WAKE WILL: THE CAMPAIGN FOR WAKE FOREST
ENTRANCE TO A PROMISING
FUTURE Bob and Michele McCreary officially open McCreary Field House, the new indoor practice facility for Demon Deacon athletics. More inside on the dedication ceremony and the facilities development success story at Wake Forest.
APRIL 2016
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VOL. 25 // ISSUE 6 (USPS 014-373) EDITOR
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CONTENTS
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ALL SMILES: The Demon Deacon joined Director of Athletics Ron Wellman and Bob McCreary at the dedication ceremony of McCreary Field House on Feb. 24. The sparkling 80,000-square foot structure, which features a 120-yard football field and weightlifting facilities for the Deacon football team, was constructed at a cost of $21 million with McCreary providing the lead gift on the project that was totally funded through private gifts.
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FROM THE AD 100% COTTEN INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? CALENDAR COMPLIANCE CORNER
// 6 McCREARY FIELD HOUSE DEDICATION Ground was broken in early September 2014 for the McCreary Field House on the Wake Forest campus. Official dedication ceremonies were held on Wednesday, Feb. 24.
// 7 THE IMPACT OF McCREARY FIELD HOUSE Head football coach Dave Clawson calls the new full-field indoor practice facility that adjoins the existing outdoor practice field “a complete game-changer.”
// 10 FACILITIES: A LOOK AT THREE SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS TCU, Notre Dame and Virginia provide models on how other schools have transformed their programs with the help of investment in facilities.
// 14 GREAT ADDITION Italian newcomer Elisa Penna joined the Deacon women¹s basketball program just after Christmas and has given the team a new dimension.
// 19 NEW HEIGHTS Skander Mansouri, a sophomore from Tunisia, helped the Wake Forest men¹s tennis team achieve its first top-5 team ranking in school history early this season. ON THE COVER Bob and Michele McCreary cut the ribbon during dedication ceremonies for McCreary Field House on Feb. 24 as Director of Athletics Ron Wellman looks on. (Photo by Ken Bennett) APRIL 2016
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// R O N W E L L M A N
Athletic department’s facilities play critical role In recent years there has been much emphasis placed on the importance of new and improved facilities throughout college athletics, and that emphasis spurs numerous questions. Are excellent facilities more important today than previously? How do our facilities compare to other Power 5 conference schools? What are our future major facility needs? The answers to these questions are important as we plot the future of Wake Forest Athletics. The quality of an athletic department’s facilities plays a critical role in, not only the development and training of our athletes, but also in the recruitment process. Recruiting prospects to our program, and all DI programs in the country, starts much earlier than ever before. Our coaches are currently evaluating high school freshmen and sophomores and have actually made offers to a number of those prospects.
RON WELLMAN DIRECTOR O F AT H L E T I C S
These young prospects are not permitted to take an official visit to our campus, which lasts 48 hours, until after their junior year in high school. The official visit gives the prospect an opportunity to look at all aspects of our program and university (attend classes, meet with coaches, spend time with his/her future teammates, tour facilities and campus). At the end of the official visit, a prospect should have a thorough understanding of our program and university. With prospects deciding which school they will attend prior to their junior year or earlier, they typically visit college campuses unofficially. The unofficial visit cannot be paid for by the university like an official visit, so the unofficial visit typically lasts just a few hours. Of course, that time
on campus condenses the experience of the prospect. It’s impossible to fit all of the activities of an official visit into the few hours of an unofficial visit. Understandably, the prospect wants to see where he or she will be spending their time training for their sport. In fact, touring the athletic facilities is often the highest priority for their campus visit. Obviously, if the prospect is not impressed with our facilities compared to the other schools that he or she is considering, we have little chance of attracting that prospect to Wake Forest. With the completion of McCreary Field House, the Arnold Palmer Golf Complex, the Haddock Golf House, the Leighton Courts at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex, the new turf at Spry Soccer Stadium, as well as the ongoing and soon to be started construction projects (Sports Performance Center, Player Development Center at David F. Couch Ballpark, new artificial turf at Kentner Stadium, new locker rooms for many sports, permanent seating for the Leighton Courts), our facilities will compare very favorably with all schools in the Power 5 conferences. Outstanding facilities allow the excellent group of coaches in our department to recruit top prospects to Wake Forest and then train and develop them at a level that was not available previously. Of course, all great programs start with “AllAmerican” coaches. We have a group of coaches at that level. When they are armed with excellent facilities, they recruit the very best athletes to our program. There is a high correlation of superb facilities and highly ranked programs. Examples of that correlation are our men’s golf program, which is currently ranked No. 3 after attracting top-five ranked recruiting classes the last three years – after the Arnold Palmer Golf Complex was completed; the women’s golf program which has brought top 10 recruiting classes to our program the last three years – again, thanks to our golf facilities; the men’s tennis program which is currently ranked No. 3 in the country, and women’s tennis has attracted top-20 ranked classes to our program the last three years thanks to our premier indoor and outdoor tennis facilities; men’s soccer was ranked No. 1 in the country most of their season, and we have one of the very best soccer facilities in the country; baseball’s 2016 outlook is very bright with some returning All-Americans and promising newcomers, and we have invested much in the David F. Couch Ballpark. The combination of great coaches and tremendous facilities produces the results that we all desire and expect. While we have made significant strides in improving our facilities, we still have plans that will carry us to an even higher level. The Sports Performance Center is critical to the future of all of our sports as it will house a much improved and needed strength and conditioning center. Another basketball practice gym and the renovation of the LJVM Coliseum is critical to our future basketball success. Continuing improvements to the David F. Couch Ballpark, the Leighton Courts, Spry Soccer Complex and our volleyball gym will be important to achieve also. How important are facilities today? You be the judge!
Go Deacs! Ron Wellman 4
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APRIL 2016
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‘DREAM COME TRUE’ DEDICATION, RIBBON CUTTING HELD FOR McCREARY FIELD HOUSE
By Sam Walker
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n the world of collegiate athletics, facilities are more than just buildings. They are statement makers, represent commitments and keep programs competitive in recruiting top studentathletes. More than buildings, they are investments.
Ground was broken Sept. 5, 2014, for the McCreary Field House and on Feb. 24, 2016, it officially opened at a dedication and ribbon cutting for a $21 million facility that will provide a place for student-athletes to train year-round in climate controlled conditions. “It wasn’t that long ago this was a dream, and now it’s a dream come true,” said Bob McCreary, who graduated from Wake Forest in 1961 and played football for the Deacons. He provided $12.5 million, the lead gift, to make the facility possible at a breakneck speed of just 18 months. The reality is Wake Forest, in the center of its campus, has an 80,000 square-foot facility with a 120-yard football field and 7,000 square-foot weightlifting facility for the football team. McCreary Field House is approximately 200 feet by 400 feet with a peak of 72 feet. The structure is constructed with 240,000 bricks, staying true to the architecture of the Reynolda Campus. To add some perspective, a 747 jet could comfortably fit inside. It was constructed with future facility improvements already planned as part of a $58 million project. The north end is designed to facilitate the “joining” of the Sports Performance Center – for which a fundraising campaign is already under way.
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“We’re here to celebrate a facility that represents Wake Forest’s commitment to excellence and to determination,” said Nathan O. Hatch, president of Wake Forest University. “I think this field house supports our overall tradition of competition at Wake Forest. Our athletic programs have long been part of that experience. It’s where discipline is practiced, where friendships are forged and where pride is proven. Bob, a former student-athlete, champions our mission to inspire students to be people and leaders of the highest caliber.” Director of Athletics Ron Wellman said, “This facility will have a positive impact on our athletic programs for many, many generations. If we are able to come back in 50 to 60 years, McCreary Field House will still be serving our student-athletes, and this will still have a positive impact upon our overall program for recruiting, training and developing the championship teams we are going to have at Wake Forest University.” McCreary said that it’s all part of giving back, but there’s so much more to it than that. “Why do we give?” McCreary asked. “Personally it’s out of a sense of obligation to institutions and people who have helped get me where I am today. Some of you sitting here today know where I came from, and we were
pretty poor, but the education and everything I got from Wake Forest really pulled me out of that. But there’s a selfish reason I give. The selfish reason that I give so much is seeing what has been accomplished with this. “My reward on Jan. 16th, when we led this (football) team in here, we walked them through, and they had never seen it. I don’t know how you pull that off, but you should have seen it. I’ve never seen kids with smiles like that. The young men, and how they were smiling, touching, looking at the weight area, and then the field ... Some of them just took off. They ran to the end zone and did their dance and cartwheels and I was just standing there looking and I said – ‘that’s the payback. What I’m experiencing here is greater than the gift I gave.’ “And this is the gift that keeps giving. The joy I get from giving, a lot of it is selfish. These are things that if I’m going to give I don’t want them here after I’m gone. I want them there now. This is the first major step. We have made that commitment, and I hope those young men standing back there with the football uniforms on understand that football is important here at Wake Forest. People care about this sport, people care about you, and you no longer are in a second-class operation. This is first class.”
