STORY OF LB HUNTER WILLIAMS LIKE MOVIE “RUDY”
DEACON
STRONG Football team bigger, more athletic thanks to strength and conditioning program
2015 FOOTBALL ISSUE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
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CONTENTS
Gold Rush is published eight times a year in August/ September, October, November/ December, January, February/ March, April, May/June and July by IMG College in conjunction with Wake Forest Athletics. Periodicals postage paid at Winston-Salem, NC 27102 and at additional mailing offices. The price of an annual subscription is $20. Members of the Deacon Club receive a one-year subscription as part of their membership. Persons wishing to subscribe to Gold Rush should send a check or money order (credit cards not accepted) to: IMG College 540 N. Trade St. Winston-Salem, NC 27101 All material produced in this publication is the property of Wake Forest University and IMG and shall not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.
// A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5
Isaiah Robinson finds some running room in a game last season. The Deacons will open the 2015 football season Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. against Elon at BB&T Field. (Photo by Donnie Roberts)
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// 6 MAKING GAINS
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The strength and conditioning program instituted by football Director of Sports Performance Brandon Hourigan is evident with a bigger and more athletic WFU squad in 2015.
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// 10 BIGGER ASPIRATIONS Linebacker Hunter Williams transitions from walking on to three-year starter and is now a senior captain for the Deacon football team.
// 14 FRESHMAN SENSATION As a redshirt freshman, Cam Serigne led Wake Forest with 54 receptions for 531 yards and five touchdowns. He set the school record for receptions in a season by a tight end and led all rookie tight ends in catches and receiving yards. ON THE COVER The Wake Forest football team has gotten bigger and more athletic thanks to its work ethic and the strength and conditioning program, which is headed by Brandon Hourigan. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
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FROM THE A.D.
// R O N W E L L M A N
Program’s success measured by finish in Director’s Cup Dear Demon Deacons, With the 2015-16 year about to begin, the anticipation and excitement that surrounds a new season is evident in all of our sports. Many of our athletes, especially our fall sports, are on campus taking summer school courses and preparing for their seasons. They are working hard, and it is easy to feel their enthusiasm about the upcoming season when you watch them prepare in the strength and conditioning room or on their practice fields. Each summer our staff updates the Athletic Department Strategic Plan. Competitive goals for each sport are established with the input of the coaches. Administrative goals, which include financial, academic, community support and facility improvements, are also identified to support our coaches and athletes. We will measure our success at the end of the year by evaluating our achievements compared to the goals that are established this summer.
RON WELLMAN DIRECTOR O F AT H L E T I C S
One of the barometers of our program’s competitive success is our finish in the Director’s Cup. It is a challenge for us to finish in the Top 25 in the Division I standings because the Cup awards points for a program’s finishes for the school’s best 20 sports. We only have 18 sports. The schools that have 25 or more sports tend to dominate the Cup finishes. However, the Cup standings still provide us with a good evaluative tool of our national competitive status. Our highest finish in the Director’s Cup was No. 23 in 200607, which produced a fifth-place finish among ACC schools. The success we achieved that year can serve as a recipe to follow in the years to come. The football team won the ACC Championship and advanced to the Orange Bowl while finishing 18th in the nation. Field
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hockey reached the national championship game, and men’s soccer advanced to the national semifinals. Both the men’s and women’s golf teams advanced through NCAA regionals to the championship tournament, and the men’s tennis team advanced to the NCAA third round with the women reaching the second round. Women’s cross country added a top 30 finish at nationals, the baseball team earned a bid to the NCAA regionals, and women’s soccer reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Track and field also scored points at both the indoor and outdoor national meets. That year we didn’t win a national championship but had two teams – field hockey and men’s soccer – advance to the final four and had 13 of our 16 sports advance to their respective NCAA tournaments. In recent years, we have not fared as well because not as many of our teams have earned invitations to post-season play. When they have advanced to their post-season tournament, we generally have not advanced deep into the tournament. However, there is every reason to believe that our Director’s Cup fortunes will begin to improve this year. Many of our outstanding athletes and some of the best in the ACC return to our teams this year. Additionally, our coaches have attracted highly ranked recruiting classes. That combination should result in a Top 50 finish in this year’s Director’s Cup standings, which is the goal that we have established in our strategic plan. Come out to enjoy and support all of our teams as they pursue ACC championships and national recognition. I look forward to seeing you at our games! Go Deacs! Ron Wellman
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GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
FEELING STRONGER EVERY DAY
FOOTBALL STRENGTH COACH BRANDON HOURIGAN HAS THE TEAM READY TO GO By Jay Reddick
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ootball fans, do not adjust your sets. Your eyes are not deceiving you: The Deacons really do look bigger and more athletic this year. The improvement can be attributed to the strong work ethic of this year’s squad and also to the second year of the strength and conditioning program instituted by football Director of Sports Performance Brandon Hourigan.
Hourigan came to Winston-Salem along with head coach Dave Clawson before the 2014 season, with the stated goal of making the Deacons the best-conditioned team in the country. And with the success stories coming out of this summer’s program, Wake Forest might have an argument for that title. Up and down the roster are players who have scored better on skills tests, improved weightlifting numbers or added weight and muscle mass. Those are big steps toward Hourigan’s ultimate goals – more victories on the field, but also a better life in the long run. “This summer, we were able to build on what we did last summer,” Hourigan said. “The older guys know what they’re up against, and we were able to give them even greater challenges. A huge factor is that those guys embraced it. It’s all for a reason – the ultimate reason is to win, but it’s to make you a better player, a better teammate and give you a better lifestyle.” Hourigan says there’s no secret formula to the success of the program, just a combination of individual care for each athlete along with their own work ethic.
