1. sports
2. basketball

Tim Duncan In The NBA
Tim Duncan Personally
2003 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team
He and wife, Amy, were married in the summer of
2001
All-NBA First Team 2003
NBA Finals MVP 2003
Two-time Most Valuable Player (2001-02 and 200203)
Just the second player in NBA history to be named
to both an All-NBA Team and an All-Defensive Team
in each of his first five seasons (David Robinson was
the first and he earned the honors in each of his
first seven seasons)
Has been named to the All-NBA First Team all five
seasons, the first player since Larry Bird (seventh in
NBA history) to be named All-NBA First Team in
each of his first four seasons
Has earned a spot on the All-Defensive First Team
each of the last five seasons after being named to
the All-Defensive Second Team as a rookie in '97-98
Named the 1999 Finals MVP
Won the 1998 Rookie of the Year
Named co-MVP of the 2000 All-Star Game
Been named an All-Star five straight seasons (no
game was held in 1999)
Ranks seventh among active players in playoff
career scoring average with 23.9 ppg
Played for the USA Team in the 1999 Americas
Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico,
was selected to play for the U.S. Team in the 2000
Olympics but had to withdraw due to a knee injury
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They created the Tim Duncan Foundation in
November of 2001. Amy serves as the Executive
Vice President of the organization which is setup to
serve “the areas of health awareness and research,
education and youth sports and recreation” in San
Antonio, Winston-Salem and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In 2003, he started the Tim Duncan Foundation
Charity Golf Classic at the La Cantera Palmer
Course in San Antonio.
Received his degree in psychology from Wake
Forest.
Didn’t play organized basketball until ninth
grade, concentrated on swimming as a youngster - at one point was a top U.S. competitor
in his age group in the 400 freestyle before his local pool was destroyed by
Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Known for wearing his practice
shorts backwards, a trend he
started while at Wake.
Has two sisters, Cheryl and
Tricia. Tricia was a member
of the Virgin Islands swim
team in the 1988 Olympics.
Has a large knife collection
which includes a three-foot
samurai sword.
Admits to being afraid of heights.
Josh Howard
A first-round pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks
The first unanimous ACC Player of the Year selection since 1975
A 2003 consensus first team All-American
Named 2003 National Player of the Year by three sources
One of just five players in the history of the ACC to accumulate 1,000 points, 500 rebounds,
200 assists, 200 steals and 100 blocked shots
Led Wake Forest to the outright ACC regular season title for the first time since 1961
Graduated from Wake Forest in the spring of 2003
Josh Howard of the
Dallas Mavericks (left)
throws out the first pitch
at a Texas Rangers
game this past summer.
Darius Songaila
Sacramento Kings
Rodney Rogers
New Jersey Nets
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In the 2002 Fiske Guide to Colleges, Wake Forest receives high ratings for
academics, faculty accessibility, use of technology, and quality of life. The
guide does not rank schools, but instead, presents university-provided statistics and information along with quotes from student surveys. “I still
haven’t figured out when professors do their research - all are published
authors and research professors, yet they are always in their offices, willing to help or simply chat with students,” one Wake Forest student wrote.
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Wake Forest University is among a small, elite group of
American colleges and universities recognized for their outstanding
academic quality. In this group, some schools offer intimate classes taught by full-time faculty -- not graduate assistants; an oncampus undergraduate enrollment of 4,000 or less; need-blind
admissions; big-time athletic programs; and supportive alumni networks. Some schools offer joint research projects between undergraduate students and faculty, nationally-ranked graduate programs and worldwide study-abroad programs. Only Wake Forest
brings together all of these qualities to offer a liberal arts education that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Steeped in a rich history and tradition, Wake Forest is a private
university with two campuses in Winston-Salem. The Reynolda
Campus is home to the undergraduate College, the Calloway
School of Business and Accountancy, the Graduate School of Arts
and Sciences, the School of Law, the Babcock Graduate School of
Management and the Divinity School. The Bowman Gray Campus
is home to the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
A leader among American educational institutions, Wake
Forest has annually received recognition from U.S. News & World
Report as one of the top 30 schools in the nation. Barron’s Guide
to the Most Competitive Schools has also ranked Wake Forest
among the nation’s 52 best public and private universities, one of
just nine in the South. The Princeton Review lauds Wake Forest for
excellence in academics and high student quality of life.
