing. Being part of this class, I’m just making sure we don’t take our foot off the gas pedal. “Our seniors knew that we had to keep going, keep pushing, no matter how bad things got, and we believed in ourselves that we were going to be a good football team. I think we started having those discussions after our last 3-9 season going into spring ball. I would talk to teammates and say we’ve got some pretty good players. On defense, there were people like Wendell Dunn, Marquel Lee, and those were some elite athletes. When we started recognizing we have the talent, that’s when we started putting it all together. “Then it was just trusting Coach Clawson and trusting the process. By the time we made it to the Military Bowl (2016), I knew this team was different. We had the talent and could compete at a high level. In 2015, it was Coach Clawson’s team because when he recruited, he got everybody he wanted, and after that, the train never stopped. “It’s been a ride for sure, and for me, there have been some ups and downs, but I’ve been here for six years, and being here that long, you start to appreciate being here. The fans have been great. The culture has been great, knowing we worked our way from the bottom up. It’s the best decision I’ve made in my whole life.” Redshirt senior Kendall Hinton had a career-high 189 receiving yards and a touchdown in his final game at BB&T Field against his hometown foe, Duke. As a player who began his career at quarterback and transitioned to receiver in his redshirt junior season, Hinton has

Senior Day Recognitions The players recognized on Senior Day included all of Wake Forest’s seniors and a select group of fourth-year juniors.

HERRON

HINTON

STRNAD

a unique perspective on the Deacons’ journey to relevance. He also really appreciated getting the sweep of the Big Four rivals. “We were excited to win the state title, and to do it on Senior Day, it’s special,” Hinton said. “It’s amazing the journey we had with the guys I came in with and to see the guys grow up. Being able to go out there and make plays my last year and see how excited the guys are for me, it puts a smile on my face. “Just the culture of everyone on the team buying into the mentality, bringing consistency to practice, have that translate to the game, and then having young guys develop and contribute is different from four or five years ago. The seniors have done a great job of holding themselves accountable, the team accountable, and you can see the change. “I think the win at Duke in 2016, we knew we had the ability to compete in the ACC, and the next couple of years we beat NC State, and they were ranked teams. Those wins got the ball rolling and showed the guys the potential we had. You can’t put it on one or two games, but guys buying into their ability, buying into the locker room and seeing we do stuff the right way – it works.”

DEFENSIVE BACK: Justin Bartee DEFENSIVE END: Carlos "Boogie" Basham, Jr. CORNERBACK: Essang Bassey OFFENSIVE TACKLE: Jake Benzinger RUNNING BACK: Arkeem Byrd RUNNING BACK: Cade Carney WIDE RECEIVER: Steven Claude RUNNING BACK: DeAndre' Delaney LONG SNAPPER: Dayton Diemel TIGHT END: Jack Freudenthal OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Nathan Gilliam DEFENSIVE BACK: Keegan Good DEFENSIVE BACK: Amari Henderson LEFT TACKLE: Justin Herron WIDE RECEIVER: Kendall Hinton WIDE RECEIVER: Davis Johnson DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Sulaiman Kamara PUNTER: Dom Maggio LINEBACKER: Justin Strnad DEFENSIVE END: Manny Walker WIDE RECEIVER: Scotty Washington OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Tyler Watson

Hinton admitted that it feels good to step back and appreciate the accomplishments of this group of Demon Deacons. “This team has had a phenomenal year and to finish the last home game with a win, and to earn the state title, I think it’s a great time to appreciate what we’ve done and then go on and finish the season the right way,” Hinton said.

DECEMBER 2019

MEN'S BASKETBALL

ISAIAH MUCIUS

STEPS SOPHOMORE ISAIAH MUCIUS CONFIDENT WAKE FOREST IS ON THE RISE By Marc Pruitt

saiah Mucius has a secret. No, it isn’t the steps he took to put on five pounds of muscle since last season — those came from living in the weight room during the offseason. It’s not Mucius’ scoring and rebounding surge to start his sophomore year for the Deacons, when he poured in a career-high 18 points in the season opener against Boston College, and has added double-digit scoring and rebounding games against Davidson (11 points, 10 rebounds) and College of Charleston (10 points and 10 rebounds) and scored in double figures in half of the team’s first 10 games. Those numbers came after getting thousands of shots up in the offseason, watching endless film sessions of his performances last season and developing a strategy to improve all facets of his game.

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Since his freshman season ended with a flourish — Mucius scored in double figures in three of the Deacons’ final four games last season — he has dedicated himself to the process of ‘taking that next step.’ The effort that required from Mucius and the process he took to arrive there is no secret either. “Just living in the gym, living in the weight room, watching a lot of film with the coaches to see what I needed to do to become a more wellrounded player, a player capable of playing multiple positions,” Mucius said. “It was also important to take the next steps necessary for me to become a better leader. That’s something I’ve really tried to focus on this year with all the new guys. I was in their shoes last year and I want to be as much of a presence and voice for them as I can.” Just don’t try to pry the secret recipe to his mother’s macaroni and cheese from him. “I can’t tell you that, and I don’t think my mother would appreciate me sharing it with anyone,” Mucius said with a laugh. “That is always going to stay right here with me. What I can say is that the key to good mac and cheese for me is breadcrumbs. My mom tops off her mac and cheese with