“Before the program started, we sat down with the offensive and defensive coaches and went over the roster, player by player,” Hourigan said. “We met with every player for 20 minutes, sometimes as much as an hour, going over all the things I want and the coaches want out of them. And that attention – we get that back from the player. It’s a collaboration with each guy, touching upon what they need and making sure they do it every day.” That care is why Hourigan’s job is about so much more than setting workout goals and pumping iron. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education – but he also has a master’s degree in counseling. “The most time we probably spend every week is talking to the players,” Hourigan said. “If there’s an issue where a guy doesn’t understand why we’re doing this, it’s our job to see what the issue is and motivate that guy – we want you to be tough in the fourth quarter, be there and make that block or whatever. Getting through something you thought you couldn’t will help you the next time. You can feel the confidence level – ‘I can do this. I can get this done.’ – and it’s really gratifying.” Ask Hourigan who the stars of his summer program have been, and you’ll get a LONG list of players. He had special praise for the young offensive linemen, led by redshirt freshmen Phil Haynes and Justin Herron. “Haynes has tacked on 30 pounds of muscle mass,” Hourigan said. “The kid is amazing. He’s grown into his body, which is a tough transition, but he’s gotten better every day and gotten what he needs to go into the preseason. Justin had huge goals, but he came in and crushed them. If we gave him another goal to conquer, he would always come in the next day with the attitude of defeating it.”
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It stinks, but we have to do it.’ The captains really went above and beyond, and it meant a lot, especially for the young guys who haven’t been through four quarters of football yet.” Hourigan singled out fifth-year linebackers Brandon Chubb and Hunter Williams as inspirations to their younger teammates. “Brandon worked on a daily basis to reach his goals but then went above and beyond,” Hourigan said. “He wanted to bench 420, and by the end of summer, he benched 451. “Hunter is one of the best kids I’ve been around. He came in every day ready to work, setting the best example for everyone around him. I got after him to be more of a vocal leader, calling out other guys, and he’s doing great with that, too.” Williams said he has taken on that role eagerly. “It’s hard for the younger guys to know how this will translate to what we can do on the field,” Williams said. “It’s our job to show them and to give them guys to look up to who will take charge.” Hourigan has found his own leaders throughout his career, which has taken him from Plymouth State to Clemson to Arizona, the Kansas City Chiefs, Northeastern, Richmond, Virginia, Bowling Green and now Wake Forest. “I’ve always sought out people who were good and tried to learn from them,” Hourigan said. “I had a passion for learning from an early age. I met Todd Wright at Clemson – he’s now the strength coach for the Philadelphia 76ers, and he encouraged me to go to as many conferences as I could to learn from the best. Those relationships have paid off. I reached out to Joe Kenn with the Panthers about coming to meet with our guys and he drove up the next week, no questions asked. Those relationships keep you going, and that’s why I’m in it.” In the end, the strength and conditioning program is about motivation – and that’s something that goes far beyond football. “In life, you’ll hit many adversities and deal with those things,” Hourigan said. “You won’t always have football as an outlet, so you have to cherish the time you have to play, but also appreciate what it’s worth to you in the long run.”
On the defensive side of the ball, redshirt-freshman safety Demetrius Kemp’s tenacity satisfied Hourigan. “He would always push through the hard part of the zone drills, conditioning runs, the lifting,” Hourigan said. “He would come back to me and say, ‘If we win the ACC, I’m not doing this again.’ I love that. He gets it, and it inspires me every day.” Of course, Hourigan and his staff aren’t the only motivators. With a young team like Wake Forest’s, getting the veterans and captains to buy into the work was crucial. “We had Friday competitions between position groups, and that excitement was big for team-building, everybody pushing each other,” Hourigan said. “But we needed team-building day to day, and that’s what the captains were good for. We would have them do lunge walks, where everybody had to step in unison, and all hit their feet at the same time on the same yard marker. That always took a few times to get through, and every time, the captains would get louder, get their voices across to their teammates. ‘We’ve got to get this done.
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SENIOR STEPS IT UP HUNTER WILLIAMS IS READY FOR RESPONSIBILITY, CHANCE AT SUCCESS By Jay Reddick
H
unter Williams says his favorite sports movie is “Rudy.”
And why wouldn’t it be? The story of an overlooked kid who walks on to a major-college team and gets his moment in the sun is inspirational. For Williams, it’s especially so. The Wake Forest-Rolesville product received no scholarship offers to play football out of high school, despite all-conference talent. His 4.66 grade-point average meant he could pick schools for other reasons, though, and he headed a few dozen miles west to WFU as a walk-on. The biggest difference between Williams and “Rudy”? Rudy just got on the field for a few plays. Williams had bigger aspirations, and he is achieving them.
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“A lot of these guys haven’t been through a 12-game season before, certainly not at this level,” Williams said. “They need to learn what it takes, how to prepare the body and the mind, and how to show up ready to go.” As a captain, Williams is getting better at giving encouragement or advice in the moment, but his forte so far has been preparation. “We’ve got to get the younger guys in a position to play hard,” Williams said. “Once you’ve nailed the process down, understand the expectations, that becomes an aspect you can hopefully take on yourself. We know you’ll work hard, now bring it on.” Williams has a lifetime of experience in mentoring younger players – he’s the oldest of four brothers, all of whom played football on some level, from high school down to pee-wee.
Williams had 60 tackles from his linebacker position last year, including seven for lost yardage. The redshirt senior is now entering his third year as a starter.
“I love football so much I don’t even remember when I started,” Williams said. “Sports have just always been a part of our family. I’m a competitive person, and football is a great outlet – back in the day, we had some battles in our backyard.”
This year, he’s a team captain – responsible not only for his own development, but the motivation of a passel of youngsters on defense. It’s a challenge he embraces.
Williams put in the time during his first two years in Winston-Salem, but he didn’t get many opportunities for glory on the field. After his redshirt season in 2011, he played in only two
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games in 2012 and entered the 2013 season as a backup to Steve Donatell. But when Donatell was injured, Williams was ready – he earned nine starts with 39 tackles that year, setting up his star turn in 2014. Dave Clawson’s arrival as head coach before the 2014 season hit the reset button on many aspects of the program. Every player had to learn new schemes, new coaches, new attitudes, and the growing pains showed on the field sometimes. This time around, the veterans know more about what is expected of them. They have a year of specialized training to get them prepared. Williams is ready for the next step. “I can really nail the techniques I need now,” Williams said. “It really lets me hone in on my position, fit the personality of the defense and allows me to be the best rover I can be. Every day, we’re studying what we did right and wrong and applying it. We’ll be ready.” Williams, along with the rest of the team, was on campus for both sessions of summer school, going through Brandon Hourigan’s strength program. Williams could really tell the difference in his body after it was over. “A lot of the seniors came in wanting to be more explosive,” Williams said. “For me, that meant improving my lifts. When the new staff got here last year, they measured everyone’s total lifts (bench press + squat + power clean). I was at about 1,200. Throughout the summer, all my numbers were going up, and now I tested out at over 1,300. It’s a complete credit not to me, but to the staff. So many guys have exceeded their goals.” Williams refuses to discuss team or individual goals for the season, saying it’s all about focusing on the next practice or the next game. “We just want to play the technically sound defense I know we can,” Williams said. “The coaches give us three or four bullet points on how to stop a team, so it’s about executing those, working together as a whole, and preparing in the best, most efficient way possible.”