The Kenneth D. Miller Center opened to provide academic services for student-athletes. It also features a state-of-the-art fitness
center open to the entire Reynolda Campus community, with average use by over 500 students and faculty per day. The 65,000square-foot Miller Center significantly expanded space for athletic
academic services and for the student-athlete community outreach
program, CHAMPS/Life Skills. The Dave Budd Gymnasium, within
the Miller Center, is a fabulous practice facility for the men’s and
women’s basketball teams.
Reynolda House, Museum of American Art, became an affiliate
of Wake Forest University. Reynolda House was originally built as
the early 20th century home of R. J. Reynolds, founder of R. J.
Reynolds Tobacco Co., and his wife, Katharine Smith Reynolds. It
is now home to a collection of American art dating from the mid18th century that includes works by many of the nation’s most distinguished artists, such as Albert Bierstadt, Mary Cassatt, Frederic
E. Church, John Singleton Copley, Stuart Davis, Georgia O’Keeffe,
Jacob Lawrence, Gilbert Stuart and Grant Wood. The collection
has been described by preeminent art scholar John Wilmerding, of
Princeton University, as the finest concentration of American art in
a public collection south of Washington (D.C.).
The Calloway School of Business and Accountancy began construction on a project to add 50,000 square feet to Calloway Hall.
The three-story project opened in the fall of 2003 and is named
after the F.M. Kirby Foundation, which donated $5 million for the
addition. It includes classroom and office space, and breakout
space for group meetings, as well as an entrepreneurial incubator
-- a special center designed for entrepreneurial business study. The
expansion will allow the Calloway School, Wake Forest’s largest
undergraduate program, to exist in its own space for the first time.
In the 2002-03 year, Wake Forest established a center for vocational exploration for undergraduate students. The University
received a $1.9 million grant from the Lilly Endowment of
Indianapolis to support the opening of the Pro Humanitate Center,
named for the University’s motto, which means for the good of
humanity. The Pro Humanitate Center offers a variety of programs
encouraging students to explore the nature of vocation as they
consider possible careers. Seminars and workshops stress the
importance of values, spirituality and traditions in professional life.
Students find outstanding academic programs, sophisticated
computing and networking technology, intimate class settings, a
strong sense of community and active social life. Only at Wake
Forest can they find it all.
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Much of the work it takes to become a successful student-athlete at Wake Forest doesn’t happen on the court, the library or even
the classroom. In order to become the best they can possibly be, the
athlete’s journey starts in the weight room.
Ethan Reeve is in his third year as the head strength and conditioning coach at Wake Forest. He has implemented a program that
challenges every player to the utmost. It is his goal to help each
player maximize his or her potential while adding speed, strength
and size.
Under the direction of Reeve, the Wake Forest strength and conditioning program has adopted a new, aggressive attitude in making
a commitment to winning. This commitment applies to the team’s
efforts on the field and to its hard work and dedication in the
strength room.
To fulfill this commitment, Wake Forest has totally redesigned its
Bob McCreary Strength and Conditioning Center at the direction of
Reeve. Inside the 7,000 square foot center there are 20 workstations that each include a power rack, Olympic lifting platform, squat
stand, bumper and steel plates, and a 0-90 degree utility bench.
Also available in the strength and conditioning center are wrestler
twists pieces, medicine balls, quick feet ladders, wooden pushing
and pulling sleds, chin-up bars, two full sets of dumbbells and a 10
by 30 foot tumbling mat.
These tools afford Wake Forest’s student-athletes the opportunity to maximize their athletic potential. Matt Jennings, who works
directly with the men’s basketball team, is constantly monitoring the
progress of Wake Forest players.
“What makes a difference is the work habits of the student-athletes,” Reeve said. “They have made a year-round commitment.”
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Wake Forest’s Department of Sports Medicine, which
cares for all Demon Deacon student-athletes in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries, is recognized as
one of the most comprehensive and qualified departments of
its kind in the country.