DECEMBER 2019

MEN'S BASKETBALL

ISAIAH MUCIUS

breadcrumbs. That’s not the secret, though. It’s the kind of bread she uses. I’m not giving that up. No way.” While some of Mucius’ determination and grit may come from protecting his mother’s secret, it’s his father who instilled the passion for basketball in him. Mucius’ father, Matthew, played in college at Alabama A&M. Growing up in Belmont, N.Y, and later moving to East Patchogue, Isaiah and his father were frequent visitors to New York City to play games, workout and attend practices for his travel team. “My dad and my grandfather, they both love basketball,” Mucius said. “We are all the biggest New York Knicks fans, to this day, even though they might be the worst team on the planet. We used to watch their games all the time. We’d always be watching college basketball games on TV. They encouraged me to play other sports, but basketball was my love. My dad asked me when I was about 9 years old if I wanted to get serious about playing basketball, playing in college, maybe playing professionally someday. From that point on, he’s been my mentor and coach when it comes to basketball. Now, he’s really settled more into just being my dad. But he’ll still offer suggestions on my game and little things I can do to improve to help me keep my confidence up.” Mucius took the right steps to continue to develop his game. He attended prep school at Saint James in Maryland where he first caught the eye of assistant coach Randolph Childress before finishing his career at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, where he was named the USA Today New Hampshire Player of the Year. “Coach Childress came and saw me play my sophomore year, and we just kept in contact all the time,” Mucius said. “I was really impressed with all the coaches and how they kept checking up with me. When I came for my official visit, I was sold. I loved the campus and the whole atmosphere. It made my decision a lot easier once I saw Wake Forest.”

ISAIAH MUCIUS CLASS: Sophomore POSITION: Forward HEIGHT: 6-8 WEIGHT: 195 HOMETOWN: East Patchogue, N.Y. HIGH SCHOOL: Brewster Academy (New Hampshire) ON THE INFLUENCE OF HIS DAD, MATTHEW, WHO PLAYED COLLEGE BASKETBALL AT ALABAMA A&M: “My dad asked me when I was about 9 years old if I wanted to get serious about playing basketball, playing in college, maybe playing professionally someday. From that point on, he’s been my mentor and coach when it comes to basketball. Now, he’s really settled more into just being my dad.”

Playing in the ACC was the next step Mucius took as a freshman. He came off the bench and scored 13 points in the first game of the season against N.C. A&T. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I just went out there when they called my number and tried to be aggressive and play great defense,” Mucius said. “It was pretty nerve-wracking — I’m not going to lie. I feel like I got those nerves out after the first few minutes once I found the rhythm of the game.” He went on to average 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game and appreciated every moment of playing conference games

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against some of the best competition in some of the most storied arenas. “We get to play in a lot of the places I saw on TV when I was younger,” Mucius said. “You have to kind of block that out and not think about it. When we played at Duke, it was smaller than what it looks like on TV. That crowd was crazy. Once the game started, I literally couldn’t hear a thing and my body was shaking. It was a moment I’ll always remember. Somebody got a photo of me taking the ball out of bounds with all these people behind me. That’s a memory I can share with my family for the rest of my life. We almost came out of there with a win, too, so that’s what we want this year. We want to take that next step.” Mucius said his “Welcome to the ACC Moment” came against Florida State in Tallahassee.

“They brought five guys in off the bench for the five starters and they didn’t lose any energy,” Mucius said. “They were just as good as the starters. Sometimes, you can see some drop off in depth on the bench because it is unbalanced, but not those guys. It showed me why the ACC is the best conference in the country.” Mucius is determined to do his part to show the team is also taking the right steps towards a winning season. “We were all frustrated with how last season ended, and we don’t want what happened last season to happen this season,” Mucius said. “All of our 6 a.m. practices, all the extra work we’re doing — that will lead to better things for all of us. Our energy and mindset are there. Our effort is there. This is a team with a lot of expectations. This is a team that is ready to take some really big steps.”

“ MY DAD AND MY GRANDFATHER, THEY BOTH LOVE BASKETBALL. WE ARE ALL THE BIGGEST NEW YORK KNICKS FANS, TO THIS DAY, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT BE THE WORST TEAM ON THE PLANET. WE USED TO WATCH THEIR GAMES ALL THE TIME. WE’D ALWAYS BE WATCHING COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAMES ON TV.” –ISAIAH MUCIUS

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DECEMBER 2019

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

// G I N A C O N T I

LEADERSHIP

ROLE

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JUNIOR GINA CONTI CONTINUES TO EXPAND HER GAME AS A KEY FIGURE IN THE WAKE FOREST BACKCOURT By Kyle Tatich

ina Conti was a Demon Deacon long before she played the first game of her freshman season at LJVM Coliseum.

Committing to Wake Forest as a sophomore in high school, the junior guard from Grove City, Ohio, has bled old gold and black since 2015, permitting her the privilege of forming strong relationships with the coaching staff and now former studentathletes over the better part of the past five years. From those nurtured relationships with the Deacon coaches and former players like Dearica Hamby and Amber Campbell, Conti developed a sense for the program’s culture and the potential it had for success. Now in her third season, Conti relies on that sense and understanding when she is asked to take on greater leadership roles or even play off-the-ball as a shooting guard — as opposed to her normal position at point guard — if it’s in the best interest of the team in a given game. Growing up in the backyard of Ohio State University where she was exposed to big-time college basketball at a young age, Conti thought for a time that she might want to become a Buckeye, but as she got older her goals changed. She wanted to play in the ACC.

Conti fits the mold of most Demon Deacon student-athletes because she chose Wake Forest in part because of its academic reputation. “I care about my academics so I wanted to come to a school that had really high academics,” Conti says. “I value life after basketball, so getting a high-quality education was important to me.” While Conti had high expectations for what Wake Forest could do for her, both on and off the court, head coach Jennifer Hoover and the basketball program had high expectations of her – for good reasons. In high school, Conti was named the Ohio Capital Conference Player of the Year as a junior and was selected to numerous allconference, all-district and all-state teams during a career that saw her rate as a consensus top 100 recruit nationally. Playing for both her high school and AAU teams, Conti racked up multiple championships as well. As a freshman at Wake, Conti made an impact right away. She played in all 30 games, starting 11 times, and averaged 18.6 minutes per game. Her talent was on full display in her season-best game against Richmond where she came off the bench to score 19 points in 21 minutes. Last season as a sophomore, Conti was one of the most consistent players for the Deacons. She started all 30 games, averaging 9.1 points and led the team in minutes per game (36.3), steals (44) and assists (147). DECEMBER 2019

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

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GINA CONTI CLASS: Junior POSITION: Guard HEIGHT: 5-10 HOMETOWN: Grove City, Ohio HIGH SCHOOL: Grove City ON WHY SHE CAME TO WAKE FOREST: “I realized I wanted to play in the best basketball conference in the country. Wake Forest was the best opportunity to do just that.”