DEACONS’
DELIGHT
STAFF, PLAYERS CALL McCREARY FIELD HOUSE ‘A COMPLETE GAME-CHANGER’ HEAD COACH DAVE CLAWSON
By Jay Reddick
D
ave Clawson has a lot to say about McCreary Field House, but it can all be summed up this way: “Life got a whole lot better in a hurry, and it’s only going to get even better.”
Clawson and his football team are already reaping the benefits of the McCreary Field House, which had its official dedication Feb. 24. Dealing with the cold North Carolina winter is a thing of the past for the Deacons, thanks to the new full-field indoor practice facility that adjoins the existing outdoor practice fields.
“Weather-free practice time is definitely the best thing,” Hayworth said. “The past two years, we’ve gone for drills, and it’s been 20 or 30 degrees outside. You’re fighting just to stay warm, rather than fighting to get better.”
“It’s a complete game-changer in so many areas,” Clawson said. To look inside the McCreary Field House is to see the future of WFU athletics. It’s as if the turf at BB&T Field were cloned and moved indoors and onto campus. Rising senior offensive lineman Tyler Hayworth, who has watched the structure rise behind the Manchester Center, still remembers the first time he saw inside. “I was in shock at how amazing it looked,” Hayworth said. “It’s even more than I thought. We got in there, and I’ve never seen a weight room or facility like that.”
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN TYLER HAYWORTH (NO. 78) Current players will have easier access to an all-weather spot to do drills and work out, which is music to the Deacons’ ears.
“We were in there this morning, doing things we could never do here in January or February,” Clawson said one chilly day. “The turf outside stays so slick in the winter that it’s hard to improve at football in those conditions.” “You can’t train for speed and movement when you’re cooped up in a weight room,” said Director of Sports Performance Brandon Hourigan. “We can do a lot more different things this way, and guys are enjoying coming over to train.” APRIL 2016
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The impetus for the facility started before Clawson’s arrival in Winston-Salem in 2014, but he couldn’t be happier to reap the benefits. “They had the concepts and had the master plan laid out,” Clawson said. “Fortunately for us, we had some alumni and donors step up and increase their funding to make this happen.” Clawson said that the team will spend most of spring practice in the new facility, immediately eliminating the need for schedule adjustments based on the weather. He notices the little things about the McCreary Field House as well. He said that the facility has a higher roof than some he has seen at other schools, which will be a boon to the kicking game and special-teams practice. The goalposts hang from the ceiling, which saves space on the turf for workouts. Of course, this is only the first step. The planned Sports Performance Center, which will adjoin the McCreary Field House, will bring even more dimensions to the improvement of the athletic program, with a dedicated nutrition
DIRECTOR OF SPORTS PERFORMANCE BRANDON HOURIGAN facility, a bigger strength and conditioning area, coaches’ offices and more. Hourigan said that having workouts and practice in the same building will help the Deacons make the most of their practice time each day – something as trivial as the time spent changing shoes for different surfaces can make a difference. “We spend a lot of time moving everybody from place to place, between practice and
the weight room,” Hourigan said. “Now, we can do everything all at one place, and that will probably save us 15 or 20 minutes in every practice. That’s monumental.” In the arms race of the ACC, Clawson said, this is the heavy artillery. “When all is said and done, this takes us from the lower end of facilities in the ACC to the upper end,” Clawson said. “Every time I go over there, I get goose bumps.”
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INVESTING IN FACILITIES
WAKE FOREST FOLLOWS THE LEAD OF THREE SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS – TCU, NOTRE DAME AND VIRGINIA – IN DRAMATIC TRANSFORMATION By Rob Daniels
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very situation is different and every school unique, but Wake Will: The Campaign For Wake Forest has several models to study in its athletics initiatives. What follows is a glimpse at efforts by three similar institutions, all of which transformed a high-visibility program with the help of investment in competitive and support facilities. Their successes are among the factors that inspire Wake Forest’s belief in the campaign and its impact on the future of Demon Deacon athletics.
FOOTBALL: TCU For over 100 years, both Texas Christian University and Wake Forest were affiliated with religious denominations. TCU remains associated with but not governed by the Disciples of Christ.
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Both are relatively small private institutions in major conferences. They have the two smallest alumni bases of all the Power 5 league members, in fact. In late 1995, Horned Frog football looked to be in serious trouble. The program had posted winning records in only three of the previous 30 seasons, and the Southwest Conference was imploding. TCU was not among the four SWC members invited to join the Big 12, having lost out to four more politically connected and financially hefty institutions. Although its competitive fortunes figured to improve with a move to a less challenging conference, TCU wasn’t going to be satisfied with that picture for the long term. It still aspired to reinvent itself. It wanted to return to the big time and to succeed when it did so. The university embarked on a series of facilities improvements in football with the 1996 expansion of the weight room and construction of new weight and equipment facilities. The first game-changer came in 2002 with the construction of a complex highlighted by new football offices and meeting rooms. In 2011, an indoor practice facility and 180,000-square-foot weight room arrived. The following year brought a new locker room and a new sports medicine center serving all student-athletes.
“We must continually provide students with the best possible university experience,” Victor J. Boschini, the university’s chancellor, said in 2010. “This includes building facilities to support a vibrant living experience and an outstanding learning environment.” These most recent additions are analogous to the Sports Performance Center at Wake Forest. TCU also upgraded aging Amon G. Carter Stadium in phases, adding luxury suites in 2008 and a thorough expansion and renovation in 2012. The impact has been undeniable in recruiting and results.
Rivals.com ranked the Frogs’ 2002 class 80th nationally. By 2011, they were 26th. They’ve been in the Top 50 in each of the past eight years, including the 2016 class. On the field, the Frogs won 11 or more games in six of their seven Mountain West Conference seasons. When realignment gripped college sports in 2012, the Big 12 reached out to TCU – an about-face from its shunning of the school 17 years earlier. And this would be the program’s greatest test. When last we had seen TCU in a league with Texas, Oklahoma and others, it was overwhelmed. In one especially painful stretch, the Horned Frogs won 11 total games from 1974-81. This time, TCU was ready. After a 4-8 record in 2013, its first Big 12 season, coach Gary Patterson’s club has gone 12-1 and 112. The most recent team was in contention for a College Football Playoff bid until injuries simply piled up beyond reasonable or statistically comprehensible levels.
BASKETBALL: NOTRE DAME Although the University of Notre Dame is affiliated with a division of the Roman Catholic Church, it shares many traits with Wake Forest. Both schools have bolstered their commitments to research while maintaining a firm commitment to undergraduate education. As a result, both moved up in classification according to the Carnegie Foundation in the past two decades. They have been ranked in the Top 30 National Universities according to U.S. News & World Report for each of the past 20 years. They are national in scope and student appeal. In Fall 2014, less than 6 percent of Notre Dame freshmen were from Indiana – the lowest in-state residency percentage of any member of a Power 5 conference. Less than 21 percent of new Wake Foresters were from North Carolina that year. That’s the fourth-lowest figure in the group. The student composition suggests a farflung alumni base – perhaps now and probably in the future – and that presents fundraising challenges. When college sports underwent another round of conference realignment in 2012, Notre Dame needed a new home for all sports except football and hockey. It also knew it had a friend in Wake Forest
President Nathan O. Hatch, who had served as Notre Dame’s provost, the chief academics officer, for nine years before taking his current post. Hatch worked behind the scenes as an intermediary between the ACC and Notre Dame and helped the two come together effective July 1, 2013. He knows Notre Dame, having worked there for 19 years in all, and he knew the value of having a comparable institution among the new membership. Notre Dame football is a national brand with a support network that transcends alumni to include those without formal institutional ties. Capital projects targeted to other sports are more conventional. And this is where Fighting Irish basketball is a good example for Wake Forest’s future. The program’s home court was impressive and distinctive when it opened in 1968, but with the passage of time, its appeal waned. Change was in order. As a new century dawned, the administration began a comprehensive facilities upgrade plan that benefited basketball when a new football-centric building was finished in 2005. Basketball moved into space formerly occupied by football at that point. A few years later, the arena needed more than modernization. It needed a fundamental change. College basketball attendance was stagnating nationwide. (It fell 11.7 percent from 1992-93 through 2014-15). With every game available on HD television in the comfort of home, fans were beginning to stay away. The 2006-07 Notre Dame season epitomized the trend. That year, the Irish returned to the NCAA tournament after a three-year absence, but home attendance (9,027) was the lowest in seven years and was more than 2,000 per game off from the previous NCAA tourney season. With that in mind, Notre Dame decided that less would be more. Its new venue, named the Purcell Center, would be downsized from 11,418 seats to 9,149 – a 20-percent reduction. The results have been hard to argue with. The Irish made the NCAA tournament in five of their first six seasons in the newly configured and more intimate facility (201015). The program hadn’t had that kind of sustained success since a perfect six-year run from 1985-90.