A primary reason why Wake Forest is so highly respected
in this critical area is that since 1979 the Sports Medicine
program has been closely associated with the WFU Baptist
Medical Center. As a result, all injured athletes receive immediate attention from physicians with the highest credentials.
Heading this group is Dr. David Martin, a nationally recognized orthopedic surgeon, who is in his second year as the
Director of Sports Medicine for the athletic department.
Working closely with Dr. David Martin is Dr. Doug Browning,
the primary family medicine physician for the football team.
On campus, the Department of Sports Medicine is administered on a daily basis by Assistant Athletic Director/Sports
Medicine Greg Collins. Collins, who came to Wake Forest in
January of 1997 after serving five years as head trainer at the
University of Richmond, is enthusiastic about his position and
the outstanding work being provided by his staff.
“Wake Forest is recognized nationally for its excellence in
sports medicine care and has a tremendous history for
advancements in the area of athletic health care,” Collins
says.
“One of the greatest advantages we offer our student-athletes is that in the event of an injury, they can be seen at a
well-renowned school of medicine by a physician without
delay. The fact that all of our medical services are housed in
one facility gives us a greater variety of medical personnel
from which to choose.”
Aside from having the resources of a comprehensive
Medical Center, another reason for Wake's solid reputation
lies in its on-campus sports medicine facilities. Recent renovation of the training room from 1,800 to 6,300 square feet
has provided space for more rehabilitation equipment,
weights and exercise materials.
An auxiliary facility for Sports Medicine was also included
as part of the overall athletic department office and facilities
renovation on campus. It provides a football-specific area
that allows for more efficient and effective pre-practice
preparation and treatment of that sport’s athletes.
The most important aspect of the Sports Medicine program, though, is its people. The staff operates with the complete acceptance of Collins’ philosophy that the athlete, not
the injury, is the focus.
“You’re treating a person, not just a sprained ankle,” he
says. “Our athletes are highly motivated and intent on competing at the highest level. An injury can be a very traumatic
experience for them, and we have to be sensitive to that in
order to serve them properly.
“Helping a student-athlete recover from injury and watching him perform to the best of his ability is very rewarding for
me. It’s the best part of my job.”
At Wake Forest, Collins is assisted by a staff of seven certified athletic trainers. Don Steelman joined the program five
years ago as his primary associate for football and works
closely with that sport, both on a daily basis at practice and in
the often demanding area of rehabilitation. Chris Ina returns
for a second year as assistant athletic trainer working with the
football program. The Sports Medicine staff also includes five
other athletic trainers and a full-time physical therapist,
Christine Schuckman, who works closely with football and all
other athletic teams.
Fulltime staff members are assigned to each of the other
varsity sports, while a capable staff of student athletic trainers, who devote many hours of service to all teams to assure
the best possible care, are also an important part of the program.
A number of medical consultants from WFU Baptist
Medical Center work closely with Wake Forest, too, providing
advice and assistance in every area of expertise. Included in
this auxiliary group are two sports medicine Fellows assigned
annually through the department of family medicine and
other orthopedic surgical residents who rotate with the athletic department during the year.
Dr. David Martin
Director of Sports Medicine
Greg Collins
Assistant Athletic Director/
Sports Medicine
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The Wake Forest University athletics program has long been recognized not only for its
athletic achievements, but also for the outstanding academic achievements of the program’s
student-athletes.
Such impressive achievements do not come
easily or without tremendous support from the
athletic department, where a staff of highly committed people in the area of academic counseling play a significant role in the academic
progress and ultimate reward, a degree.
The director of Wake Forest’s Academic
Counseling program is Dwight Lewis, who joined
the University in the fall of 2000. He replaced
Doug Bland who, after serving as the director of
the program for 12 years, is now an Associate
Athletic Director for Administration.
Along with his staff, Lewis administers academic assistance, advice and counseling to the
more than 300 student-athletes.
In addition to the academic responsibilities
Lewis and his staff undertake, they take on the
administration and development of the CHAMPS
program, helping Wake Forest student-athletes
fulfill not only the University’s rigorous academic commitments, but also commitments to personal development and service to the community.