As her production has increased with each season, so has her development as a student of the game. “The biggest adjustment (from high school) has been the pace of the game,” Conti says. “I think that being the point guard in high school is similar to college in that you kind of set the pace, but what makes the pace of college different is that everyone’s moving and talking (on defense). That adds a challenge to how you run the offense.” Conti says watching former Deacon floor leader Amber Campbell also supported her development. “Amber’s pregame routine, the way she practiced and the way she faced adversity was something I watched closely,” Conti says. “Now with her gone, I have leaned on the example set by Coach

Proud to be a Demon Deacon! Member, Women’s Golf ACC & East Regional Championship Teams 1994&1995

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

(Hoover) because she pushes me into opportunities to learn just like Amber did.” Learning to overcome adversity was the biggest lesson Conti discovered as a sophomore, she says, and it has helped her understanding of the program’s overall culture while also building her ability to lead others on the team. “I would say we have a family-like culture,” Conti states. “We can say anything to each other and always have each other’s back — if you need something, you call your teammate first. At the end of the day we’re teammates and we care about each other both on and off the court.” As the returning leader in minutes, steals and assists per game, Conti has established herself as the most dependable guard on the team. In being that kind of player, the coaching staff has at times made the decision to move her to the shooting guard position, to play off the ball and create more offense for both herself and the team. Having played point guard her entire career, this move was foreign to Conti, but she has no problem playing off the ball more. “If it will help the team be more successful, I’m all for it,” she says. “If Coach wants me to play the two (off guard) and someone else play the one (point) and set up offense, that’s awesome. As long as I can do my best at whatever I’m asked to do, I’ll do my part in helping our team find success.” To reach the team’s greatest potential in the current season, Conti believes everyone must adopt the identity of toughness. “We need to be tough through everything, fighting for 50-50 balls and controlling what we can control, like our mental effort,” Conti says. “We know we’re going to face obstacles; we play in the ACC. How we respond to them, and if we can be tough together, will determine how successful we can be and how far we can go.” On the personal level, Conti has the goal of just always being prepared. “I just want to be ready," she says. “I’m preparing myself to put our team in the position to win each of our games. I’m preparing for adversity and the mental challenge of competing after an opposing team goes on a run.” Conti says the team’s goals are similar. “Our team goal is the same. We want to prepare for each game to the best of our abilities. We want to put ourselves in a position for a postseason bid. We want to do well in ACC play. We want to go far in the ACC Tournament.” Such achievements would be fitting for the junior leader who came to Wake Forest for all the right reasons and now hopes to leave her mark on a program striving for success.

AT H L E T I C S

// H A L L O F FA M E

HALL OF FAME SIX SELECTED TO WAKE FOREST SPORTSÂ HALL OF FAME

ive former All-Americans and a culture-changing figure in college football history will comprise the 46th class of the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame. The 2020 inductees include Butkus Award-winning linebacker Aaron Curry, record-setting pitcher John Hendricks, Wake Forest and Olympic field hockey standout Michelle Kasold, soccer AllAmericans Michael Parkhurst and Marcus Tracy and former football quarterback Freddie Summers. The 2020 induction ceremony is slated for Saturday, Feb. 1, when Wake Forest hosts Clemson in men's basketball at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. THE INDUCTEES:

AARON CURRY was one of the most dominant linebackers to play

at Wake Forest from 2005-08. He received the Butkus Award in 2008 as the top college linebacker in the nation and was a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy that same year. A first team All-American by ESPN, Pro Football Weekly and Sports Illustrated in 2008, Curry finished his career with 331 tackles, the 16th-highest total in the ACC. He was drafted fourth overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks and went on to play five years in the NFL. At Wake Forest, Curry set school records for the most career interception return yards and tied the NCAA record for the most interception returns for touchdowns in a season by a linebacker with three.

JOHN HENDRICKS, who serves as Wake Forest's pitching coach,

is the winningest pitcher in Demon Deacon baseball history. Hendricks posted a 34-18 record with school records of 409.2 innings pitched and 312 strikeouts. Hendricks went 13-4 as

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

a junior in 1998 and followed that with a 10-6 record in 1999. He led the ACC in complete games and innings pitched in both 1998 and 1999. Hendricks was the unanimous choice for MVP of the 1998 ACC Tournament when he tossed a 9-1 complete game victory over NC State in the first game and then threw a four-hitter in a 2-1 win against Florida State, moving the Deacons into the championship game. Hendricks earned second team All-America honors in 1998 before being drafted by the New York Mets in 1999. MICHELLE KASOLD was a three-time first team All-American in

field hockey from 2006-2008. She earned three first team AllACC honors and three all-region honors while being named to the ACC All-Tournament team in 2007 and 2008 and the NCAA All-Tournament team in 2006. Kasold scored 51 goals, 60 assists and 162 points while starting all 92 contests during her career. She was a member of the U.S. National team for both the 2012 London Olympic Games and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic games. A gold medalist at the Pan American games in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015, Kasold retired from the National team in 2017 after having started 227 international matches.

MICHAEL PARKHURST was voted into the Hall of Fame in

2016 but delayed his induction while continuing his career in Major League Soccer. Parkhurst was a three-time All-ACC honoree from 2002-04 and earned All-America honors in 2004. Considered one of Wake Forest's greatest defensive players, Parkhurst was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 and a two-time ACC All-Tournament pick. His long professional career began with being named the MLS Rookie of the Year in 2005 and continued with his recognition as the Defender of the Year in the league in 2007. His professional career included stints in Europe and in the MLS as he served as captain of both the Columbus Crew and Atlanta United FC. He retired following the 2019 MLS season.