HUNTER WILLIAMS POSITION: Rover linebacker CLASS: Redshirt senior
2015 outlook
BIRTHDAY: July 14, 1993
COACH: Dave Clawson (3-9 in 1 year at WFU, 93-89 in 15 years overall)
FAVORITE FOOD: “I try to stay healthy, but when I indulge, I really like Mexican food.”
2014 RECORD: 3-9 (1-7 ACC, tied for sixth in Atlantic Division) STARTERS RETURNING/LOST: Offense 6/5; Defense 7/4; Specialists 2/0 KEY RETURNEES: QB John Wolford (So.); TE Cam Serigne (So.-R); RT Dylan Intemann (Sr.-R); LB Brandon Chubb (Sr.-R); ROV Hunter Williams (Sr.-R); DT Josh Banks (Jr.-R); P Alex Kinal (Sr.-R) KEY LOSSES: WR E.J. Scott; C Cory Helms; CB Merrill Noel; CB Kevin Johnson OUTLOOK: In a sense, the Deacons started from scratch in their first season under Clawson, but they also only scratched the surface of what they can do. This year’s team is also inexperienced, but if enough young players develop quickly, Wake Forest could be a force to be reckoned with by the end of the season and in the years to come.
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MAJOR: Finance, with a minor in political science
FAVORITE BOOK: “I’m reading one now I’m really enjoying, ‘Flash Boys’ by Michael Lewis. It’s about high-frequency stock trading firms and how they have become so computerized, it’s really changed the way the market works.” FAVORITE COLLEGE CLASS: “I’ve enjoyed all my classes in my major, but probably Financial Derivatives. It’s a recent development in the last 25 years but a big part of how markets work. The class was tough but rewarding.” FAVORITE ATHLETE: “Luke Kuechly, I’ve been watching since he was a freshman. His technique and his soundness are unmatched in the NFL. I take lessons from his tenacity and effort. Growing up as a Panthers fan, I really enjoyed watching Dan Morgan, the effort he played with.” IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANY ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? “I’d have to go with Jesus Christ. My faith is important to me, and he transformed the world and everything in it.” FAVORITE WFU MOMENT: “I wish I could speak to more wins. Virginia Tech last year – we had had such a rough season, and it was Senior Day. To be able to send them out with a win was special, a really emotional up-and-down day.”
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COMPLETE PACKAGE CAM SERIGNE QUICKLY BECOMES A FORCE AT TIGHT END FOR THE DEACONS AS A RECORD-SETTING RECEIVER AND A BLOCKER By Sam Walker
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W
hen it comes to be being complete offensively, most think of the importance of the quarterback. There’s no question quarterback play is crucial to offensive success, but once the ball is snapped, one should not overlook the importance of the tight end — especially if it’s Wake Forest’s Cam Serigne. As a redshirt freshman, Serigne etched his name among the best to play the position by setting the school record for receptions in a season by a tight end with 54 for 531 yards. He became a big part of the offense, quarterback John Wolford’s most frequent target and an honorable mention All-ACC selection in 2014. He earned second team Freshman All-America honors and was later named to the ACC All-Academic team. That’s pretty complete. For his efforts last year, Serigne was one of six ACC tight ends to be named to the John Mackey Award Watch List for the 2015 season. The award is named for the former Baltimore Colts tight end and yearly goes to the top tight end in the country. While the records and accolades sound impressive, one really has to understand the demands of his position to fully appreciate them. And to be able to do what he did in his first year of live collegiate competition makes it all the more impressive. When it comes to blocking, a tight end has to have the strength and durability to hold his own in the trenches against both large defensive linemen along with athletic and quick defensive ends. Being able to move and control fast, edge rushers whose goals are to get to the quarterback or force running plays back inside is something good tight ends know how to handle. In the run game, a good tight end can control the edge. The same blocking skill set also sets up a passing attack because a tight end can be an extra blocker up front that defenses can’t ignore. Blocking on the move is required, and sealing the back side to protect the quarterback is crucial. In essence, the characteristics of a good blocking tight end are much the same as an offensive tackle — quickness, good footwork and strength. “Last year was just a good learning experience for me because the ACC had some of the best defensive ends in the country,” Serigne said. “For me, the speed and size of the players was an adjustment. A
few games under your belt, you get used to it, and it becomes all about the techniques of blocking. In high school, I played all over the place, but being a true tight end was the learning curve. Being able to block down on a defensive end or block pass protection, I had never really ever done that before. Kick stepping on a defensive end and a wide nine technique – that’s a learning curve right there.” The coaching staff wasn’t surprised by the immediate success Serigne enjoyed. “Cam’s success last year was not so much a surprise as it was a validation of his abilities and recognition for the work that he put in,” said Adam Scheier, special teams coordinator and tight end coach. “It was a process that began last spring and continued through the summer and preseason camp. He has a great feel for the pass game and worked to gain the trust of our staff. Our offensive coordinator does an unbelievable job of identifying ‘playmakers,’ guys we can trust and then getting the ball in their hands. Cam had earned that role and that trust through his work ethic and consistent play.” A complete tight end can also chip block and release for a catch underneath coverage or give defenses fits outpacing a linebacker or defensive back to stretch the defense down the field for long completions. Hooks, slants and catches in tight coverage while absorbing quick and repeated hits are part of the job. The job requires a unique blend of physicality, athleticism and finesse.