In 2015, the Fighting Irish made a run to the Elite Eight in which they nearly upended undefeated Kentucky. They also celebrated their first postseason tournament title of any sort in 2015, the ACC championship.
BASEBALL: VIRGINIA One of Wake Forest’s first ACC brethren, the University of Virginia joined the league in time for the inaugural basketball season of 1953-54. Both are fixtures in the U.S. News Top 30. Financially speaking, UVa, although officially a public institution, has had to function much like a private one such as Wake Forest because the state legislature cut its support of higher education by 57 percent from 1979 to 2011, the most recent year in which national figures were available. From Fall 2002 to Fall 2014, UVa’s cost of attendance for in-state students jumped 115 percent – the largest increase of any major public university in the country. UVa, in other words, is every bit as dependent on philanthropy as Wake Forest is. Virginia’s baseball team didn’t compete in the ACC’s inaugural season, 1954, and it didn’t win a league game in its maiden voyage in 1955. The program was run out of a broom closet. Literally. The coaches’ office was a converted storage space in which adults could not comfortably stand. The field was a hybrid, and that’s a nice way to put it. The outfield was grass, but the infield APRIL 2016
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in 2002, the school dedicated what was essentially a new facility, equipped with 5,025 seats, new concourses and lights. Coach Brian O’Connor arrived in 2004, and his immediate success triggered further improvements. The 2010 campaign brought a new clubhouse, a meeting room, a video room and new batting cages. The field was replaced in 2012, and a video board welcomed the 2013 season. Playing in a home worthy of ACC baseball, the Cavaliers have delivered one of the most remarkable turnarounds in NCAA history. They made the College World Series in 2009 and again in 2011. They lost in the championship series in 2014 but went all the way a year ago. The title was the ACC’s first since Wake Forest claimed the crown in 1955. was hand-me-down artificial turf from the football stadium. There were no lights. Things were so glum that a long-range plan in 2001 suggested scholarships would be eliminated without the infusion of philanthropic cash. An anonymous donor got the stadium renovations going, and
Wake Forest is making its own commitment to baseball. The first major investment was the University’s purchase of the former Ernie Shore Field in 2009. Replacement of the playing surface (2011), the installation of a video board (2012), new seats (2013) have followed.
And in November of 2015, Wake Forest announced that construction would start on a 41,000-square-foot improvement plan complete with a new locker room, training room, video area, team meeting space and other amenities. Work is scheduled to be complete in time for the 2017 season. The Deacons appear poised for improvement in 2016 and in the future. They return their top three run-producers from a year ago, including Will Craig, the program’s first ACC Player of the Year since 2003 and the second since 1983. Coach Tom Walter’s team has produced winning overall records in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2006-07. The four full seasons with enhancements in place have been better than the four previous campaigns. The examples established by comparable institutions, when combined with Wake Forest’s historical commitment to forward thinking, bode well for the future of the Wake Will campaign and its impact on Demon Deacon athletics. For the University and its benefactors, the matter is now one of finishing the jobs.
Your donations of clothes, household items, and sports gear help fund employment and training programs that enable people from all walks of life to find better jobs and create brighter futures for themselves and their families. 12
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APRIL 2016
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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
// E L I S A P E N N A
IMMEDIATE IMPACT ELISA PENNA COMES ALL THE WAY FROM ITALY IN MIDSEASON AND HELPS MAKE WFU A DIFFERENT TEAM By Sam Walker
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lisa Penna traveled almost 4,500 miles from Bergamo, Italy, sight unseen to attend Wake Forest University and to play collegiate basketball halfway through the academic year and basketball season.
For her, it was a calculated leap of faith. Wake Forest welcomed Penna to the team uncertain of much as well but knowing Penna had a great upside to her game and plenty of potential. Head coach Jen Hoover said that the whole process was really “kind of quiet until she was in the United States and on the Wake Forest roster.” Since joining the team, Penna’s play has been anything but quiet. Penna, who is quite versatile at 6-3, played her first game Dec. 28 against Hampton University and, in her first 15 outings, is averaging 9.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest and playing more than 32 minutes per game.
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and it was like she had been here all year,” junior forward Milan Quinn said. “She is definitely a facing four, and she can knock down the three, so when she is on the wing it opens up the inside for us, which is something we didn’t really have before. I think we’ve all benefited from her being here because teams have to be worried about everybody on the perimeter, and that opens the inside more.
She has scored in double figures in 10 of 16 games (through the Feb. 19 game versus Notre Dame), and has two double-doubles. The first came in an 11-point, 10-rebound outing against Virginia on Jan. 10, and the second was a 10-point, 10-rebound performance in a 64-58 victory over Duke on Feb. 14. Little did either know how quickly she would adjust to a new style of play, a new team, new coaches and a new culture. “She came in the day after Christmas, and we had two practices, and then we played
“She is finesse player, but she can shoot it, she can drive it, she can rebound. … If you play off her, she can hit a three, and if you are up in her face, she can step back. People weren’t expecting that at all. It was a new look to the team. We were a totally different team.” There were calculated uncertainties both embraced, but little did they know her midyear addition would provide such a different dimension to the team while adding a whole new day-to-day experience for Penna. “Here is so different from Italy, but they are small differences,” Penna said. “There isn’t any one thing that I don’t really like other than not being able to talk to my family. I am able to text them in the morning – my
morning – but usually when I am up they are sleeping since they are six hours ahead. “Monday is our free day so we can see each other with Skype. That’s the hardest part of staying here – not seeing family. The food, at the beginning, was hard to find the right food to eat, but now I have adjusted. The language is not going so well with the speak, but listening, I’m improving. “The girls are amazing and helping me a lot, and we are getting better day by day. It’s because of the teammates and the staff. Coach speaks very fast, and my teammates explain slowly so I can understand what plays and what they ask of me.” The journey to Wake Forest actually began two summers ago when assistant coach Clarisse Garcia contacted Penna wanting to know if she was interested in bringing her game stateside. “I wasn’t sure then, so last year I decided to stay in Italy,” Penna said. “This past summer she came and asked me again if I was interested, and I said yes because this is the best feeder. It’s so difficult to play at a high level in Italy, so I decided to start here. I know here the school is so good, and they care about the school, but you play, too. So you are able to play and study, too.” According to Hoover, it’s fairly uncommon to bring in a player mid-season, but Penna’s situation was unique. “With your international students, you have to get their transcripts translated, you have to translate what the core GPA is, and then you have to get a working visa among other things, so it’s not it’s something that can happen in two days,” Hoover said. “You have to be accepted to the school, and she had to wait to meet with her embassy to get all that done and we only found about her (desire to play at Wake Forest) until about two weeks before school started. We knew it wasn’t going to happen that quickly. “We knew about her by word of mouth and through some people we knew, we had heard she might be going to another school. But (former Deacon) Dearica Hamby had some influence. And by September, we knew we had a good chance we could add her at Christmas.” Penna joined the team in Miami, Fla., the day after Christmas, having had limited prior contact other than phone calls, email and a Skype call. Since then, the team has been getting healthier and better at the right time of year. Including the Jan. 21 victory over North Carolina, Wake Forest won six of eight (through Feb. 17).
ELISA Penna YEAR: Freshman
JOINED THE TEAM: Dec. 26 and played her first game Dec. 28 as Wake Forest played Hampton in the “Surfing Santa Classic” at Florida International University
POSITION: Forward HOMETOWN: Bergamo, Italy MAJOR: Undeclared
TOP ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS: At Wake Forest has recorded two doubledoubles with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Virginia on Jan. 10 and added 10 points and 10 rebounds against Duke on Feb. 14 in a victory over the Blue Devils; Won a bronze medal during the 2014 U20 European Championship with Italy and was named to the All-Tournament team; Was also on the silver medal U20 team in 2013 at the European Championship and the bronze medal U16 team at the 2011 European Championship; With Greas Basket Milano club team, Penna won four championships; Won the 2009-10 championship on the U15 team, the 2010-11 and 2011-12 championships with the U17 team and the 2012-13 championship with the U19 team; Also won a U19 championship with Reyer Venezia in 2012-13.