FREDDIE SUMMERS will be inducted as the Heritage Candidate,

which recognizes former Demon Deacons who finished their career 40 or more years ago. Summers was not only a recordbreaking quarterback at Wake Forest but he was also a culturechanging force in civil rights. When Demon Deacon head coach Bill Tate named Summers as his starting quarterback when the Deacons visited Clemson on Sept. 23, 1967, Summers became the first black quarterback at a major college in the South and the first black quarterback in the ACC. He was

CURRY

HENDRICKS

KASOLD

named first team All-ACC quarterback as a junior in 1967 while leading the league in total offense and was later drafted in the fourth round of the 1969 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Summers passed away in 1994 at the age of 47. MARCUS TRACY was the national player of the year in men's

soccer in 2008 when he won the MAC Hermann Trophy. But perhaps his proudest moment was leading Wake Forest to the 2007 NCAA Championship. Tracy was named the

Downtown Winston-Salem 125 S. Main Street 336.714.2800

PARKHURST

SUMMERS

TRACY

Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the College Cup as he scored one goal and assisted on the game-winner as the Deacons defeated Ohio State 2-1. Tracy was an All-South Region performer in 2007 and 2008, a member of the ACC AllTournament team in 2007 and a first team All-American in 2008. He finished his career ranked among the top 10 in school history in points, goals and assists. Tracy continued his career as a professional after being drafted by the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer in the 2009 SuperDraft.

Proud Supporter Morgan Stanley is proud to support Wake Forest University Athletics. Christopher Leak Sports and Entertainment Director Vice President Financial Advisor 100 North Main Street, Suite 2500 Winston-Salem, NC 27101 336-721-9203 chris.leak@morganstanley.com advisor.morganstanley.com/the-yates-leak-group NMLS #1252924

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100% COTTEN

// S TA N C O T T E N

Deacs, Bowls and Pinstripes S TA N COTTEN VOICE OF THE DEMON DEACONS

We’ve known since Oct. 19 that Wake Forest would be playing in a school-record fourth consecutive bowl game. After besting Florida State 22-20, the Deacons were 6-1 and a lock for at least another postseason game – if not more. And once a team becomes bowl eligible, the speculation begins and doesn’t stop until the College Football Playoff field is set and the bowl spots are filled. On that final day, Dec. 8, the Deacs’ bowl destinations had been pretty much narrowed down to four, and when the news broke mid-afternoon that Wake and Michigan State would meet in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, the destination was set. For the first time in Wake Forest football history, the Deacons would play a game in New York City. It will be the 14th game ever for the Deacs in the Empire State, but never has Wake played a game in the Big Apple. Until 2019. The Deacs have faced Army nine times in West Point and have also played four times against Syracuse on the road. And not only will it be Wake’s first-ever football game in the City, but the Wake ForestMichigan State matchup at Yankee Stadium is also a first for the two

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

programs. The Spartans finished their regular season 6-6 under Coach Mark Dantonio, who has led MSU to 12 bowls in his 13 seasons as head coach. And so the Deacon Bowl March under head coach Dave Clawson continues. For the first time in its history, Wake Forest will have a senior class that will have participated in the postseason in each of its four years on campus. A victory over Michigan State would also extend the school record for consecutive bowl wins to four. A win would also give the Deacons a 9-4 final record, which would be Clawson’s best at Wake in six seasons. The Deacs were 8-5 in 2017. The last three seasons have been quite the ride for the Deacons with wins over Temple, Texas A&M and Memphis. The three Wake wins came by a total of 14 points, and and all three games went deep into the fourth quarter before being decided. The string started against Temple in Annapolis at the 2016 Military Bowl. The Deacs got out to a big lead and held on to win 34-26 over the Owls, who had won their conference title game on that very same field – Navy’s Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

In 2017, the Deacons outlasted SEC blue blood Texas A&M 55-52 in a Belk Bowl track meet. The two teams set NCAA bowl records for total plays (191) and pass completions (74). Matt Colburn’s short TD run sealed the win with just over two minutes to play. And then last year, the Deacs edged Memphis 37-34 at historic Legion Field in the Birmingham Bowl. The Tigers missed a field goal on the game’s final play, which would have sent the game into overtime. And that brings us back to New York as the Demon Deacons, in their first-ever game with Michigan State, attempt to keep the bowl streak alive at Yankee Stadium in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. It should be fun – I mean the Deacs and Spartans are playing for the first time ever, in a city that never sleeps and in a stadium built for, arguably, the most storied baseball team ever. And by kickoff I’ll have an answer to a question that’s been bothering me for some time now. Who had pinstripes first – the Yankees or the Cubs? I’ll put our resident all-star Lary Sorensen on the case. And we’ll ‘see you on the radio’ from New York. GO DEACS!

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INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB

Bowl games create lasting memories

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

1979 Tangerine Bowl trip

Looking back, I have no idea what toys I got for Christmas as an 8-year-old in 1979. I am sure it must have been some type of sports equipment or a Tonka truck or maybe even that electronic game, Simon…who knows? What I do remember though was my James Parker No. 77 shirt and the trip my family took to Orlando for the Tangerine Bowl. I remember visiting Disney World, Circus World and being fascinated by Shamu at SeaWorld, but most of all, I remember being together as a family, just hanging out and enjoying the time together. By far the most memorable Christmas gift I received in 1979 was the bowl memory I still carry with me. Flash forward to 1992 — and perhaps one of my favorite bowl memories. I was a senior at Wake Forest and the Deacs and I were headed to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. Many of our crowd bought these large Wake Forest cowboy hats that were on sale during the game, and we definitely got our money’s worth out of that unique memento. It was an exciting adventure overall that culminated in me leading a group of students rushing to the field to tear down the goal posts following our 39-35 win over the Ducks. Just think about it — when is the last time you saw goal posts get torn down at a bowl game? It’s a moment I definitely won’t forget. My wife and daughters and I have made a tradition of going to every bowl game, and we always take a picture to memorialize the trip. Each picture represents a marker of time and serves as a reminder throughout the year of the lasting memories we made. Happy memories and time with our family is the greatest gift we can give to our children at Christmas. Those family bowl trips have carried us to Seattle, Washington D.C., Nashville, Miami,