Cam Serigne YEAR: R-Sophomore POSITION: Tight End HOMETOWN: Ashburn, Va. MAJOR: Finance CHOSE WAKE FOREST over offers from James Madison, Air Force, Stanford and Ohio TOP ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS: Led Wake Forest in receiving with 54 receptions for 531 yards and five touchdowns; Ranked third in the nation in receptions among all tight ends and led all freshmen tight ends in receptions and receiving yards; Set Wake Forest’s school record for receptions in a season by a tight end; Helped Briar Woods High School to a 15-0 record in 2012; Was part of a Briar Woods program that achieved a 42-3 combined record from 2010-12; Was named first team all-state as a tight end and was all-region as a defensive end
Many teams use several players at tight end — those who excel in blocking and protection and others who specialize in the receiver skill set. But if you have one player adept at all facets, you leave defenses guessing more often what might be coming and force them to cover more ground and respect the middle of the field. “I tell our guys all the time to play tight end in this offense you have to be the most versatile athlete on the field,” Scheier said. “It is the only position in our offense that AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
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requires you to be physical and tough enough to block level 1 (of the defense), strong and agile enough to block and defeat level 2 in the run and pass game, and quick and crafty enough to ‘cover up’ and get open versus level 3 in the run and pass game. It takes a unique and diversified skill set. Our guys enjoy that challenge.” Serigne led the Deacons in receiving with 54 catches (for 531 yards), a total that ranked third in the nation among all tight ends. He was tops nationally among freshmen tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards, while also leading the Deacs with five touchdown catches. However, that success was something he had been working on for more than a year. “The redshirt season was tremendously helpful for me because athletically I felt like I could play, but physically I needed the time as I was just young,” Serigne said. “Having the year to add the weight, learn the playbook better, because a college playbook is way more in-depth and complex. All that (time) just set me up for success last season. “When I came in, I was about 220 (pounds), and now I’m about 247, and around 250 is where I need to be. For me, it was all about adding strength and weight because when I came in I was more of a receiver, but (220 pounds) that’s not an ACC tight end. I was always very mobile as a tight end, and my speed made me successful in high school. But the weight allows me to hold my own in the trenches. (Strength and conditioning) Coach (Brandon) Hourigan has been amazing for me with my weight increase, yet being able to get faster.” Since the end of the 2014 season when the team went 3-9 overall, the Demon Deacons have conducted winter workouts and completed a full spring practice that began in March and culminated with a final practice on April 14 following the annual Spring Game. All players attended both sessions of summer school while participating in voluntary captain’s workouts throughout.
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“Now we look around, and we have a loaded-up team and it’s nice,” Serigne said. “This is the hardest we’ve worked as a team. (Head) Coach (Dave) Clawson and Coach Scheier have really helped me with my blocking, and now I feel incredibly confident with blocking, and I’m excited for this upcoming season. Receiving-wise, I don’t feel like I missed a step from high school, but blocking has been my focus all the offseason, being able to mix it up in the trenches.” Scheier said that Serigne is as competitive and confident as any player he has ever coached. “He wants to be the best,” Scheier said. “He doesn’t want to be only a ‘pass-catching’ tight end. He wants to be an elite, complete tight end. Whether it is scheme knowledge, technique work or strength gains, Cam is taking every step towards becoming that player. It is a process and one that he embraces. I expect Cam to have a great season.”
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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
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// S TA N C O T T E N
Here We Go Again
S TA N COTTEN VOICE OF THE DEMON DEACONS
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Well, here we go again. August is here. And with its arrival comes the second go ‘round for Dave Clawson and his staff as they try to breathe into the returning players and Deacon football program new life and success. The late Skip Prosser, who always seemed to have a bounce in his step, was especially sanguine in the weeks leading up to the start of his season. I vividly remember his response to my questioning at that time of year, more than once, of how he was doing. I would get back a wide Prosser grin and simply, “Undefeated...” And he was right on many fronts. This time of year nobody has lost. Every team has the exact same record as every other team it will eventually face. And that’s what makes August a great month for Wake Forest and every other football team in the ACC and across the country. Still undefeated. It’s also interesting at this time of the summer to listen to folks’ (slang for fans) opinions regarding teams other than their own. “Oh, team so and so is gonna be terrible!” they might say. “We will beat this team for sure. And that team, too,” you will hear. Part of the dance. And part of what helps us all get through what now will seem like an eternity before the actual start of the season. For the Deacs, of course, that is a Thursday night on the third of September when Elon will roll into town, its fans thinking what it will be like heading back down I-40 Burlington way after an upset of an ACC team. Wake’s fans will be on the other side of the fence. They’ll be relishing what they believe will be a victory before a young team heads for back-to-back trips to New York state for what they will deem “winnable” games against Syracuse and Army. Am I right? Probably somewhere in the neighborhood. Again – just part of the dance. And as optimistic as the fans typically are this time of year, it’s not a stretch to think that the teams are, too. Don’t believe me? Ask the players. I haven’t met many young men playing at this level, or coaches for that matter, who don’t believe they can win every game they play. And why shouldn’t they? Footballs are oddly shaped, and rarely does one bounce straight. The point is that you just really never know what’s going to happen in a game or even in a season. Never. Ask the 2006 Deacons about that. There weren’t many folks outside the Wake camp who believed much was possible that season. The
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
media sure didn’t, dumping on whatever amount of August optimism the team had by reserving for it the bottom slot in the division. I think we all remember what happened. No? How ‘bout an ACC title for the first time in nearly four decades and a berth in the Orange Bowl. So fast forward now to 2015 and the brand new season that looms on the near horizon. Dave Clawson seems ready to get started. “We have a plan to rebuild the program,” says the Deacs’ second-year coach. “I’m excited to see the progress we’re going to make this year.” Clawson knows more than anyone that to be successful, any team has to have enough good players. For Wake this year, the numbers will be better. Team strength will be better. Youth will again reign with Wake Forest sporting its smallest senior class since the Second World War. “We are still going to be an extremely young football team,” Clawson told the ACC Kickoff recently in Pinehurst. “But we’re going to be talented. We have some young players who I believe could play anywhere in our league. I expect to see a lot of progress throughout the year, but our younger players are going to have to play like veterans for us to have success.” And time will tell if that happens. They might. They might not. But for now it’s August. And as Coach Prosser used to say the Demon Deacons are… “Undefeated…”
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INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
You Can See Results From Fundraising Efforts All Around Campus The beginning of another school year is always one of my favorite times of the year. The campus has a renewed energy as we welcome back the students. The level of excitement and anticipation for the start of a new athletic season is palpable. But as we look ahead to the many successes to come, this is also the perfect time to look back at the past year and celebrate the achievements that help us lay the foundation for those successes. Thanks, in part, to the hard work and dedication of our staff and more importantly, to the generosity of our donors, it has been another outstanding year in fundraising for Wake Forest Athletics. Considering that we are coming off a record-breaking year in 2014 in which we raised more than $48 million, our fundraising success this year gives us even more to celebrate.