“At Wake Forest, students have the opportunity to receive a rich educational experience that
will provide them with a foundation for future
success, and we’re excited to help them develop
and grow,” Lewis said.
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Their headquarters are in the new 50,000
square foot Miller Center for Student-Athlete
Enhancement. The facility includes computer
labs, private study carrels, work areas for individual and small group tutorial sessions, and
large conference rooms.
The facility enables all Demon Deacons to
give their best effort in the classroom just as they
do on the field or on the court.
“As we move forward, we will continue to
provide our student-athletes with the support
and encouragement they need,” Lewis said.
The Miller Center For Student-Athlete
Enhancement
The most recent addition to the Demon
Deacon athletic complex is the Miller Center for
Student-Athlete Enhancement, a 50,000 square
foot facility which was completed in the fall of
2001. Crowning the east end of Kentner
Stadium, the facility houses a new 15,000
square foot Academic Services and StudentAthlete Development Hall. A practice gym and
locker rooms for Wake’s basketball teams are
included in the building.
“I believe that the Miller Center is a move in
the right direction for Wake Forest,” Lewis said.
“It provides our student-athletes with one of the
finest academic facilities in the nation.
“Our staff wants to make sure that Wake
Forest student-athletes have a comfortable
place where they can get the assistance they
need to continue their academic success. The
Miller Center reinforces our commitment to providing facilities that all student-athletes need in
order to be their best in the classroom as well as
on the playing field.”
Wake Forest’s Nationally-Ranked
Academic Programs
• The Calloway School of Business is ranked
in the top 10 percent of undergraduate business
programs in the United States.
• Students in the accounting program, which
ranks among the top 20 programs in the nation,
have scored the highest passing rate in the country on the CPA exam for two consecutive years.
The Calloway School is ranked 28th in U.S. News
and World Report.
• The medical school was in the top 50 by
U.S. News and World Report.
• The Wall Street Journal ranked Wake
Forest’s graduate business school No. 11 overall, the highest ranked school in the Southeast.
All seven seniors who have played for head coach Skip
Prosser have earned their degrees. Last spring, Steve Lepore
and Josh Howard (above right) earned their diplomas. The
previous year, the five-man senior class of Ervin Murray,
Darius Songaila, Craig Dawson, Antwan Scott and Broderick
Hicks (right) took part in graduation ceremonies.
25
Men’s Basketball Wins ACC Regular Season Crown
The men’s basketball team, picked sixth in the ACC preseason poll, exceeded all expectations in 2002-03, finishing
on top of the ACC standings for the first time since 1995
and winning the regular season title outright for the first
time since 1962. The Deacons made their 18th overall and
third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, earning a No. 2 seed in the East Region. Finishing with
an overall record of 25-6, Wake Forest broke a
school record for the most conference wins in a
season (13). The Deacons led the nation in
rebounding and finished 8th in the AP poll.
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Field Hockey Captures NCAA Championship
The Wake Forest field hockey team etched its name into the record books
last fall, defeating Penn State 2-0 to win the 2002 NCAA Division I Field
Hockey title in Louisville. The Deacons became the first Wake Forest team
to win a national championship since men’s golf in 1986 and are
the first women’s team in school history to accomplish
such a feat. In addition, the Deacs went through
all four rounds of the Championship without
giving up a single goal, an achievement
matched only by Old Dominion in 1992.
The ACC and NCAA Champions finished
the season with a 20-2 record.
Cross Country Races To Postseason Honor
Football Posts Bowl Victory, Winning Season
The Wake Forest women’s cross country team proved that it is a
program on the rise, when, last fall, it captured a share of the ACC
championship. It marked the first league title for the Demon Deacons
in the 26-year history of the women’s cross country program. The
Deacs followed up that performance by winning the NCAA Southeast
Regional before finishing ninth at the NCAA Championships.
Playing in its sixth bowl game and second in the last four years,
the WFU football team ended the 2002 campaign on a strong note
with an impressive victory over Oregon, 38-17, in the Seattle Bowl
at Seahawks Stadium. The postseason win gave the Deacons a 76 record in 2002, their second winning season in as many years
after going 6-5 in 2001.