Last Year’s Birmingham Bowl

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

Charlotte and most recently, Birmingham, as our family decided to drive down to the Birmingham Bowl last year. That’s about an eight-hour trek — it was a long but memorable drive. To kill time, we came up with a new game that will no doubt become a holiday tradition. We each took turns putting on noise cancelling headphones and singing our favorite Christmas carol with while the rest of the family judged and determined the winner of the contest. I’m not going to lie — we are all terrible singers — but it certainly is fun to vote on who is the “least worst” singer in the family. On trips like that, you never know what kind of situations may lead to lifelong memories. For instance, our youngest daughter, Olivia, got stuck in the “way back” seat belt — and she was really stuck! We had to do an emergency extraction and cut her out of the seatbelt. Yes, we had to cut the seatbelt! It was hysterical for all of us… with the exception of Olivia. Then on the opposite end of the spectrum, I will never forget the look of sheer jubilation on my dad’s face as he held the Birmingham Bowl trophy. My family and I are thrilled to be making the trip to New York this holiday season. And looking to the future, regardless of where our next bowl appearance may take us, or when that appearance will be, I can assure you that we will be there. Even if I was no longer working at Wake Forest, I would absolutely find a way to take my family, join thousands of other fans and friends, and enjoy the magic of whatever city we end up in. Whether it is this year or future years, I encourage you to join me because, undoubtedly, you, your family and your friends will make lasting memories. Bowl games are the perfect excuse to gather, reunite in the spirit of Wake Forest and remember why we are so proud to be Demon Deacons. Give your family the most memorable gift of the holidays — experience a bowl game together. The memories made will be priceless. They Independence Bowl 1992 will last so much longer and be much more meaningful than the latest toy or gadget. Trust me…I’m living proof!

I look forward to seeing you at the bowl game. Go Deacs!

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

2020 FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE Season tickets for the 2020 football season are on sale, starting at just $175. Purchase your season tickets early to ensure the lowest possible price to see Wake Forest host an exciting home slate, featuring the first meeting at BB&T Field between the Demon Deacons and Appalachian State since 2001 and a matchup against the Clemson Tigers! For more information on season tickets, please visit GoDeacs.com/ tickets or contact the Wake Forest Sales Team at (336) 758-3322, ext. 1.

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

REMINDER: METAL DETECTOR IS WAKE FOREST PROGRAM IN PLACE AT BB&T ATHLETICS IN FIELD AND LJVM COLISEUM YOURÂ WILL? In an effort to proactively foster a safer environment for fans, coaches and student-athletes, Wake Forest Athletics has implemented a metal detector program for all events at BB&T Field and the LJVM Coliseum. When attending events at these locations, please arrive early to avoid delays.

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.

DECEMBER 2019

DONOR PROFILE

K E L LY D O S TA L

Kelly Dostal lives by Wake Forest’s spirit of Pro Humanitate

elly Dostal (’04) is undoubtedly one of the most decorated athletes in Wake Forest history. Three consecutive field hockey NCAA Championships from 2002 to 2004. Twotime All-American. 2004 National Player of the Year. Member of the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame. And the list goes on. Success defined Dostal’s student-athlete experience as a Demon Deacon – and it has defined her life since then, too, as she has progressed up the corporate ladder to become Director of Inside Sales of Dell-EMC, based in her home state of Massachusetts. Dostal says she’s proud of her achievements in her careers on and off the field. And now, in and through all those successes, she’s focusing her attention on embodying the Pro Humanitate spirit of Wake Forest – living for humanity. Like running the Boston Marathon to raise money in honor of her Demon Deacon teammate Maria Whitehead, who passed away in 2006 after battling melanoma.

GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE

“I try to very much live by our school’s (Pro Humanitate] motto,” Dostal said. “I really will treasure that for the rest of my life. I learned so much outside of just being an athlete, like why it’s important to give back to the things that gave so much to you and to your life.” Field hockey and sports were always what Kelly Dostal knew best – before ever donning the black and gold, she had already played for the U.S. National Team as a senior in high school. So after winning three national championships, racking up countless awards, and setting the school record for both points (204) and goals (84), a return to the national team and a career in the sport seemed obvious. That’s what Dostal did – she played for the U.S. National Team from 2005 until 2010 before retiring from her playing career. During that time, Dostal served as an assistant coach for the UMass Amherst field hockey program for several years before becoming an assistant coach for Louisville field hockey in 2011. However, for Dostal, being outside the white lines as a coach didn’t bring quite

the same fulfillment as being inside the white lines as a player. So she began investigating what exactly it was she might want to do next. “Thinking about walking away from sports, whether it’s coaching or playing, is a really big and really tough decision,” Dostal said. “But I knew I wanted to find a job that was still going to allow me to be competitive and work in a team environment and apply a lot of what I learned through coaching and playing.” Dostal found that environment at EMC Corporation, a technology company specializing in data storage systems that merged with fellow technology powerhouse Dell in 2016. Her career began as a business development associate, but Dostal continued to elevate up the ranks to the level of director, applying some of those very lessons she picked up from her time as a Wake Forest athlete. Dostal says she can narrow down those lessons into three key areas – patience, strong work ethic and remaining composed in high-pressure situations. “Playing for Jen [Averill], she’s pretty poised under pressure and is able to make

PA G E H E A D E R

really level-headed decisions,” Dostal said. “I was able to watch her do that for four years.” As she continued her personal and career growth, Dostal began to evaluate her involvement with the Deacon Club. She always previously gave a little on an annual basis but was sparked to give more when the field hockey program underwent its locker room project honoring Maria Whitehead. Since then, she has leveraged her new career path and success in that realm to grow in her generosity to Wake Forest. Dostal has invested more greatly in the Field Hockey Excellence Fund, allowing her to directly impact the program which gave her so much during her tenure at Wake Forest. “I truly feel that the experience at Wake Forest as a studentathlete is one the most exciting and most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had,” she said. “I want every student-athlete to have a great experience, but it is also really nice to get as focused as you can with your giving.” On top of her contributions to the Excellence Fund, Dostal is also having even bigger thoughts about how she can leverage her influence – supporting a student-athlete by giving to an endowed scholarship.