Penna also earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors on Jan. 25 after setting career highs against UNC and Boston College. Penna had 18 points and five steals against the Tar Heels and 22 points against Boston College in a game where she was a perfect 12 of 12 from the foul line. “I think the strongest part of her game is her basketball IQ,” said her teammate and roommate Ariel Stephenson. “She may struggle with what we are asking for, but she always figures out a way to understand. It’s that way with everything. I’d say she has acclimated very well.” Hoover said that Penna’s abilities on the court have been a welcome addition. “She has opened up a lot of the offense for us and a lot of the offense we already run just gives us so much more versatility having a post player who can shoot it,” Hoover said. “She’s a great passer and (at 6-3) is really a guard. We just happen to be playing four guards even though Elisa is my height. She’s a big guard. When she gets a smaller player on her, she likes to post up and hit that turnaround jumper. “But what she has been able to add to the team gives our post players more one-on-one looks inside and takes the
pressure off some of our scoring guards because they can make that one extra pass. “Now we’re a month and a half playing with each other, and now we’ve started to understand how to play with each other and what each of us brings to the table. It’s a good time to do that, and you have to look at our leaders keeping us together and to stay the course. This team believes in each other. I would have loved to have Elisa here in the first part of the season, but now we can have her catch up, and she can graduate and go right into a pro contract. We’re excited about our future, and Elisa is part of that.”
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APRIL 2016
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GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
MEN’S TENNIS
BOTH
SIDES OF THE
STORY
TENNIS STAR SKANDER MANSOURI BLENDS POWER, GRACE
// S K A N D E R M A N S O U R I
M
astering the game of tennis requires many qualities. You need the mind to calculate shot angles, but you also need the athleticism and grace to execute them.
Skander Mansouri is pursuing a major in mathematical business and a minor in dance. It’s no wonder he’s the man leading Wake Forest’s men’s tennis program to new heights this season. Mansouri, a sophomore from Tunis, Tunisia, won the ACC’s Player of the Week award in early February after raising his record against ranked opponents this season to 7-3. By mid-February, he raised his own national singles ranking to No. 28 – and more importantly, he helped Wake Forest to its first top-5 team ranking in school history. And the Deacons really have Skander’s mother, Rim Mansouri, to thank for it. It was Rim Mansouri who pushed her son to stick with tennis as a youngster in Tunisia even when he wanted to quit. When Skander was a teenager, the game finally clicked for him.
“When I was 5 years old, my mom decided to get me lessons at a tennis club,” Skander said. “I found friends there, but I wasn’t a great player when I was young – I couldn’t win a lot. There were times I wanted to stop, By Jay Reddick but she didn’t let me until I was one of the top players in Tunisia, when I was about 14 or 15. I’m glad she did.” APRIL 2016
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SKANDER MANSOURI BIRTHDATE: July 23, 1995 CLASS: Sophomore MAJOR: Mathematical Business FAVORITE WFU MOMENT: “Beating Oklahoma this season (on Jan. 31, the first of two wins over the Sooners). I was on the court with two points to clinch the match, our first win over a top-5 opponent in a long time (since 2005). I missed both points by a little, but then I was in a break when we clinched the match – it was such a great feeling. Then I went out and won my match in three sets.” FAVORITE BOOK: “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business,” by Charles Duhigg FAVORITE SPORTS MOVIE: “Hoosiers” FAVORITE ATHLETE TO WATCH GROWING UP: “Malek Jaziri, a Tunisian tennis player. He grew up without good conditions to play in, but became a top-100 player in the world.” IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANY ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? “Roger Federer. I think he’s not human.”
together on purpose. He had the mathematical prowess long before he committed to Wake Forest, but the dancing came later. “Back home, before I came to school I couldn’t play tennis for six months because of an eligibility issue,” said Mansouri, now 20. “There were a couple of classical dances during that time. I decided to practice a little bit, and I really enjoyed it.” Mansouri was a good student during his freshman year, earning Academic All-ACC honors. But he said one of his biggest adjustments as a sophomore was balancing the heavier workloads of tennis and academics. “If I was missing an exam on Friday for a road trip, last year I wouldn’t always know how to handle it,” Mansouri said. “This year, I’ve learned to study better on the road, prioritize and set goals for myself – it’s too easy to get behind.” Dance can be a gentle art form, but Mansouri’s tennis game is built around power – the 6-foot-3 sophomore said his serve and forehand are the best parts of his game. “I rely on my serve a lot,” Mansouri said. “When I’m serving, there aren’t usually a lot of long rallies. Anything I get off returns is really just a bonus.”
Mansouri grew into one of the top juniors not only in Tunisia, but the world. He competed in Junior Davis Cup, was in the boys’ brackets at both Wimbledon and the French Open and won two doubles titles as an amateur at professional Futures events. That was plenty to put Mansouri on the map for U.S. college programs, and when Mansouri made a connection with coach Tony Bresky at a Grand Slam event, Wake Forest was the beneficiary. Mansouri showed obvious promise as a freshman, especially in a doubles team with Christian Seraphim; the pair reached as
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high as No. 9 nationally. But this season, as he has established himself as a stalwart at No. 1 or No. 2 singles, his stature has grown as quickly as his importance to the team. “We’re better prepared this season,” Mansouri said of the Deacons. “We’re really deep, with lots of different game styles, so it makes our lineup versatile. “High expectations help, too. The coaches have set the bar pretty high. Sometimes it’s a lot of pressure, but we like it that way.” The two sides of Mansouri’s education – the mental and the physical – didn’t really come
As his game has become more wellrounded, he has learned more about winning close matches against top competition. In the first month of the spring dual season, Mansouri outlasted opponents from Oklahoma and South Carolina in three-set thrillers, then withstood a long 1210 tiebreaker in a key victory against Nick Crystal from No. 6 USC. All of it has helped the Deacons toward their ultimate goal, success as a team in the postseason. The squad won a schoolrecord 24 matches in 2014-15, reaching the Sweet 16 for the third time in school history. This year, they have their sights set on championships. “I think it’s a reachable goal, definitely,” Mansouri said. “We’ve got a lot of momentum. Our doubles are as good as any other team in the country, and after that I like our chances against anybody.”
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APRIL 2016
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100% COTTEN
// S TA N C O T T E N
Hardcourt to Hardball
S TA N COTTEN VOICE OF THE DEMON DEACONS
Superstitions in baseball are legendary. I could write a daily column and fill it with all kinds of stories and tales about a game whose pace provides ample time to think “outside” the batter’s box and create all kinds of craziness. If you’ve ever played baseball, at any level, you know what I’m talking about.
he lit up and knew exactly that spring was coming early – or so said Punxsutawney Phil. No shadow, early spring. Bank on it.
Tom Walter is in his seventh season as the head coach of the Demon Deacons. To me, his persona doesn’t scream baseball. Put a white coat on him, place a stethoscope around his neck and tell me he’s an orthopedic surgeon – and I’d believe you. He’s calm, cool and collected. But he’s all baseball, too. Whether or not he’s one of the game’s superstitious types, I couldn’t say, but when I sat down with him recently and made a not so vague reference to a certain Pennsylvania groundhog
“The guys are ready, they’ve been working hard, and we got good news from Punxsutawney Phil,” Walter chuckled. “We’re pleased with his prognosis of the early spring.”
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And regardless of groundhogs or shadows or even the calendar, baseball is here. And Walter is eager to get things started with the season already a few games in.
As winter melts and so many eyes start to turn away from the hardcourt to the hardball, the Deacons embark on the 2016 season with a heavy anchor in reigning ACC Player of the Year Will Craig who last season had one of the best offensive seasons ever at Wake Forest. “It’s always good to start with the “big bopper” in the middle, the guy you know is going to drive in runs and be there at clutch time,” Walter says of Craig. “But we’ve got a whole group of guys who can really hit. When you look at our lineup 2-7, it’s about as potent as it gets.” Walter’s words rang true in the Deacs’ very first game of the season, a 3-1 win over visiting Georgetown. Freshman infielder Johnny Aiello was 2 for 2 with two home runs and two walks. Not a bad debut for part of that group surrounding everybody’s All-America Craig. “You never predict something like that, certainly,” Walter explained after the seasonopening victory. “He’s been swinging the bat
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really well for us, and his work ethic is off the charts, so we knew he’d come in here and play well.” Wake’s soft spot in recent seasons has been consistency on the mound. The Deacs have added pitching depth this season, and Walter says junior righthander Parker Dunshee will be cemented in as the Friday night starter which will help once the ACC schedule rolls around. “Last year we had to use him in a variety of roles,” Walter explains. “This year we’re putting him in there on Friday night and just leaving him there. He can match up with the other Friday night guys in the league and get us a win, and wins are hard to come by in our league. So you need a shutdown guy on Friday night, and we finally have that.” So where will this team – long on offense and fortified pitching – wind up when spring is here for real and summer is not long off? Its coach believes where it belongs. “We go as our offense goes,” Walter states. “If we’re going good offensively, the pitchers relax a little more. They’re not as keyed up to make huge pitches, they just need to make decent pitches. If our pitchers are solid and don’t walk people, we’re going to be a tough team to beat. “This team should finish above .500 in the ACC, so that’s a goal of ours. For all intents and purposes that gets you into the NCAA Tournament. This team believes it will be in postseason play. This club has great leadership so just getting there won’t be enough. We’re looking forward to it.” That doesn’t sound like superstition to me. That sounds like a group that expects a lot to happen and has worked to make sure that it does. Sounds good to me. Play ball!