Both Soccers Flourish
Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the Triad area and that popularity has been
reflected in some of the packed crowds at Wake Forest’s Spry Stadium. In Spry, Wake
Forest owns one of the top on-campus, soccer-only facilities in the nation. The Deacons
routinely host ACC men’s and women’s soccer championships as well as NCAA
Tournament competition.
Both the men’s and women’s soccer programs at Wake Forest have flourished. Both
teams regularly appear in the national rankings and are perennial contenders in the
NCAA Tournament. The men’s team has posted nine straight 10-plus-win seasons, including an undefeated regular-season record in 2002. The women’s team has earned seven
consecutive NCAA Tournament berths.
Premier Coaches Make Long-Term Commitments
Wake Forest coaches Jim Grobe (football) and Skip
Prosser (basketball) made immediate impacts following
their arrival two years ago. After inheriting a 2-9 team,
Grobe led the Deacons to consecutive winning seasons in
2001 and 2002. Prosser has led Wake to back-to-back
NCAA Tournament appearances and in 2003 he guided the
Deacs to the ACC regular season title.
Grobe and Prosser’s presence at WFU only enhances a
roster of head coaches that are considered among the best
in all of Division I athletics. This past spring, after being
pursued by other schools, both coaches agreed to longterm contract extensions, keeping them in the WFU family
for years to come.
Four From Wake Named ACC Coach Of The Year
A school-record four Wake Forest coaches earned the
prestigious title of ACC Coach of the Year in 2002-03.
Jennifer Averill (field hockey) led WFU to a national title;
Annie Bennett (women’s cross country) led the Deacs to
a share of the ACC title; Skip Prosser (men’s basketball)
guided his young Deacons to the ACC regular season
title. Jay Vidovich (men’s soccer) was named the league’s
top coach for the first time.
Deacon Golfers Enhance A Rich History
Capped by its fourth-place showing at the NCAA
Championships in May, the Wake Forest men’s golf
team once again put together a very successful season. The Deacs won four events while finishing second in two other tournaments, including the ACC
Championship.
In addition to junior two-time All-America Bill
Haas, WFU was led by a strong senior class in
Cortland Lowe, Brent Wanner, Chad Wilfong and
Chris Yoder. This group can claim much credit for
the resurgence of the WFU golf program, collectively winning eight tournaments and 19 individual top
five finishes.
A Draft Day Hat Trick
Wake Forest had a first-round draft pick in football (Calvin Pace), baseball (Kyle Sleeth)
and men’s basketball (Josh Howard)
in the same academic year for the
first time in school history. The
“hat trick” has been accomplished just twice since 1998 by Fresno State last year and by
Florida in 1998.
The last ACC school to
have a player taken in the first
round of all three drafts came
in 1994-95 by Florida State
when Derrick Brooks and
Derrick Alexander went in the
NFL Draft, Bob Sura in the NBA
Draft and Jonathan Johnson and
David Yocum in the MLB Draft. FSU
also did it in 1993-94 and Clemson in
1986-87.
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The Winston-Salem
Warthogs won the
2003 Carolina
League crown.
Distance From
Winston-Salem
The Beach
The Mountains
Atlanta
Chapel Hill
Charlotte
Durham
Greensboro
Raleigh
Washington, DC
Winston-Salem Facts
Winston-Salem is the "City of the Arts". It has the nation's first arts council, and
is home of the North Carolina School of the Arts. It is ranked first nationally in
per capita contributions to the arts. It holds the National Black Theatre
Festival, is home of the Piedmont Opera Theater, the Winston-Salem
Symphony, the Stevens Center for Performing Arts, and Sawtooth Center for
Visual Arts.
Has a rich Moravian ancestory and a strong African-American heritage.
Ranked fifth among big cities for career opportunities.
Has the lowest cost of living in North Carolina according to American Chamber
of Commerce Researchers Association.
According to Business Development Outlook Magazine Winston-Salem is ranked
in the top 20 nationally for the highest quality of life.
In 1875, Richard Joshua Reynolds moved to Winston-Salem from Virginia to
start a tobacco factory, which became the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.