“I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be in a position to be able to look at being able to make a significant contribution to a scholarship,” she said. “To start seeing that have more ability to come true has been a really, really unique thing to be able to think about. It would be an immense honor for my lifetime and beyond to have something like that for a student-athlete to be able to utilize.” This multi-faceted outline for her giving, Dostal says, is intentional. She desires to make an impact on Wake Forest Field Hockey and other studentathletes both in the short term and the long term. So she can help others succeed and grow at Wake Forest and beyond, just as she has. “I’m truly forever indebted to the experience I had at Wake Forest,” Dostal said. “I want to ensure that student-athletes after me can have a similar, if not better, experience for both them and their families.”

For more information on Excellence Fund giving or scholarship giving, please contact the Deacon Club at deacclub@wfu.edu or by phone at (336) 758-5626.

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!

1 Deacon Club

members and Wake Forest alumni representing the Deacs on the Albemarle Sound in North Carolina.

2 2 Wake Forest football's 1999 Aloha Bowl team returns to BB&T Field to celebrate its 20-year reunion.

3 Director of Athletics John Currie addresses guests at the Wake Forest Family Weekend Reception.

DECEMBER 2019

PA RH E Y N O W ? W HGEER H E EAARDEE T

W E N D E L L TAY L O R

n each issue, Where Are They Now showcases a former Wake Forest student-athlete. Wendell Taylor (’95) played linebacker for the Wake Forest football team under Coach Bill Dooley and Coach Jim Caldwell. Taylor was part of the 1992 Independence Bowl winning team that defeated the Oregon Ducks 39-35 at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. After graduating from Wake Forest, Taylor went on to serve as president of his class at University of Richmond School of Law before going on to become the Managing Partner of Hunton Andrews Kurth’s Washington, D.C., law office.

WENDELL TAYLOR When did you graduate from Wake Forest? I entered with the class of 1994 but was redshirted and graduated in 1995. What was your major and or/minor? Sociology with a concentration in Criminology What does being a Demon Deacon mean to you? Being a Demon Deacon means being a graduate of a school you can always be proud of. There are very few universities that can tout the academic and athletic successes of Wake Forest. Why are you still involved in Wake Forest Athletics? Coach Clawson has done an amazing job engaging former football players. He conducts conference calls with Wake Forest football alumni where he gives updates on the state of the program and challenges us to stay involved. Coach Clawson also has created a great deal of energy around the Spring Game and invites football alumni back to a career night with the players. I had the privilege of being the keynote speaker at the career night event two years ago, and I spoke to the players about the unique opportunity they have to foster skills that will be invaluable to lifetime successes including their work ethic, time management and will to win. Why do you feel it is important to give back to the University? I had a great experience at Wake, and I want to pay it forward to the next generation of student-athletes. What is your current occupation? On my LinkedIn page, it says I’m a “cat herder, magician, and juggler.” Stated differently, I am an attorney and the Managing Partner of Hunton Andrews Kurth’s Washington, D.C., office where I

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manage approximately 200 attorneys and about 350 total employees. I am also on the Board of Trustees of the University of Richmond where I went to law school.

What makes you most proud of Wake Forest? I’m proud to see so many of my Wake friends go on to be enormous successes in life.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Wake Forest? The 1992 Independence Bowl is tough to beat in the favorite memory category. It was Coach Dooley’s last year, and the team rallied around him for one of the best seasons in Wake history and a bowl victory over Oregon. Partying on New Year’s Eve after the bowl victory was amazing. A close second is the ACC Basketball Tournament my senior year where Randolph Childress set an all-time points record on the way to leading Wake to the ACC title. Go Deacs!

Who is your favorite coach at Wake Forest, current or past? Having played under both Coach Dooley and Coach Caldwell, it is really tough to pick either of them. They were both great coaches and mentors. That said, Coach Clawson is my favorite Wake Forest coach. He has created a program that has had sustained success evidenced by the fact that Wake will go to its fourth straight bowl this year. I have gotten to know Coach Clawson through his outreach to football alums and in my capacity as a member of the Military Bowl Board of Directors — where Wake played (and won) a couple of years ago.

When you come back to Wake Forest, you always... I always stop by the athletic department. Ah, the memories.

SUN

MON

TUE

WED JAN 01

THUR 02

FRI 03

Women’s Basketball at Duke 6 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Georgia Tech 12 p.m.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

WAKE FOREST ATHLETICS

GROUP TICKETS (Football & Basketball) (336) 758-4030 DEACON CLUB (336) 758-5626 www.DeaconClub.com DeacClub@wfu.edu

Men’s Basketball vs. Virginia Tech 9:00 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Florida State 7:30 p.m.

09 Women’s Basketball vs. Clemson 7:00 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Virginia 7:00 p.m.

Men’s Basketball at Pitt 12 p.m.

11 Men’s Basketball at Duke 8:00 p.m.

Track & Field Virginia Tech Invitational (Blacksburg, VA)

T&F - Virginia Tech Invitational WTEN - vs. CofC & Winthrop MTEN - vs. Coastal Carolina & Tenn. Tech

Women’s Basketball at NC State 2:00 p.m.