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
In total, we secured $42,325,000 in new commitments, bringing our total for the Wake Will campaign to just over $142,000,000. Altogether, cash received for all categories (capital, annual fund, endowment, other) totaled $26,211,401, representing a 44 percent increase over the previous year. Our fundraising success this year only adds to the momentum of the previous year’s success, making the past two years the most revolutionary in our history in terms of raising money. Our donors have been so supportive and energized that they have contributed as much in the past two years as in the previous six years combined.
Scholarship Funding – Annual Fund & Endowment Thanks, in part, to an increased emphasis on annual fund giving combined with the steadfast enthusiasm and generosity of our donors, 2014-15 proved to be another very successful year for the Deacon Club Annual Fund. Our annual fund grew by 9 percent to a total of $6,507,000, eclipsing our goal of $6,300,000. New and reinstated members totaled 650, easily breaking our goal of 500. Much of this year’s annual fund success can be attributed to the generous donors who stepped up and answered the call to increase their annual giving. Last year, as you may recall, we announced that we were increasing the minimum donation for seven of our nine giving levels. Since the last giving level increase more than a decade ago, the 2011-2013 2013-2015 athletic department’s (2 years) (Last 2 years) annual scholarship costs have risen by nearly 60 percent and now total more than $13.9 million, so this measure was introduced in an effort to overcome the challenge of those rising scholarship costs. However, although we encouraged our members to start giving at the new levels right away, we elected to make the increase voluntary for the 2014-15 year.
TOTAL ATHLETIC COMMITMENTS (2009-2015) $100,000,000
$80,000,000
$60,000,000
$40,000,000
$20,000,000
0
2009-2011 (2 years)
An impressive 35 percent of Deacon Club members increased their giving to some degree and nearly one-third of those who
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were impacted by the giving level increase opted to voluntarily renew at the new level or upgraded to a higher level. We also experienced a great deal of success in terms of endowment fundraising. A total of nine new endowments were created, and $2,933,290 in cash was invested in endowments representing a 97 percent increase over the previous year. With four of those new funds already reaching a value of $100,000, the required threshold to award a scholarship, and five previously committed endowments reaching the required threshold, a total of nine new athletic scholarships will be awarded this fall. With $6,507,000 raised via the annual fund and an endowment payout of $1,378,000, we raised a total of $7,885,000 to be used toward athletic scholarships this year. At a time when the cost of attendance legislation has added approximately $550,000 to our annual scholarship amount, the increased support for both the annual fund and endowments will help prevent this new expense from further eroding our operating budgets.
Capital Just look around the campus and you can already see the results of our capital fundraising efforts. In total, more than $12.5 million in gifts and more than $19.1 million in new pledges were received in support of capital projects during the 201415 fiscal year. This was led by the efforts of several gamechanging gifts including 10 new gifts or commitments over $1,000,000 and five new commitments of $2,000,000 or more. These generous capital contributions have contributed to what I would describe as a “building boom” on campus. Significant progress has been made on the construction of the $21 million McCreary Field House, and work is underway on the Haddock Golf House, which is the final phase of the Arnold Palmer Golf Complex. Renovations to the Spry Stadium game field were completed this spring along with the first phase of permanent seating by the Leighton Courts at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex. In addition, we are close to completing the fundraising necessary to break ground on the next phase of renovations at the Wake Forest Baseball Complex. This building boom is already a key factor in what is arguably the best period of recruiting for all sports in our athletic program’s history. As we all know, successful recruiting is one of the precursors to winning, so it appears we have a very bright future ahead. As you can see, the 2014-15 year was tremendously successful from a fundraising standpoint. We could not have done this without you – our loyal, passionate and generous donors. On behalf of the Deacon Club staff and the entire athletic department, thank you for all you do to support our studentathletes and athletic programs. I hope you are as excited as I am about the year to come, and I look forward to seeing you this fall! Go Deacs! Barry Faircloth
INSIDE THE DEACON CLUB
TRAVEL WITH THE DEACS THIS FALL If you’re looking for a reason to hit the road to cheer on the Deacs, travel opportunities abound this fall. Football packages are now available for Army – West Point and Notre Dame, or you can travel to Hawaii to watch the men’s basketball team compete in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. For more information, visit http://www.deaconclub.com/travel-opportunities-abound-this-fall/.
Keep up with the Deacon Club on Facebook & Twitter For the latest news and information from the Deacon Club and to connect with other members, be sure to find us on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook.com/WFUDeaconClub @WFUDeaconClub @DeacOnTheRun @BarryFaircloth
2015-16 Deacon Club Membership Packets Deacon Club membership packets, including member cards, car decals and other perks for members, are scheduled to be mailed in mid-August, so all active Deacon Club members should be on the lookout for their packets. Remember, your Deacon Club membership card is used for access to special promotions and events, as well as access to the Windsor Jewelers Club Room at men’s basketball games for the donor and their immediate family. Deacon Bench level members and above may also use their membership card for free admission to all regular-season home Olympic sporting events for the donor and their immediate family. If you have not received your membership packet by early-September, please contact the Deacon Club at (336) 758-5626.