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INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
Time is Almost Up to Transform the Future of Wake Forest Athletics
BA R RY FA I R C L O T H A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT & SALES
It’s here! The March 31 deadline for the Sports Performance Center match is upon us, and we need your help. This is a moment in the history of Wake Forest Athletics that will forever be remembered as a time when Wake Forest training facilities took a dramatic step toward Championship caliber. Through the Sports Performance Center match made possible by Bob McCreary and Ben Sutton, all donations to the Sports Performance Center until March 31 will be matched dollar for dollar. That’s right, you give and Bob and Ben will double your gift. The 95,000-square-foot Sports Performance Center is a game-changer for Wake Forest Athletics. Benefiting all athletic programs, it will create a permanent strength and conditioning area, nutrition space, much needed coaches’ office upgrades and other team spaces. As I think about the need for the Sports Performance Center, I think of the assets that our coaches need for success – assets that I liken to a quiver of arrows. The quiver for Wake Forest consists of several truly strong arrows, including:
1. An education at a Top 25 school. 2. An Office of Professional and Career Development that is first in its class. 3. A Power Five conference to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. 4. Competition facilities that are some of the finest in the country. 5. Top-level coaching staffs that are experienced, hungry for championships and have the drive to succeed unlike any team of coaches I have ever seen. 6. Tradition of success across the board in our programs. However, if there were an arrow missing from the quiver, it would be the presence of effective strength and conditioning and nutrition facilities. Fortunately, this critical element is so close to seeing the dramatic and game-changing improvement it so badly needs. As you walk through the newly constructed McCreary Field House with its 120-yard artificial turf field benefiting all athletic programs at Wake Forest, you see an incredible facility that is now the envy of the entire country. This facility is also now the temporary home to a new state-ofthe-art weight room exclusively for Wake Forest football. With its sparkling new equipment, this weight room has already made a tremendous impact on the football program. All of this further illustrates just how far we’ve come and how important it is to complete the final piece of this project, the Sports Performance Center. The Sports Performance Center is truly the missing arrow in the quiver for Wake Forest Athletics. It will be the catalyst for bringing our program to the next level — a level where five-star recruits are a reality and where we’re able to train and develop our studentathletes far beyond what we ever thought possible. As the clock winds down, I urge you to help us in this critical time and consider making a gift* to support our efforts. Gather up your toilet paper because championships are coming, and it will soon be time to roll. *To make your gift, please visit wakewill.wfu.edu/ lets-roll
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INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
SAVE THE DATE: FOOTBALL SPRING GAME AND REUNION WEEKEND The football spring game will be held on April 9 at BB&T Field. We also invite all football alumni to reconnect with friends and former teammates and stay engaged with Wake Forest Athletics by attending the reunion April 8-9. Remain on the lookout for more information coming soon.
Keep up with the Deacon Club on Facebook, Twitter and NOW 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 NOW on Instagram! @WFUDeaconClub NEW! Facebook.com/WFUDeaconClub @WFUDeaconClub @DeacOnTheRun @BarryFaircloth
Recruit a Deac. Get a Signing Bonus. Have you heard about the exciting new Deacon Club referral program “Recruit A Deac?” With just two easy steps, there’s no better way for you to make a lasting impact on Wake Forest Athletics. Step 1: Recruit for Us Visit deaconclub.com/referrals to submit your referrals or send by phone, email or mail. • 336.758.5626 • DeacClub@wfu.edu • 499 Deacon Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27105 Step 2: Get a Signing Bonus Earn priority points for any new or increased giving to the Annual Fund by one of your recruits. Earn 1 point for every $100 donation and 5 additional points for every 5 new members you recruit. Keep up with “Recruit A Deac” on the Deacon Club’s social media accounts for updates on the leaderboard and exciting prizes.
Save the Date for Homecoming and Varsity Club Weekend This year we’re bringing two of your favorite events together – Varsity Club Weekend and Homecoming! We hope you’ll be able to join fellow Deacon fans, Varsity Club members, Wake Forest coaches and staff on Friday, Oct. 28, and Saturday, Oct. 29. The Deacs will play Army at the Homecoming football game on Saturday (game time TBA). More information will be provided in the coming months.
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DONOR PROFILE
// F O U R T H A N N U A L S T E WA R D S H I P B R U N C H
Fourth Annual Stewardship Brunch Celebrates Scholarship Donors
N
early 300 student-athletes, coaches and donors gathered in the Snead Club Room in Bridger Field House on Feb. 6 for the fourth annual Stewardship Brunch, hosted by the Deacon Club in honor of scholarship donors. Those in attendance helped fund scholarships for more than 350 Wake Forest student-athletes through the establishment of endowed athletic scholarships and contributions to the Deacon Club Annual Fund.
Wake Forest football senior Ryan Janvion (’16) then took the podium for the invocation followed by an opportunity for donors and studentathletes to get to know one another over brunch – always a highlight of the event. Of special note were members of the John Hicks Society in attendance, comprised of donors who have established endowed scholarships, as well as the Moricle Society and Locker Room Club. Moricle Society donors contribute the equivalent of one full scholarship for a student-athlete each year and Locker Room Club Members a half scholarship. Special guest speaker Ovie Mughelli (’03).
Following brunch, Barry Faircloth welcomed Wake Forest alum Ovie Mughelli (’03) to the podium. Mughelli, a four-year letterman, was a member of the Wake Forest football team from 1998-2002. After graduating from Wake Forest, he was a fourth-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens and spent nine years in the NFL playing for the Ravens and Atlanta Falcons. Following his NFL career, he has continued his love of football as a sports analyst. Mughelli began by speaking of his love of and appreciation for Wake Forest. “I appreciate that I went to Wake Forest University – a place where not only are athletics a priority but so are academics and the culture,” he said. “We at Wake Forest breed a culture of excellence where we want everyone to succeed, where we push for each other and are always trying to go a little bit higher and do a little bit more. That tireless work ethic is something we use for the rest of our lives.” As Mughelli continued his speech, he discussed how Wake Forest changed his life, particularly due to the generosity of scholarship donors. “Everything that I’ve done in my life is because I had the opportunity to go to Wake Forest,” he said. “Donors like those in attendance today – who give from their hearts because they see the potential in student-athletes – gave me the opportunity to go to Wake Forest, and I can’t thank them enough for how much they’ve impacted my life and how much they’ve changed me.” Mughelli received a standing ovation at the conclusion of his speech. New to this year’s event was a panel discussion moderated by Mughelli. Panel participants included Board of Trustees member and scholarship donor Jim Marino, former Wake Forest football player Kevin Smith (’00) and senior field hockey player Krysta Wangerin (’16).
Barry Faircloth, Associate Athletic Director of Development, began his introduction by thanking the scholarship donors in attendance. “Scholarship donors provide for the needs of our student-athletes both on and off the field including everything from their health and wellness to their education and tutors,” he said. “None of that could happen without the donors that are sitting here today, and on behalf of the Athletic Department, we thank you for your resources to help provide the total scholarship experience in order to Develop Champions.”
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Student-athletes mingle with scholarship donors over brunch.
Panel discussion led by Ovie Mughelli (’03). Participants included Jim Marino, Kevin Smith (’00) and Krysta Wangerin (’16).
Marino, who along with his wife Pat established the Hamilton-Marino Family Scholarship – a scholarship for first-generation student-athletes – began by reflecting on why he chose to give back to Wake Forest Athletics through an endowed scholarship. “For Pat and myself, we were both firstgeneration college students, and we learned first-hand through that experience of the special needs and personal challenges that a first generation college student confronts,” he said. “We also knew from experience that graduating could put you on a trajectory that would change your life and that of your family for generations to come.” Marino continued, “An endowed scholarship is a gift that never stops giving. Each and every year
there will be an athlete pursuing his or her love of a sport and getting ready to graduate because of the generosity of someone who endowed a full scholarship. That’s a very powerful legacy.”
Field Hockey Scholarship Fund, then expressed her deep thanks to the donors in attendance.
Former Wake Forest football player Kevin Smith then discussed his motivation for giving back as a donor.
“Scholarship donors are fulfilling our childhood dreams,” she said. “Speaking for all studentathletes, thank you so much. Without you, we wouldn’t be here and wouldn’t have the same opportunity of being a Demon Deacon.”