Men’s Basketball at Clemson 8:00 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Florida State 7:00 p.m.

Track & Field Bob Pollock Invitational (Clemson, SC)

T&F - Bob Pollock Invitational

Men’s Tennis ITA Kickoff Weekend (home)

WTEN - vs. Ohio State (Stillwater, OK)

FEB 01

Men’s Basketball vs. Boston College 6:00 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. UVA 12:00 p.m.

Women’s Tennis vs. SDSU or OKST (Stillwater, OK)

Men’s Basketball at Notre Dame 7:00 p.m.

Women’s Basketball at Pitt 7:00 p.m.

T&F- Mondo College Inivtational (home) WTEN - at William & Mary 10:00 a.m.

Women’s Tennis vs. Kansas 5:00 p.m. Men’s Tennis vs. UCF 6:00 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Syracuse 4:00 p.m.

Women’s Golf Northrup Grumman Challenge (Palos Verdes, CA)

Men’s Basketball vs. Clemson 6/8:00 p.m.

Men’s Basketball at Louisville 9:00 p.m.

Women’s Tennis vs. TBA (Chicago, IL)

Track & Field Camel City Classic (Winston-Salem)

Men’s Tennis at Baylor (5:00 p.m.)

Men’s Basketball at Syracuse 8:00 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. Notre Dame 7:00 p.m.

WGOLF - Northrop Grumman Challenge (Palos Verdes, CA)

MTEN - ITA Kickoff Weekend (home)

WBB - at Boston College 1:00 p.m.

WBB - at Georgia Tech 2:00 p.m.

TICKET OFFICE (336) 758-3322

Women’s Basketball at Louisville 2:00 p.m.

MTEN - vs. Virginia & Davidson

SPORTS MARKETING (336) 758-5011

SAT

Men’s Basketball vs. North Carolina 8:00 p.m.

Women’s Basketball at Clemson 7:00 p.m.

T&F - Darius Dixon Memorial Invite & ISU Invitational

MTEN - ITA National Indoor Championship (Madison, WS)

BASE - vs. Seton Hall 4:00 p.m.

BASE - vs. Milwaukee (DH) 2:00 p.m. MBB - at Miami 2:00 p.m.

2020 DEACON CLUB APPRECIATION DAY

Join us for Deacon Club Appreciation Day on Sunday, January 19 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. on the Flow Lexus Club Level (4th Floor) of McCreary Tower at BB&T Field! The reception will feature food & drinks ahead of Wake Forest basketball’s game against Boston College at LJVM at 6:00 p.m. RSVP by calling the Deacon Club offices or through the email invitation sent out to all Deacon Club members at the beginning of December.

NEW YEAR’S DAY & MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

DEACON CLUB OFFICES: The Deacon Club offices will be closed on January 1 and January 20 in observance of New Year’s Day & Martin Luther King Jr. Day, respectively. TICKET OFFICE: The Ticket Office will also be closed on January 1 and January 20 in observance of New Year’s Day & Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

DEACONS IN THE PROS BASEBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL

COACHES/SCOUTS Ross Atkins Neil Avent TJ Barra Adam Bourassa Dave Bush George Greer Michael Holmes Bill Masse Matt Price Mike Rikard Eric Schmitt Adam Wogan

MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB

Toronto Blue Jays Oakland A’s New York Mets Pittsburgh Pirates Boston Red Sox St. Louis Cardinals San Francisco Giants Seattle Mariners Kansas City Royals Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Chicago Cubs

General Manager Area Scout Director of Baseball Research & Development Area Scout Pitching Coordinator, Performance Hitting Coach Amateur Scouting Director Area Scout Area Scouting Supervisor Vice President of Amateur Scouting Director of Player Development Area Scout

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 Griffin Roberts Donnie Sellers Gavin Sheets Bruce Steel Rayne Supple Mac Williamson

Toronto Blue Jays (A) Tampa Bay Rays (Rookie) Baltimore Orioles (High A) 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) St. Louis Cardinals (High A) Toronto Blue Jays (High A) Chicago White Sox (AA) Kansas City Royals (A) Colorado Rockies (Short Season A) Samsung Lions (South Korea)

WOMEN’S GOLF Laura (Philo) Diaz Nannette Hill Olafia Kristinsdottir Jennifer Kupcho Cheyenne Woods Jean Chua Marissa Dodd Allison Emrey Natalie Sheary Sierra Sims

LPGA LPGA LPGA LPGA LPGA Symetra Symetra Symetra Symetra Symetra

MEN’S SOCCER Luis Argudo Jon Bakero Corben Bone Sam Cronin Austin da Luz Brad Dunwell Chris Duvall Omir Fernadez Sam Fink Akira Fitzgerald Michael Gamble Logan Gdula Ian Harkes Jack Harrison Jacori Hayes Tolani Ibikunle Collin Martin Mark McKenzie Ike Opara Sean Okoli Michael Parkhurst Hayden Partain Kevin Politz Sam Raben Jalen Robinson Brandon Servania Emu Twumasi

Columbus Crew Toronto FC/Phoenix Rising FC FC Cincinnati Free Agent North Carolina FC Houston Dynamo/Rio Grande Valley FC Houston Dynamo New York Red Bulls Saint Louis FC Richmond Kickers Deportes Santa Cruz (Chile) FC Cincinnati/Phoenix Rising FC Dundee United (Scotland) Manchester City/Leeds United FC Dallas Ekenas Sport Club (Finland) Minnesota United FC Philadelphia Union Minnesota United FC Free Agent Atlanta United FC Sacramento Republic Greenville Triumph SC Colorado Rapids/Colorado Springs Switchbacks D.C. United FC Dallas FC Dallas/Austin Bold FC

COACHES/MLS FRONT OFFICE James Riley Kurt Schmid Zack Schilawski Stephen Keel Ryan Martin

MLS Director of Player Relations Seattle Sounders (Head Scout) North Carolina FC U23s (Assistant Coach) MLS Social Media Manager DC United Academy Director