Entrepreneur Magazine consistently ranks the Triad as one of the top five large
metropolitan areas for small business in the country.
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237
144
318
74
83
83
30
109
338
mi.
mi.
mi.
mi.
mi.
mi.
mi.
mi.
mi.
Student-athletes at Wake Forest have full calendars: classes,
labs and study groups, plus practices, workouts and team meetings. Nonetheless, the Demon Deacons find time in their schedules
to reach out to their community and prepare for life after their
careers at Wake Forest.
Run With The Deacs is
an event that has been
embraced by the
Deacon basketball
family.
CHAMPS/Life Skills
CHAMPS (CHallenging Athletes’ Minds for Personal Success)
was implemented in NCAA institutions beginning in 1994. The
Skills program was created to improve and enhance the studentathlete experience within their selected university. The program was founded at Wake Forest in 1995 and is now
under the guidance of Coordinator Julie Griffin.
“The purpose of CHAMPS/Life Skills is to
prepare student-athletes for life after athletics,” says Dwight Lewis, Wake
Forest’s Associate Athletic
Director.
Chris Paul
Athletes Care Team
Founded in 1991, the Athletes Care Team (ACT) became a key component of
CHAMPS/Life Skills in 1995, serving as the anchor of the leadership and community service commitment of the program. The Athletes Care Team has
many facets, however, the main goal of the program is for student-athletes to reach out to the youth in our area and in the process build a
sense of community, self-awareness, self-esteem, and leadership skills
that cannot be duplicated in a classroom.
For 15 years, the Santa’s Helper program - created by former
Deacon football player Chip Rives - has arranged for a visit from
Santa (WFU student-athletes dressed up in a Santa suit) to underprivileged children in the Winston-Salem area. For the last 11
years, student-athletes have volunteered one hour a week each
semester to become a friend and a mentor to local elementary
school students. Student-athletes also participate in nighttime tutoring at a local recreation center and volunteer at
schools for disabled children. Several student-athletes
also provide tutoring that involves an eight-week commitment to at-risk students in elementary schools.
Another successful program instituted five years ago is
“Eat with the Deacs.” Middle school youngsters visit
Wake Forest for a tour of the campus, attend a team
practice in the sport of their choosing, and then have dinner with Deacon student-athletes in the campus cafeteria.
Student-athletes also assist with programs such as
Project Pumpkin, Special Olympics and Track and Field
Day for the deaf and hard of hearing.
A project embraced by members of the
Deacon basketball team each fall is “Run With
The Deacs” -- a 5k on-campus road race that
raises money for the Brian Piccolo Cancer Fund
Drive. The Deacon football team participates
in a similar project, “Pump Up For Piccolo.”
Involvement in CHAMPS/Life Skills is voluntary, yet each year over 200 student-athletes participate.
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Sean Allen
(Communication '97)
Professional Basketball
Finland
Barry Canty
(Business '96)
Business Management
Charlotte, N.C.
Tim Fuller
(Communication ‘00)
Assistant Coach
Elon University
Antonio Johnson
(Communication '90)
Teacher/Coach
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Phil Medlin
(Sociology '92)
Law Enforcement
Raleigh, N.C.
Antwan Scott
(Religion ‘02)
Professional Basketball
Harlem Globetrotters
Joseph Amonett
(Business '99)
Business Career
Livingston, Tenn.
David Carlyle
(Sociology '90)
Church Youth Minister
Texas
Rod Griffin
Pro Basketball Coach
Spain
Daric Keys
(Sociology '92)
Teacher/Coach
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Robert O’Kelley
(Sociology ‘01)
Professional Basketball
Spain
Robert Siler
(Sociology '91)
Sales
Greensboro, N.C.
Scooter Banks
(Communication '98)
Professional Basketball
Sweden
Randolph Childress
(Communication '96)
Professional Basketball
France
David Hedgecoe
(Health & Sports
Science ‘93)
Dentist
Fayetteville, N.C.
Trelonnie Owens
(Communication '95)
Professional Basketball
Spain
Darius Songaila
(Communication ‘02)
Professional Basketball
Sacramento, Calif.
Marc Blucas
(Business '94)
Actor
Hollywood, Calif.
