Deacs Day of Giving 2019: The Next 5 Years of Wake Forest Athletics

This article is part of a series for the 2nd annual Deacs Day of Giving, a 24-hour fundraising event being held today, February 6th, 2019. On this impactful day, the Deacon Club is aiming to raise money to fund investments in recruiting, training, and educational resources for Wake Forest athletics and its student-athletes.

Click here to learn more about today’s events and how you can support The Deacon Club and Wake Forest Athletics.

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In honor of the Deacon Club’s 2nd Annual “Deacs Day of Giving” the BSD Staff have compiled their thoughts on a few questions related to the theme of “Giving”, and what it’s like to be a Wake Forest fan. This article is the 3rd in the series, and revolves around what the staff’s ideal next 5 years of Wake Forest Sports could look like and the impact of new state-of-the-art facilities moving forward.

“Give the recent or upcoming Wake Forest Sports facility development you are most excited about moving forward and why.”

• Ned: The renovation of the Joel Coliseum in the next few years is undoubtedly the development I am most excited about moving forward. While historic in its own right, the fact that the university didn’t officially own the arena until 2013 meant it has never really had an interior design that make it feel distinctly Wake Forest. The renovation of the scoreboard prior to the 2017-18 season was a significant addition, and the eventual reduction of seating capacity to 10-11k seats will do wonders to creating an atmosphere that is more intimate and appropriate for the size of the school. While we still may be a few years away from any further improvements, a revitalized Joel will be key in enhancing the gameday experience for Deacon fans for years to come.

• Andrew: I am honestly most excited for the Baseball Pitching Lab. This new development allows Wake to stand apart from the other ACC programs and opens the door to many new possibilities down the road. With the major leagues now indulging itself in analytics, it will be interesting to see what comes out of this. Hopefully, this leads to a healthier and more successful group going forward.
• Elijah: The renovation of the Joel is the development that is most important to the program. Creating a more intimate setting for the “smaller” school in Wake Forest will be very helpful. Basketball arenas do not need to be huge in college (look at our rivals in Durham). Wake will likely continue to be known historically as a “basketball school” despite the recent trends of the program and a crucial step to building back up to that forged reputation begins with the renovation and revitalized efforts to get Wake Forest back on track.
• SF: All in on the Joel Renovations, but for a slightly different reason: I hope the Athletic Department consults with a person or persons with a disability to improve the quantity and quality of accessible seating. It’s a huge opportunity.
• Edward: As much as Wake Forest basketball is my number one passion, I’m actually going to go out on a limb here and say the new baseball facilities. Wake now has one of, if not THE, top baseball facilities in the country, and should now be able to compete with anybody. The opportunities are endless with the new technology and partnership with the medical school.

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Give an ideal (and realistic) “Moment to Happen in the Next 5 Years of Wake Forest Sports” in Tweet length.

• Ned: The Joel becomes one of the premier atmospheres in College Basketball once again. Through a few renovations to its size and design, increased engagement with the student body, and a winning program, Wake Forest re-emerges as one of the toughest places to play in the nation.
• Elijah: Wake Forest Football continues to be a bowl game contender every year while flirting with finishing in the top 3 of the Atlantic a couple times. In basketball, the Joel renovation reinvigorates the fanbase to bring in a respectable ACC program.
• SF: Dave Clawson continues to build, summarily rebuffing any suitors and making it clear he’s a Deac for life. Basketball rises from the ashes and there’s a new energy around the program that isn’t just a tag line. Men’s Soccer finally wins a National Title.
• Andrew: Wake Forest Football takes over as the university’s number one sports interest, surpassing the recent inconsistency of the basketball program. Mens Soccer will still be one of the main powerhouses in the nation.
• Cam: Wake Forest Football wins 10 games. Wake Forest Basketball becomes one of the hardest places to play in the ACC. Men’s Tennis wins another National Title
• Edward: Wake Forest hires a young, energetic basketball coach who brings back Tie-Dye Nation and gets the Joel rocking again like it once did. The Deacs become a perennial Top 25 program once again, and the Screamin’ Demons come out in full force just as they once did.

Click here to learn more about today’s “Deacs Day of Giving” and how you can support The Deacon Club and Wake Forest Athletics.