Varsity Club Weekend October 23-24 Attention former studentathletes, managers and trainers! We hope you’ll be able to join fellow Varsity Club members, Wake Forest coaches and staff in a weekend celebrating Wake Forest Athletics. Enjoy festivities with fellow Varsity Club members, as well as the home football game vs. NC State on Saturday, Oct. 24. Be on the lookout for a formal invitation coming to your mailbox soon. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
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DONOR PROFILE
// E R I C A N D A LY C E H I L L
Eric And Alyce Hill Take Their Support Of Wake Forest To The Next Level
L
ike many Wake Forest graduates, Eric (’88) and Alyce (’88, JD ’94) Hill of High Point, are quick to acknowledge that they wouldn’t be where they are today without the many opportunities that Wake Forest University afforded them. The paths that brought them each to Wake Forest were different, but when those paths crossed on their first day of classes in the fall of 1984, it marked the first of many opportunities that would ultimately shape their lives into what they are today.
Even before he arrived on campus, Eric’s connection with Wake Forest ran deep. His father, uncle and grandfather all graduated from Wake Forest, so he began to experience the influence of Wake Forest from a young age. Growing up in southern Virginia, Eric has fond memories of making the trip to Winston-Salem with his father on Saturdays for home football games and of cheering on the Demon Deacons in countless ACC Tournament and Big Four Tournament games. Alyce, on the other hand, didn’t have the same strong family ties to the University, but nevertheless, she knew it was the place for her. Having grown up just down the road in Greensboro, she was looking for a small, private college and liked Wake Forest’s proximity to home. She fell in love with the campus and felt like it was a great fit, so her decision was made. Eric and Alyce met for the first time on their first day of classes. They had two back-to-back classes together – music theory and calculus – and as a result, a great friendship ensued. It wasn’t until their sophomore year, however, that they started dating. As Eric explained, “we were great friends first, college sweethearts second.” Four years later, they both graduated – Eric with a degree in psychology and Alyce with a degree in history. Alyce returned to Wake Forest three years later and earned her law degree in 1994. Since then, Wake Forest has remained an important part of the Hills’ lives. Eric, a successful
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businessman and entrepreneur who has founded several companies, and Alyce, a former attorney who was recently elected to the High Point City Council, are longtime members of the Deacon Club and enjoy attending football and basketball games. They have passed their love for the Demon Deacons on to their two sons, Andrew (14) and Alex, a sophomore at Wake Forest who now represents the fourth generation of Hills at the University. “Going to football games has become a great family tradition for us,” explained Alyce. “We get season tickets every year; we buy extra tickets on Deacon Hill for the kids so they can bring their friends. We meet up with our old Wake Forest friends in the Red Lot to tailgate – it’s just something that we look forward to every fall.” While their Deacon Club membership has always been important to them, their motivations for supporting athletics have begun to evolve over the past few years. Eric credits Alan Ashworth, Regional Director of Development, and the rest of the Deacon Club staff with getting him and his family further engaged with the athletic programs, educating them about the true impact the Deacon Club can have on student-athletes and fostering a renewed interest, not just in going to games, but an interest in what is going on behind the scenes with the student-athletes and athletic programs. “As we’ve started to get more engaged with
our athletic programs, it becomes even more apparent what a tremendous opportunity athletics presents for a lot of these studentathletes,” he said. “We’re seeing it from a different perspective. Looking back 10 years, we enjoyed going to games, and they were fun social events for us, but Alan and the Deacon Club have helped us to see that athletics is really about providing these young men and women with academic opportunities that they may not otherwise have. It’s about seeing the development of these young athletes, not just from an athletic standpoint, but seeing them grow into productive people, thanks, in part, to the Deacon Club and the scholarship opportunities that they’re being afforded.”
Eric and Alyce’s belief in providing opportunities for deserving students extends beyond athletics as well.
programs, what it will do for the student-athletes and their development, and we see the value in contributing to that.”
“It is also important to us to support the University at large and be a part of giving those same opportunities to other students who might not be involved in athletics,” Alyce said.
“We also had the opportunity to travel with the men’s basketball team to Florida State last year,” Eric said. “While there, we were able to tour Florida State’s facilities, and it was apparent that Wake’s facilities were not competitive, so when we were evaluating where our gift should go, the Sports Performance Center really resonated with us.” The Sports Performance Center remains the athletic department’s highest priority. It is a facility that will have a tremendous impact on every sport and is critical to the future success of the athletic programs.
He went on to recall his experience at the annual Stewardship Brunch, which he describes as a bit of a turning point for him. “I had the opportunity to hear current and former scholarship athletes get up and talk about the impact their coaches had made on their lives, the path that they had traveled down to get to where they are, the opportunities that were being afforded them, that if the scholarships had not been available and/or the athletic department had not provided them, their lives would have been significantly different,” Eric said. “I was really impressed with how they talked about the level of support the school had given them and how much they cherished the opportunity. Every one of them was profusely thankful, even more so than I expected. I was really struck by the whole thing, and for me, that was the turning point where I really started thinking that this is less about going to a ballgame and more about these young men and women having the opportunity to get a great education and become strong contributors to our society.”
The Wake Will campaign presented the Hills with the perfect opportunity to take their support to the next level and make a significant commitment to both athletics and the University. Motivated by their strong desire to invest in the development of Wake Forest students, studentathletes and athletic programs, Eric and Alyce made a total campaign commitment of $540,000 over the next five years with $150,000 going to the Wake Forest Fund, $100,000 to the Center for Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship, $40,000 to the Deacon Club Annual Scholarship Fund and $250,000 to the Sports Performance Center. When asked about their decision to support the Sports Performance Center, Alyce said, “We recognize how it will benefit all of the athletic
The Hills hope their commitment might help motivate other potential donors who are considering making a gift to the Wake Will campaign. They want to inspire those who have also benefited from the many opportunities they received as a result of their Wake Forest experience because for Eric and Alyce, it all comes down to their shared appreciation for Wake Forest. “We got to go to this school. This school afforded us the opportunity to become who we are. We have been so blessed, and we attribute a lot of that to our experiences at Wake Forest. Had we not gone to Wake Forest, had we not had the Wake Forest education and experiences, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We believe it’s important to contribute back to the school in appreciation of the many opportunities it has afforded us and our family.”
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 Li’l Demon Deacon, Clayt Skinner, son of Riley (’09) and Megan Skinner, poses on his Wake Forest bi-plane with his dad and great-grandfather.