Craig Dawson
(Sociology ‘02)
Professional Basketball
Europe
Ken Herbst
(Psychology '97)
Professor
Philadelphia, Pa.
Ricky Peral
(Computer Science '97)
Works for PointDx
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Anthony Tucker
Professional Basketball
Italy
Cal Boyd
HS Basketball Coach
Atlanta, Ga.
Tim Duncan
(Psychology '97)
Professional Basketball
San Antonio, Texas
Derrick Hicks
(Radio/TV Broadcasting
‘93)
Law Enforcement
Raleigh, N.C.
Jerry Braswell
(Communication '98)
UPS Personnel Dept.
Trenton, N.J.
Skip Brown
Senior Vice-President
Bank of America
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Jim Fitzpatrick
(Sociology ‘00)
Assistant Coach
Elon University
Mark Forester
(Computer Science '93)
Consultant
Concord, N.C.
Chris King
(Sociology ‘93)
Professional Basketball
France
Stan King
(Communication '94)
Boys & Girls Club
New York, N.Y.
Ralph Kitley
(Sociology '90)
Assistant Principal
Greensboro, N.C.
Josh Howard
(Sociology ‘03)
Professional Basketball
Dallas, Texas
Rusty LaRue
(Computer Science ‘96)
Professional Basketball
Europe
Sam Ivy
Business Executive
College Park, Md.
Derrick McQueen
(Sociology '93)
Sales Representative
Memphis, Tenn.
David Rasmussen
(Spanish '93)
U.S. Army
Orlando, Fla.
Steve Ray
(History '91)
Teacher/Coach
Burnsville, N.C.
Rafael Vidaurreta
(Communication ‘01)
Professional Basketball
Spain
Tom Wise
(Biology '91)
Orthopedic Surgeon
Winchester, Va.
Rodney Rogers
Professional Basketball
East Rutherford, N.J.
Josh Howard now resides in Dallas after being taken in the
first round of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Mavericks.
30
Like many other collegiate school colors and
mascots, Wake Forest's traditional “Old Gold &
Black” and “Demon Deacon” have distinctive, yet
somewhat debated, origins.
As early as 1895, Wake Forest College was
using its colors in athletic competition. The school’s
literary magazine, “The Wake Forest Student,”
described them in this manner:
“At last, Wake Forest has a college badge. It is
a very neat button designed by Mr. John M. Heck
and contains a tiger’s head over the letters WFC.
The colors are in old gold and black.”
As the 20th century opened, those colors
became frequently associated with the college, particularly its athletic and debate teams. Most historians believe that their adoption comes from the
connection with the tiger mascot, and not, as some
have proposed, from any association with the Bible.
Sadly, Heck, who is credited by the magazine
with the creation of the tiger/old gold and black
badge, died of typhoid fever at the age of 19 -- just
one year after making a contribution to Wake Forest
history that has lasted now for over 100 years.
The tiger mascot, however, remained with the
school for just more than two decades. Reports
indicate that by the early 1920s, the college’s nicknames were most commonly noted as the
“Baptists,” or simply “The Old Gold & Black.”
Those were difficult times for the Wake Forest
athletic squads. But a gentleman by the name of
Hank Garrity took over as head football and basketball coach in 1923 and for a brief period
reversed those fortunes. Garrity led the football
team, which had never had a winning record in the
1900s, to three straight winning seasons. And in
two seasons on the hardwood, his clubs compiled a
33-14 mark.
The current nicknames of the time were not
descriptive enough of this new-found athletic spirit,
school newspaper editor Mayon Parker (‘24) felt.
After Wake Forest defeated rival Trinity (now Duke)
in Garrity’s first football season (1923), Parker first
referred to the team as “Demon Deacons,” in
recognition of what he termed their “devilish” play
and fighting spirit.
Wake Forest’s news director Henry Belk and
Garrity liked the title and began using it extensively. The name has, of course, remained as one of the
most unique in America.
With the “Demon Deacon” terminology has
come the actual mascot himself (or herself, which
has been the case on a couple of occasions). Jack
Baldwin (‘43) was the original student Deacon mascot, the first of a long line of entertainers to lead
the school’s teams into action.