WOMEN’S SOCCER Aubrey Bledsoe Bayley Feist Ally Haran Katie Stengel Sarah Teegarden Maddie Huster

Washington Spirit (NWSL) Washington Spirit (NWSL) NC Courage (NWSL) Utah Royals FC (NWSL) Lille Olympique Sporting Club (Ligue 1 – France) Kvarnsvedens IK (Swedish Premier League)

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Al-Farouq Aminu John Collins James Johnson Chris Paul Ishmael Smith Jeff Teague Jaylen Hoard Doral Moore Austin Arians Bryant Crawford C.J. Harris Darius Leonard Jamaal Levy Nikita Mescheriakov Codi Miller-McIntyre Dinos Mitoglou Troy Rike Aaron Rountree Devin Thomas Terrence Thompson Ty Walker Andre Washington David Weaver Mitchell Wilbekin Coron Williams L.D. Williams Keyshawn Woods

NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA/G-League NBA G-League Germany Lithuania China Argentina Argentina Russia Slovenia Greece Philippines Qatar Argentina Georgia Canada Bahrain Turkey Turkey Mexico Egypt Netherlands

Orlando Magic Atlanta Hawks Miami Heat Oklahoma City Thunder Washington Wizards Minnesota Timberwolves Portland Memphis Hustle Schalke Juventus Guangzhou LL Sportivo America Bahia Basket Spartak SP Cedevita Olimpija Panathinaikos AMA Qatar Sports Club Penarol Kutaisi Windsor Al-Hala Ankara DSI Konyaspor Dorados Sporting Rotterdam

Ass’t Coach

Milwaukee Bucks

COACHES/STAFF Frank Johnson

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Dearica Hamby Sandra Garcia Chelsea Douglas Amber Campbell

WNBA Puerto Rico Romania Ireland

FOOTBALL Jessie Bates III K.J. Brent Greg Dortch Duke Ejiofor Phil Haynes Kevin Johnson Marquel Lee Joe Looney Mike Weaver Kyle Wilber John Wolford Willie Yarbary

NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NAFL NFL NFL NAFL

S WR WR DE OL CB LB OL PK LB QB DL

Las Vegas Aces and Italy Indias De Mayaguez Phoenix Constanta Ambassador UCC Glanmire Cork

Cincinnati Tampa Bay Carolina Houston Seattle Buffalo Oakland Dallas Massachusetts Oakland LA Rams Massachusetts

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

NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL

NY Jets Carolina Chargers Indianapolis Chargers Seahawks Bengals

Dir Player Personnel Strength Coach Executive VP of Football Operations OLB Coach Scout Assistant WR coach Defensive Coordinator

MEN’S GOLF

Bill Haas Webb Simpson Billy Andrade Jay Haas Gary Hallberg Scott Hoch Curtis Strange Len Mattiace Kyle Reifers Will Zalatoris

PGA PGA Champions Champions Champions Champions Champions Web.com Web.com Web.com

FIELD HOCKEY Lauren Crandall Michelle Kasold Melissa Gonzalez (Coach)

MEN’S TENNIS Noah Rubin Petros Chrysochos

USA National Team (Retired Fall 2016) USA National Team (Retired Spring 2017) USA National Team (Captain)

ATP ITF Futures

NASCAR PIT CREWS Kevin Harris (football) No. 19 Spencer Bishop (football) No. 15 Dion Williams

INACTIVE

Ryan Anderson Alex Bachman Tommy Bohanon Brandon Chubb Matt Colburn, II Michael Campanaro

NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL

OL WR FB LB RB WR

Joe Gibbs Racing (Daniel Suarez) Premium Motorsports (Ross Chastain) Drive for Diversity recruiter

NY Jets LA Rams Free Agent Carolina LA Rams Free Agent

COMPLIANCE CORNER

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

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

For a number of years, elite studentathletes have had the opportunity to protect their future earning potential by purchasing insurance policies that cover various catastrophic injuries. Recent NCAA legislative changes, however, have made it possible for institutions to assist student-athletes by paying the premiums for these policies on their behalf. The two most common types of insurance for student-athletes are Permanent and Total Disability (PTD)

Stay Downtown. Connect Downtown.

Located downtown three miles from WFU’s campus, the Winston-Salem Marriott is the city’s largest full-service hotel. Our multi-million dollar renovation is now complete - all guest rooms, new M Club Lounge and new fitness center. We adjoin the Embassy Suites by Hilton and are within walking distance to Fourth Street’s Restaurant Row and the Downtown Arts District. We are steps away from more than 45 restaurants, lounges, craft breweries, shops and galleries.

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and Loss of Value (LOV). As the name suggests, PTD insurance covers studentathletes against debilitating injuries that would render them permanently unable to participate in their sport professionally. LOV insurance allows students who have suffered an injury that impacts their draft status to recover lost income. For example, a student who was projected as a first-round pick, but suffered and injury that caused him or her to be selected in a later round, could potentially file a claim under a LOV policy. In such cases, the student could recover the difference between where they were ultimately drafted, and where they would have been drafted prior to suffering an injury. In recent years, a new form of coverage called Critical Injury insurance has also emerged. Critical injury coverage is designed to protect student-athletes against injury to specific body parts. Unlike PTD or LOV policies, which cover general injuries and illnesses, Critical Injury coverage may insure students against a specific injury such as a torn ACL or a ruptured Achilles tendon. Wake Forest has retained the services of an insurance consultant who advises our student-athletes on the various policies in the marketplace and provides them with the appropriate information to make the best decision for their situation. Several current student-athletes now have policies that have been provided by the Athletic Department, as is the case at many schools around the country. With the earning potential that now exists in professional sports, this is clearly a legislative change that has been a tremendous benefit to the well-being of our student-athletes.

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Virginia • Washington DC • Greensboro • Charlotte • Wilmington

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