2
2 Roxy, a beloved member of the Wake Forest-loving family of David (‘05) and Aimée Kahn, shows off her Demon Deacon pride.
3
3 Demon Deacon pride was on display at the wedding of Skip (’99) and Danielle Jenkins in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
//
J O H N H E N RY M I L L S
I
n each issue, Where Are They Now showcases a former Wake Forest student-athlete. A four-year letterman at tight end under head coach Bill Dooley, John Henry Mills (‘92) is Wake’s all-time leading receiver among tight ends with 142 receptions for 1,652 yards. A three-time All-ACC first-team selection from 1990 through 1992, he finished third in the ACC in receptions in 1990 with 46 and led the league in 1991 with 51. Against Duke in 1990, he caught 12 passes for 230 yards, still the second-most receiving yards in a game in school history. A fifth-round pick of the Houston Oilers in the 1993 NFL Draft, Mills played seven seasons in the NFL with Houston, Oakland and Minnesota. In 1996, while with the Oilers, he earned All-Pro honors as a special-teams player. Mills was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame on Sept. 19, 2009.
John Henry Mills What is your current occupation? I teach autistic kids at Clear Lake High School in Houston, Texas, and I also coach football and girls track. What is your favorite memory of your time at Wake Forest? Winning the Independence Bowl in 1992 and living in Palmer-Piccolo dormitory What makes you most proud of Wake Forest? It makes me proud to see so many graduates from Wake Forest succeed in their chosen occupations.
When did you graduate from Wake Forest? 1993 What was your major and/or minor? I majored in Communication. What does being a Demon Deacon mean to you? It means pride and dedication. Why are you still involved in Wake Forest Athletics? Wake Forest Athletics played a large part in my college life, and I have a deep commitment to the program. Why do you feel it is important to give back to the University? Someone made it possible for me to achieve my goals, and I want others to have the same possibility. (Pass it on!)
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When you come back to Wake Forest, you always… Visit the new addition to the athletic facilities and streak the Quad. ... Just kidding! I was there when… We beat Duke, and George Coghill hit a home run. Who is your favorite coach at Wake Forest, current or past? Bill Dooley and Skip Stress
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
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DEACONS IN THE COMMUNITY
Deacons Giving Back Summertime is a time when a lot of college students take time off to relax and enjoy a break from their busy schedules. Wake Forest student-athletes are certainly no exception, but this summer they didn’t let a little down time interfere with their Pro Humanitate spirit.
ACC Top Six for Service Each year, the ACC gives awards to the top six volunteers at each school. This year’s honorees have had a tremendous impact on campus, in the local community and beyond. Student-athletes from many sports including football, field hockey, women’s tennis, and women’s soccer have been volunteering with H.O.P.E., a food truck that delivers healthy meals to children in the community, throughout the summer. Football player Rocco Esposito spent 12 hours volunteering at the Winston-Salem Street Vault, a weekend-long competition in which elite athletes of all ages pole-vault in the middle of Fourth Street in downtown Winston-Salem.
Representatives from the track and field team volunteered at the Crazy Running Youth track meet, a track meet for kids 14 and under. They supervised various events – measuring jumps, timing runners, helping kids prepare – and also coached some of the kids in different throwing techniques.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY IN 2014-15 Throughout the 2014-15 year, Wake Forest studentathletes volunteered more than 4,800 hours on campus and in the local community. Studentathletes participated in a wide range of community service initiatives including H.O.P.E., Eat With the Deacs, Project Pumpkin, Special Olympics, Santa’s Helper, D.E.S.K. and many more. Wake Forest Athletics is proud of our student-athletes’ commitment to serving others while balancing a rigorous schedule of academics and athletics.
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Total Number of Outreach Hours
4,884
Average Number of Outreach Hours per Student-Athlete
12.85
Percentage of Student-Athletes Participating
93%
Percentage of Teams Participating
100%
GOLD RUSH MAGAZINE
CONNOR CROWLEY: A senior with men’s cross country and track and field, Connor has volunteered nearly 300 hours brightening children’s lives at Brenner’s Children’s Hospital. At Brenner, he interacts with young cancer patients in pediatric oncology playrooms. Connor has also motivated his peers to get involved in the community by helping to found “Wake Hand-in-Hand,” a group that organizes student volunteer groups to visit the hospital’s playrooms. Connor is also a SAAC representative and will be attending medical school in the fall. KERI FULP: In the month of June alone, Keri, a sophomore on the women’s basketball team, spent three weeks in Vietnam interacting with students in various summer camps through College for Coach. This service learning program brings together student-athletes from the United States and Vietnamese university students to teach children academics, sports and life skills. Keri has also served as an orientation mentor and has participated in many community service events through Student-Athlete Development such as Project Pumpkin, Santa’s Helper and Hit the Bricks. GABRIELLE MERRIT: Gabby, a sophomore with women’s cross country and track and field, has logged numerous weekend night/ day shifts as a volunteer with Wake Forest Emergency Medical Services. An aspiring medical school student, Gabby has also volunteered with Forsyth County EMS services; some of these shifts were as long as 16 hours. Beyond serving the community with her medical knowledge, Gabby has also been involved in several on-campus events such as Project Pumpkin, Hit the Bricks, Wake n’ Shake and Santa’s Helper. She has also given back to the community through H.O.P.E (Help Our People Eat).