“Some of my fraternity brothers and I were just
sitting around one evening,” Baldwin recalls, “and
came to the agreement that what Wake Forest
needed was someone dressed like a deacon -- top
hat, tails, a black umbrella and all that. We wanted him to be more dignified than other mascots,
sort of like an old Baptist Deacon would dress.”
The fraternity president asked Baldwin, who was
known for his sense of humor, if he would be willing
to don such an outfit, and he agreed. An old tuxedo was found. So was a worn top hat, and the following Saturday, there was Baldwin leading the
Wake Forest football team onto the field, riding the
North Carolina ram.
The stunt that began as a late-night joke has
become tradition.
By the time Baldwin graduated two years later, a
number of interested students were willing to keep
the Deacon alive. At first that responsibility
remained with his fraternity, but later broadened to
include the entire student body. Today, special tryouts are held annually to fill the Deacon’s shoes,
and the competition is intense.
Over the years, the Deacon has performed
numerous memorable stunts, some of which school
officials probably would just as soon forget.
Jimmy Devos (‘55) shocked a Bowman Gray
Stadium football crowd one afternoon by dropping
his pants -- only to reveal a pair of colorful Bermuda
shorts. Ray Whitley (‘57), introduced the art of
goal-climbing to Wake Forest contests.
Bill
Shepherd (‘60) answered Auburn’s war eagle cry
with his own “turkey buzzard,” and Hap Bulger
(‘65) gained notoriety as the stately “Debonair
Deacon.”
Perhaps the most well-known Deacon was Jeff
Dobbs (‘77), a spirited and acrobatic dancer, who
even has returned on occasion to inspire Wake
Forest crowds with his cheering and antics.
In most recent years, the Deacon has become
more of an entertainer than cheerleader. He steps
prominently throughout the crowd and playing
field/court at all home contests and is the favorite
of children and adults alike. One very popular
Deacon of the 80s, Chris Kibler (‘84) even managed
to sing the National Anthem from inside his oversized head and costume.
Whether in Honolulu, Seattle, or even at stadiums and arenas in nearby Durham or Chapel Hill,
“the Deacon” stands alone as a unique representative of Wake Forest. Easily recognizable, always distinctive, he adds a special dimension to WFU
Athletics wherever he goes.
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Your financial gift to the Deacon Club does
more than simply support Wake Forest
Athletics; you are enabling a student-athlete
to obtain an education from one of the best
universities in the nation.
athletes to positively impact society. It is our vision
that Wake Forest Athletics be recognized nationally
because of its success. We will get there by continuing to employ coaches and administrative staff who
embody the highest standards of professionalism,
integrity, ethical behavior, and sportsmanship. We
will get there by recruiting student-athletes who are
Many do not realize that when a student-athlete academically prepared for university work and have
signs a scholarship with Wake
the will to win. We will use the
Forest, our Athletic Department
funds we have in the most effiis committing to pay for that
ANNUAL GIVING LEVELS
cient manner possible to mainscholarship. Today's scholarship
Moricle Society ($50,000)
tain and build state of the art
costs total over $7 million. Your
Coliseum Club ($20,000+)
facilities for studying, practicing,
contribution to the Deacon Club
and competing. We will get there
Black & Gold Society ($12,000+)
helps to cover the cost of these
by growing the number of
Gold
Club
($6,000+)
athletic scholarships and allows
Deacon Club supporters to our
Executive Club ($3,000+)
our athletic department to conannual, endowment, and capital
Scholarship
Club
($1,500+)
tinue to strive to be one of the
funds, along with the number of
best overall programs in the
Golden W ($750+)
fans we have attending our comcountry.
Golden C ($300+)
petitions. We will get there with
your support. And we will make
General ($125+)
It is our goal…
you proud.
Student ($25)
to win an NCAA Championship
To learn more about the Deacon
in Men's Basketball, to consisClub and the benefits associated with a Deacon Club
tently fill Groves Stadium and attend annual bowl
games in football, to be competitive on a national membership, please contact the Deacon Club office
at 336-758-5626 or [email protected].
level in all of our sports and to prepare our student-
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