“I understand what it’s like to be a studentathlete and how important it is to have the things that help you compete at the highest level like facilities and equipment,” he said. “In addition, giving back is what I was brought up to do. You support those institutions that have helped you get to the next level.”
Director of Athletics Ron Wellman then took the podium to offer closing remarks. He also thanked the donors in attendance saying, “We thank you for having the impact that you have upon the lives of student-athletes not only now but in the future. Thank you for what you are doing for student-athletes at Wake Forest.”
Field hockey senior Krysta Wangerin, the current recipient of the WF Athletic/Academic Excellence
To view the Stewardship Brunch photo album and video recap, please visit the Deacon Club website.
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
1 Deacon Club member Matt Harrington (’99) and son Elliott take in a men’s basketball game.
2
2 Deacon Club endowed scholarship donors Gwen Fletcher (’76) (left) and Dr. Stephanie Glenn (’77, MD ’81) (right) cheer on the recipient of their scholarship, junior volleyball player Caroline Wolf (center).
3
3 Wake Forest football alum Ovie Mughelli (’03) (center) poses with current Wake Forest football players Cortez Lewis (left) and Patrick Osterhage (right) at the fourth annual Deacon Club Stewardship Brunch.
APRIL 2016
27
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
//
D A N I E L L E S C H WA R T Z A U E R B A C H
I
n each issue, Where Are They Now showcases a former Wake Forest student-athlete. Danielle Schwartz Auerbach (‘05) was a member of the Wake Forest women’s tennis team from 2001-2005 and accumulated 126 career wins – 54 in singles and 72 in doubles. Her doubles win total slots her 13th in program history. The Demon Deacons won 53 dual matches and played in three NCAA Tournaments in her time with the team. She was a member of the 2002 squad that achieved the school’s highest national ranking of No. 2 and reached the national tournament’s quarterfinal round.
Danielle Schwartz Auerbach
When did you graduate from Wake Forest? 2005 What was your major and/or minor? Major in communication, minor in journalism What does being a Demon Deacon mean to you? Being a Demon Deacon means so much to me. I talk about my time and experience at Wake Forest all the time with my husband, my family and my friends. And, I have already taught my 3-year-old twins to say “Go Wake” and “Go Deacs.” I feel proud every day that I graduated from a university that excels in academics and in athletics despite being one of the smallest Division I schools. Some of my best friends are friends I made at Wake, and we often reminisce about our amazing years there. Why are you still involved in Wake Forest Athletics? I truly loved being a student-athlete at Wake Forest. When I was there, there were less than 350 student-athletes, so for the most part everyone knew everyone, and it really felt like one family caring about and supporting each other. We cheered each other on at our respective sports whenever we could and did a lot of bonding in the weight room, in the training room and at various student-athlete events. I made lifelong friends and lifelong memories being a student-athlete at WFU and want others to experience the same.
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Why do you feel it is important to give back to the University? I was fortunate enough to get a full scholarship to play tennis at Wake Forest, and I want to do anything I can to help young student-athletes have the same incredible opportunity. I will never forget my time at Wake and hope that current and future generations of Demon Deacons will have the chance to create their own lasting memories. Also, to continue to compete for ACC and national championships, Wake needs to constantly be updating and improving its facilities. During a recent trip to WFU, I was thoroughly impressed with the newest renovations and upgrades, which I know will help out tremendously with recruiting. What is your current occupation? I worked in sports production at Fox Sports Net Florida/Sun Sports in Orlando and then at ESPN in Bristol, Conn. I then went to New York University, where I received my master’s degree in sports business. Currently, I’m at home with my 3 year-old twins. What is your favorite memory of your time at Wake Forest? There are so many wonderful memories, but some that top the list are: When we were ranked No. 2 in the country and made the NCAA Championship Elite Eight during my freshman year, being named co-captain of the team my senior year, when we beat Duke 6-1 on my Senior Day, and being a co-chair of Santa’s Helpers.
What makes you most proud of Wake Forest? I am so proud of the education I received at Wake Forest. And, I am proud of being a graduate of a school that cares about academics and community service as much as it cares about athletics. When people ask me where I went to college, I feel such a sense of pride answering Wake Forest, a school with so much integrity. Also, I love our motto, Pro Humanitate (For Humanity), a calling to use our knowledge, talents and compassion to better the lives of others. When you come back to Wake Forest, you always… Visit the new outdoor tennis stadium, visit the indoor tennis center, take a walk around the Quad and order the potato chips at the Village Tavern. I was there when… The field hockey team won three consecutive National Championships and the men’s basketball team led by Chris Paul was ranked No. 1 in the country during the regular season. Who is your favorite coach at Wake Forest, current or past? Brian Fleishman, former head coach of the women’s tennis team. During my senior year in high school, I had Tommy John surgery. Fleishman knew I was having the big surgery and still took a chance on me and gave me the scholarship. I am thankful that Fleish gave me that opportunity, because my time at Wake was some of the best years of my life.
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APRIL 2016
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DEACONS IN THE COMMUNITY
3rd Annual Career Night:
An Evening of Professionalism, Networking and Education Imagine 300 studentathletes gathered in one venue, without a single pair of sneakers or piece of athletic equipment. Instead, the young men and women in attendance are dressed in business formal attire and carry black padfolios (which they received at the door in exchange for a copy of their resume). This was the scene at Wake Forest University’s 3rd Annual Career Development and Networking Night, an event hosted by Student-Athlete Development and sponsored by Allegacy Federal Credit Union. Student-athletes were treated to a buffet dinner at Deacon Tower before listening to a motivational speech delivered by Ric Elias, CEO and co-founder of Red Ventures. Elias spoke about the ways in which student-athletes can market their skills and strengths, specifically their “grit,” in the workforce. In addition, the 15 industries, employers and graduate programs in attendance delivered 60-second “elevator pitches” explaining who they are and what kind of opportunities they had to offer. During the second portion of the evening, studentathletes were then given the chance to either network with the employers or to attend 15-minute informational workshops on various topicsn— nfrom playing professional sports, to acing an interview, to proper etiquette in the business world, and so forth. Kristin Weisse, a member of Student-Athlete Development and a resume reviewer at the Office of Personal and Career Development, hosted a workshop on building a better resume. Rather than feeling like a lecture, Kristin comments that the workshop took on an interactive format and brought in a wide range of athletes
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GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
— from those who had just started writing their resumes as freshmen, to seniors who were looking to tailor their resumes to particular jobs and internships. She was particularly impressed by the athletes’ high level of engagement and the enthusiasm; notably, 305 student-athletes brought a resume to Career Night, an alltime high. A key contributor to the success of the evening was the university’s Office of Personal and Career Development. Patrick Sullivan, Assistant Director of the OPCD, notes that the relationship between Student-Athlete Development and the OPCD has grown immensely since the event’s inception three years ago, in which his group simply manned a table. This year, various OPCD staff members were present at the event to host workshops, to provide individualized career coaching sessions, and to take LinkedIn photos. Heidi Robinson, who led a workshop on carrying oneself confidently in the workplace, especially appreciated her interactions in that “student-athletes crave coaching … they are great hires because they listen to feedback and use it to improve, as this is what they do every single day on the playing field.” Enthusiastic studentathletes remained at the event as late as 9 p.m., utilizing every last second to network with employers such as NASCAR,
Hanesbrands, Inc., and The Winston-Salem Journal. Kent Garrett, a senior track and field athlete, comments: “It was fantastic to talk to employers from both large national companies and also local companies.… Overall it was a great night of professionalism, but also bred a nice environment to casually talk to working professionals.” Tanner Owen, a sophomore
on the men’s golf team, also summed up the night nicely: “While going ‘pro’ is the dream for a lot of us, we also need to have a realistic back-up plan — and Career Night helps us to understand all of the possibilities out there.”
SUN 13
MON 14
Men’s Tennis vs. Notre Dame 1pm, Moorehead State 5pm
MARCH // APRIL 2016
WAKE FOREST ATHLETICS
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WED 16
THUR 17
Baseball vs. High Point 6pm
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Women’s Tennis vs. Virginia 10am, E. Carolina 4:30pm
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Baseball vs. Charlotte 6pm
Men’s Tennis vs. Clemson 1pm, S. Carolina State 5pm
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SAT
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Track Wake Forest Open
Track Wake Forest Open
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Women’s Tennis vs. Pittsburgh 12pm
Women’s Tennis vs. Duke 12pm
Baseball vs. Duke 6pm
Baseball vs. Duke 4pm
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Women’s Tennis vs. Miami 4pm
Men’s Tennis vs. Duke 3pm
Baseball vs. Duke 1pm
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Women’s Tennis vs. Florida State 12pm
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Baseball vs. UNCG 6pm
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Baseball vs. Florida State 1pm
Deacon Club members at or above the Deacon Bench level may present their 2015-16 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.