BRENDAN HENRY: Brendan, a junior on the men’s tennis team, has played a key role getting his team involved in community service events. Brendan spent several Sundays working with H.O.P.E. this year, and he has generously served the Winston-Salem community by volunteering for Samaritan Ministries, a group that seeks to provide food, shelter and guidance to the homeless and to those in need. Over the summer, Brendan also volunteered with different food pantries in his home state of New York and helped to build a playground with the organization “Kids Around the World” in Hicksville, N.Y. Brendan has also exercised leadership as a member of the ACC S.A.A.C. committee. CAROLINE WOOTEN: Every Thursday afternoon last semester, Caroline, a sophomore on the women’s soccer team, volunteered as a tutor for students at Next Level Enrichment’s afterschool program. She has involved herself in multiple community service projects off-campus such as the Twins City 4 v. 4 tournament and Fellowship of Christian Athletes events, as well as on-campus opportunities such as Eat with the Deacs and Project Pumpkin. In addition, along with her teammates, Caroline spent spring break in Guatemala working at schools in Antigua promoting literacy and playing soccer with the students. Caroline also serves as a member of S.A.A.C. BRANDON CHUBB: A redshirt senior on the football team, Brandon has already spent 12 Sundays this academic year volunteering with H.O.P.E. to deliver healthy meals to children in the community. Besides becoming an integral member of the H.O.P.E. team, he has also taken on a leadership role by getting his teammates involved in projects such as Habitat for Humanity and D.E.S.K. Brandon has also devoted numerous hours volunteering with Wake Forest University’s Multimedia department.
DEACONS IN THE PROS BASEBALL
MEN’S GOLF Billy Andrade
COACHES/SCOUTS Neil Avent John Hendricks Michael Holmes Kevin Jarvis Bill Masse Matt Price Mike Rikard Eric Schmitt
MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB MLB
Ross Atkins Danny Borrell
MLB MLB
Adam Wogan George Greer Tommy Gregg
MLB MLB AAA
Oakland A’s Area Scout New York Mets Area Scout Oakland A’s Assistant Scouting Director Boston Red Sox Pro Scout Seattle Mariners Area Scout Kansas City Royals Pro Scout Boston Red Sox Director of Amateur Scouting New York Yankees Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting Cleveland Indians Vice President of Player Personnel New York Yankees Minor League Pitching Rehab Coordinator Boston Red Sox Area Scout St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Offensive Strategist Kansas City Omaha Storm Chasers Hitting Coach
MAJOR LEAGUES Tim Cooney
St. Louis Cardinals
MINOR LEAGUE RANKS Pat Blair Michael Dimock Allan Dykstra Jack Fischer Brian Holmes Connor Kaden Conor Keniry Carlos Lopez Matt Martin John McLeod Mac Williamson
Tampa Bay Rays San Diego Padres Sugar Land Skeeters (Independent) Detroit Tigers Houston Astros San Francisco Giants Washington Nationals Washington Nationals Milwaukee Brewers Baltimore Orioles San Francisco Giants
WOMEN’S GOLF Laura (Philo) Diaz Jean Chua
LPGA Has played in 15 tournaments in the 2015 season Symetra Has made 13 starts, best finish t-28th at Tullymore Classic Nannette Hill LPGA Has played in 12 tournaments in 2015, made cut at Meijer LPGA Classic Olafia Kristinsdottir LET Access Tour Natalie Sheary LPGA Retained to LPGA Tour in 2015 Michelle Shin Symetra Has played in five events in 2015 Cheyenne Woods LPGA Finished T24th at JTBC Founders Cup, played in 13 events this season Marissa Dodd Cactus Earned her first pro victory at Stallion Mountain; made LPGA debut at Marathon Classic
Bill Haas Jay Haas Gary Hallberg Scott Hoch Len Mattiace Kyle Reifers Webb Simpson Curtis Strange
Champions 9th in Charles Schawb Cup, Won Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge PGA Tied fourth at The Players Championship; 26th in the FedEx Cup Standings Champions 56th in Charles Schwab Cup Champions Has played in eight events in 2015 Champions 39th in Charles Schwab Cup, T10th at U.S. Senior Open PGA Has played in five events in 2015 PGA Finished T11th at Valero Texas Open and Shell Houston Open PGA Finished T2nd at Wells Fargo Championship; 50th in the FedEx Cup Standings Champions Made cut in all five starts in 2015
FOOTBALL Tommy Bohanon Josh Bush Michael Campanaro Tyson Clabo Chris Givens Josh Harris Justin Jackson Kevin Johnson Joe Looney Merrill Noel Kenny Okoro Calvin Pace Zach Thompson Nikita Whitlock Kyle Wilber Kris Redding
NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL Arena NFL NFL NFL NFL NFL
FB S WR OL WR RB LB CB OL DB DB LB DL FB LB DE
NY Jets Denver Broncos Baltimore Houston St. Louis Pittsburgh Dallas Houston Texans San Francisco Buffalo Bills San Jose NY Jets Baltimore NY Giants Dallas Free Agent
COACHES/STAFF Jim Caldwell Charlie Dayton Pat Flaherty Joe Kenn Ricky Proehl John Spanos Brad White Jeff Triplette James MacPherson
NFL Detroit NFL Carolina NFL NY Giants NFL Carolina NFL Carolina NFL San Diego NFL Indianapolis NFL NFL Chargers
Head Coach Vice President Offensive Line Coach Strength Coach Wide Receivers Coach Executive VP of Football Operations OLB Coach Referee Scout
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COMPLIANCE CORNER
// T O D D H A I R S T O N
O’Bannon V. NCAA Update
TODD HAIRSTON A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, COMPLIANCE
The NCAA has requested a stay of the injunction that would open the door for athletic departments to pay up to $5,000 per year to student-athletes for the use of their name, image and likeness. On Aug. 8, 2014, District Judge Claudia Wilken ruled that the NCAA’s rules and bylaws operate as an unreasonable restraint of trade, in violation of antitrust law. That ruling is currently under appeal, but it remains unclear whether a decision on the appeal will be rendered prior to the Aug. 1 effective date of the injunction. In the time since the initial ruling, NCAA member institutions have been working to understand all of the implications of what this ruling could mean, both financially and competitively. What seems certain is that the injunction would significantly alter the landscape of college athletics as we know it, specifically as it relates to how amateurism is currently defined.
The NCAA recently released the following statement regarding the issue: “Implementation of the injunction will have severe consequences for NCAA members and college sports. The consequences will be irreparable if implementation occurs before the 9th Circuit rules on the legal issues in question.” The NCAA further stated that, “while the NCAA continues to hope the stay will be granted or in the alternative, the 9th Circuit will release its decision before a stay becomes necessary, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, the Division I Council and the ad hoc group of the Division I Council are preparing for all contingencies, including no decision and no stay on Aug. 1.” For any questions related to this issue, please contact Todd Hairston at hairstct@wfu.edu.
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