FRI
Deacon Club 2016 Pledge Deadline
Baseball vs. Clemson 1pm
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TUE
24 Baseball vs. North Carolina 1pm
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Baseball vs. Florida State 6pm
Baseball vs. Florida State 4pm
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Baseball vs. North Carolina 6pm
Baseball vs. North Carolina 4pm
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Baseball vs. Elon 6pm
SPORTS MARKETING (336) 758-5011
SPRING FOOTBALL GAME SET FOR APRIL 9
TICKET OFFICE (336) 758-3322
The football spring game will be held on April 9, 2016 at BB&T Field. We also invite all football alumni to reconnect with friends and former teammates and stay engaged with Wake Forest Athletics by attending the reunion April 8-9. Remain on the lookout for more information coming soon!
GROUP TICKETS (Football & Basketball) (336) 758-4030 DEACON CLUB (336) 758-5626 www.deaconclub.com deacclub@wfu.edu
GoldRushCalendar_April_2016.indd 1
SAVE THE DATE FOR HOMECOMING AND VARSITY CLUB WEEKEND This year we’re bringing two of your favorite events together—Varsity Club Weekend and Homecoming! We hope you’ll be able to join fellow Deacon fans, Varsity Club members, Wake Forest coaches and staff on Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29, 2016. The Deacs will play Army at the Homecoming football game on Saturday (game time TBA). More information will be provided in the coming months.
2/19/16 11:54 AM
DEACONS IN THE PROS BASEBALL COACHES/SCOUTS Ross Atkins Neil Avent TJ Barra
MLB MLB MLB
Danny Borrell George Greer John Hendricks Michael Holmes
MLB MLB MLB MLB
Kevin Jarvis Bill Masse Matt Price Mike Rikard Eric Schmitt Adam Wogan Tommy Gregg
MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB AAA
Olafia Kristinsdottir LET Plays on the Ladies European Access Tour Allison Emrey Symetra Made Symetra Tour debut at IOA Championship in February Toronto Blue Jays General Manager Oakland A’s Area Scout New York Mets Manager of Baseball Research & Development New York Yankees Rehab Pitching Coordinator St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Offensive Strategist New York Mets National Pitching Crosschecker Oakland A’s Asst. Scouting Director/National Crosschecker Los Angeles Angels Special Assignment Scout Seattle Mariners Area Scout Kansas City Royals Area Scouting Supervisor Boston Red Sox Director of Amateur Scouting New York Yankees Director of Minor League Operations Boston Red Sox Area Scout Kansas City Omaha Storm Chasers Hitting Coach
MAJOR LEAGUES
Tim Cooney Allan Dykstra Mac Williamson
MINOR LEAGUE RANKS
Pat Blair Michael Dimock Jack Fischer Brian Holmes Connor Kaden Conor Keniry Matt Martin Matt Pirro
WOMEN’S GOLF Laura (Philo) Diaz Jean Chua Nannette Hill Natalie Sheary Michelle Shin Cheyenne Woods Marissa Dodd
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St. Louis Cardinals Free Agent San Francisco Giants Tampa Bay Rays San Diego Padres Detroit Tigers Houston Astros San Francisco Giants Washington Nationals Miami Marlins Washington Nationals
LPGA Played in 21 tournaments in the 2015 season Symetra Made 13 starts in 2015, best finish t-28th at Tullymore Classic LPGA Played in 14 tournaments in 2015, t-9th at Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic Symetra Retained to LPGA Tour in 2015 Symetra Played in 10 events in 2015, t-8th at PHC Classic LPGA Played in two events in 2016 Symetra Made Symetra Tour debut at IOA Championship in February
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
MEN’S BASKETBALL Al-Farouq Aminu NBA Tim Duncan NBA James Johnson NBA Chris Paul NBA Ishmael Smith NBA Jeff Teague NBA Coron Williams D-League Justin Gray Belarus C.J. Harris Poland Jamaal Levy Argentina Travis McKie Luxembourg Nikita Mescheriakov Sweden Ty Walker Poland David Weaver Turkey Eric Williams Poland
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Dearica Hamby Lakevia Boykin Sandra Garcia Chelsea Douglas Alex Tchangoue
San Antonio Germany Puerto Rico Germany France
MEN’S GOLF
Billy Andrade
Portland Trail Blazers San Antonio Spurs Toronto Raptors L.A. Clippers Philadelphia 76ers Atlanta Hawks Maine Red Claws Tsmoki-Minsk Rosa Radom Bahia Basket T71 LF Basket AZS Koszalin Afyon MKS DG WNBA Wolfenbuettel FoA Freiberg Lyon
Champions 4th in 2015 Charles Schwab Cup, Three titles on the Champions Tour PGA Member of United States Presidents Cup Team; 27th in the 2015 FedEx Cup Standings Jay Haas Champions Captain of United States Presidents Cup Team; 64th in 2015 Charles Schwab Cup Gary Hallberg Champions Played in 11 events in 2015 Scott Hoch Champions 38th in 2015 Charles Schwab Cup, T10th at U.S. Senior Open Len Mattiace PGA Played in six events in 2015 Kyle Reifers PGA 78th in 2015 FedEx Cup Standings; Runner-Up at the Barracuda Championship Webb Simpson PGA T6th at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro; 48th in the 2015 FedEx Cup Standings Curtis Strange Champions Made cut in all five starts in 2015 Bill Haas
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Keeping Deacon Fans
MOSQUITO FREE! Locally owned & operated by Chip & Shea Crutchfield
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SQUITO MBugsBITE.com IT Y R 800.709.1190 O H T AU com TE.
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APRIL 2016
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COMPLIANCE CORNER
// T O D D H A I R S T O N
Institutional Foreign Tours NCAA rules allow sports programs to participate in a foreign tour once every four years. In fact, two Wake Forest teams will be taking a foreign tour in 2016. The men’s soccer team will take a trip to Spain in March, and the men’s basketball team will travel to the Bahamas in August.
TODD HAIRSTON A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, COMPLIANCE
This legislative exception affords studentathletes with a unique opportunity to travel internationally while also allowing teams a few additional practices and games. While this is a common occurrence for programs across the country, there are a number of rules surrounding the foreign tour exception. Below I’ve identified five frequently asked questions regarding the NCAA’s foreign tour rules: Question No. 1: May a student-athlete participate in a foreign tour during the summer immediately after exhausting eligibility?
Answer No. 1: Yes, provided the studentathlete was eligible for intercollegiate competition during the previous academic year and has not professionalized himself/ herself. Question No. 2: May a transfer student participate in the institution’s foreign tour that occurs during the summer after the student-athlete’s year in residence? Answer No. 2: Yes. A transfer student may participate in the institution’s foreign tour that occurs in the summer following the student’s year in residence provided he/she will be eligible for competition for the fall term following the foreign tour. Question No. 3: May a transfer studentathlete in basketball participate in more than one institutional foreign tour? Answer No. 3: A student-athlete may not participate in more than one foreign tour for a specific institution; however, the studentathlete is not precluded from participating in a foreign tour for a second institution as long as he or she meets all of the other applicable eligibility requirements for the tour. Question No. 4: May a booster be involved in fundraising for a specific student-athlete participating in a foreign tour? Answer No. 4: No. It is not permissible for a booster to have any involvement in fundraising for a specific student-athlete for a foreign tour; however, general donations may be made to the athletic program. Question No. 5: May an institution purchase passports for continuing studentathletes who are required to travel with a foreign tour? Answer No. 5: Yes. An institution may purchase passports for its student-athletes who are required for travel in connection with a foreign tour, and student-athletes may retain ownership of such passports. The institution also may provide student-athletes with reasonable local transportation to obtain such passports.
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GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
Capital Project Update Thanks to the generosity of so many loyal donors, Wake Forest Athletics has experienced a great deal of success during the Wake Will campaign, but there is still a lot of progress to be made in order to ensure that we are providing the first-class facilities necessary to recruit top talent and develop champions.
Progress as of March 2016 COMPLETE McCreary Field House
Funds & Pledges Received: $21 million
Location: Reynolda Campus Construction Start: August 2014 Construction Completion: January 2016
Total Goal: $21 million
COMPLETE Soccer Game Field
Funds & Pledges Received: $1.12 million
Location: Spry Stadium Construction Start: May 2015 Construction Completion: August 2015
Total Goal: $1.12 million
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Baseball Phase I
Funds & Pledges Received: $9.5 million
Location: Wake Forest Baseball Park Construction Start: November 2015 Construction Completion: January 2017
Total Goal: $9.5 million
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Haddock House
Funds & Pledges Received: $4.4 million
Location: Reynolda Campus Construction Start: September 2014 Construction Completion: March 2016
Total Goal: $4.4 million
Progress as of March 2016 UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Southern Family Seating
Funds & Pledges Received: $1.75 million
Location: Wake Forest Tennis Complex Construction Start: March 2016 Construction Completion: August 2016
Total Goal: $1.75 million
Sports Performance Center
Funds & Pledges Received: $27.9 million
Location: Reynolda Campus Construction Start: June 2016 Construction Completion: January 2018
Total Goal: $37 million
Basketball Sports Performance
Funds & Pledges Received: N/A
Location: Reynolda Campus Construction Start: TBD Construction Completion: TBD
Total Goal: $10 million
Baseball Phase II
Funds & Pledges Received: N/A
Location: Wake Forest Baseball Park Construction Start: TBD Construction Completion: TBD
Total Goal: $4 million
Coliseum
Funds & Pledges Received: N/A
Location: Deacon Boulevard Construction Start: TBD Construction Completion: TBD
Total Goal: TBD
Note: Construction start and completion dates are anticipated.
We’re
ROLLIN’! We’ve received
% 86 MORE in commitments to the
SPORTS PERFORMANCE CENTER since we announced the match!
“
YOU’VE GOT TO GIVE TO WIN.
Winning doesn’t just happen. It’s not just about the coaches and players. We all have to give if we want to win. If we all come together and see this project through to its completion,
”
we will win.
- Bob McCreary
IF WE CAN RAISE $10 MILLION BY 3/31/16, BOB McCREARY & BEN SUTTON WILL MATCH IT!
TIME IS RUNNING OUT. ARE YOU IN?
wakew ill.w fu.edu/let s - ro ll
# L e t sRo llW F U
Athletic Endowment Update Our ability to fund athletic scholarships for more than 350 talented Wake Forest student-athletes is a key component to realizing our vision of Developing Champions. With annual scholarship costs over $14 million, the support of the Deacon Club Annual Fund as well as investment in athletic endowments is more critical than ever. The gap between funds raised for scholarships vs. scholarship costs is widening. Because of this, 26% of the Athletic Department operating budget is spent each year on scholarships, one of the highest percentages in the ACC. Reducing this number through donations allows more dollars each year to be spent on the operating expenses of the department, increasing the ability to provide additional resources to our student-athletes and ensuring our coaches and staff are paid a competitive salary. It is a long term goal of the Athletic Department to fully endow all athletic scholarships—a total endowment market value of nearly $313 million. With a current endowment market value of $29.2 million, an additional $283.75 million is needed in order to fully endow the Wake Forest athletic program. The figures below depict the widening gap between funds raised for scholarships vs. scholarship costs for athletic programs at Wake Forest.
Men’s Golf
Men’s Basketball
Scholarships/Year: 4.5 Scholarship Costs/Year: $281,421 Current Endowment: $3,803,897 Cost to Fully Endow: $6,253,800
Scholarships/Year: 13 Scholarship Costs/Year: $812,994 Current Endowment: $6,123,895 Cost to Fully Endow: $18,066,533
Women’s Golf
Women’s Tennis
Scholarships/Year: 6 Scholarship Costs/Year: $375,228 Current Endowment: $1,020,041 Cost to Fully Endow: $8,338,400 Current endowment
Scholarships/Year: 8 Scholarship Costs/Year: $500,304 Current Endowment: $983,652 Cost to Fully Endow: $11,117,867
Needed to fully endow
Note: Assumes 4.5% endowment payout
Baseball
Scholarships/Year: 11.7 Scholarship Costs/Year: $731,694 Current Endowment: $3,863,285 Cost to Fully Endow: $16,259,880
Men’s Tennis
Scholarships/Year: 4.5 Scholarship Costs/Year: $281,421 Current Endowment: $508,434 Cost to Fully Endow: $6,253,800
Men’s Track/Cross Country
Scholarships/Year: 11.6 Scholarship Costs/Year: $725,441 Current Endowment: $928,061 Cost to Fully Endow: $16,120,907
Football
Scholarships/Year: 85 Scholarship Costs/Year: $5,315,730 Current Endowment: $6,092,677 Cost to Fully Endow: $118,127,333
Volleyball
Scholarships/Year: 12 Scholarship Costs/Year: $750,456 Current Endowment: $139,499 Cost to Fully Endow: $16,676,800
Women’s Basketball
Scholarships/Year: 15 Scholarship Costs/Year: $938,070 Current Endowment: $1,161,363 Cost to Fully Endow: $20,846,000
Field Hockey
Men’s Soccer
Scholarships/Year: 9.9 Scholarship Costs/Year: $619,126 Current Endowment: $462,549 Cost to Fully Endow: $13,758,360
Scholarships/Year: 12 Scholarship Costs/Year: $750,456 Current Endowment: $329,725 Cost to Fully Endow: $16,676,800
Women’s Track/Cross Country
Scholarships/Year: 18 Scholarship Costs/Year: $1,125,684 Current Endowment: $199,723 Cost to Fully Endow: $25,015,200
Women’s Soccer
Scholarships/Year: 14 Scholarship Costs/Year: $875,532 Current Endowment: $90,859 Cost to Fully Endow: $19,456,267
Overall Athletic Program
Current endowment Needed to fully endow Note: Assumes 4.5% endowment payout
Scholarships/Year: 225 Scholarship Costs/Year: $14,083,558 Current Endowment: $29,215,778** Cost to Fully Endow: $312,967,947 **Includes $3.5 million in undesignated endowment
David F. Couch Ballpark On February 6 at a ceremonial groundbreaking for the $9.5M initial phase of Wake Forest baseball’s new Player Development Center, Wake Forest Athletics announced that the Wake Forest baseball park has been named David F. Couch Ballpark in honor of former baseball player David Couch (’84). Couch, a longtime supporter of Wake Forest Athletics and the baseball program, made the lead gift toward the new Player Development Center, which is currently under construction along the third-base line. When complete, the state-of-the-art, 41,000 square foot facility will include a team locker room, team lounge, training room, equipment room, video conference room, team meeting room, a full kitchen, coaches offices, professional players locker space, a Wake Forest baseball heritage area and an indoor batting facility. Plans for the project also include renovation and relocation of the home dugout and bullpen and construction of a pitching laboratory. Construction of the initial phase is expected to be complete in January 2017. During the ceremony, head coach Tom Walter spoke of the importance of player development and what Couch’s gift will mean to the success of the program. “Wake Forest is a unique place. I tell recruits all the time that there are three key pieces to their college lives, there’s the athletic piece, the academic piece and the personal piece. At Wake Forest, it’s not good enough to be good at two of those. You’ve got to be good at all three pieces of your life. David and I started talking about facilities and how we put all those pieces together. Then he stepped forward to make it happen. He stepped forward to make that lead gift and make this new facility a reality, and you can already see some of the results on the field right now. We have a special club this year, and we’re really excited about our future. When you put great players together with great coaches and a great facility, it’s a pretty easy recipe for success. That’s where this train is headed, and this train ends in Omaha.”
David F. Couch Ballpark In his closing remarks, Couch had a message for the players and coaches. “You guys are so fortunate to have around you a group of coaches, staff and the institution of Wake Forest who actually care more about your personal development and how you turn out as fathers, leaders, husbands, and community members than anything else. We all want to win championships, and the good news about our team and our character and integrity as Wake Foresters is that we will do that as a byproduct of doing things the right way. So I want to challenge each and every one of you to think about what your role is as a teammate and to think about what your role is in the bigger picture of the dynasty and institution of Wake Forest. Think about the fact that you’re the best lineup that we’ve ever put on the field at Wake Forest, and never delay gratitude – something I learned from Skip Prosser – never delay that gratitude to your parents, to your coaches or to the leaders of this fine institution. I just want to take a moment to reiterate how proud I am to be a member of the Wake Forest community, and how proud I am to be a member of the Diamond Deacs, and how proud I am of each and every one of you, and we look forward to seeing you in Omaha.” For more information about how you can support the baseball project and the completion of the Player Development Center, please contact the Deacon Club at (336) 758-5626.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled that David’s name is on our stadium, and it has nothing to do with the financial gift - it has everything to do with the man he is. We talk with our players all the time about setting the bar for yourself and holding yourself to the highest standard of excellence, and he does that. He does that every day with his passion, his family, his integrity and his character, and that’s why I’m honored to have his name on our stadium.” Tom Walter, Wake Forest Head Baseball Coach
From rookie to Rookie of the Year. Wake Forest Baptist Health offers athletes of all ages and skill levels a full range of orthopaedic treatment and physical therapy delivered by the region’s most experienced sports medicine team. Our new Stratford location now has extended and weekend hours. And we’re a proud partner of D1 Sports Training. To make an appointment with a physician or a physical therapist, call 888-716-WAKE or visit WakeHealth.edu/SportsMedicine.
SPORTS MEDICINE 888-716-WAKE 1901 Mooney St. (off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall)
131 Miller St.
A proud
partner