Wake Forest Names Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2021

In a series of videos this week, Wake Forest Director of Athletics John Currie revealed the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021.

The inductees include the winningest quarterback in program history in Riley Skinner, the all-time leading scorer in football history in kicker Sam Swank, former women’s golf coach of 30 years Dianne Dailey, All-American soccer goalkeeper William Hesmer, multi-time All-American and National Champion track and field athlete Michael Bingham, and Heritage inductee slimming and diving champion Drew Taylor.

Dianne Dailey

Dailey was a consensus selection in her first year of eligibility. In 30 years as the women’s golf coach, she was a four-time ACC Coach of the Year, the 2001 LPGA Coach of the Year, and is a member of the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Under her leadership, the Deacs went to 25 NCAA Regionals and 14 NCAA Championships. She coached 14 different players who were named as All-Americans a total of 28 times, 4 ACC Players of the Year, and 3 ACC Rookies of the Year. Wake Forest won 4 ACC Women’s Golf Championships under Coach Dailey.

Riley Skinner

Skinner led the Deacs to the 2006 ACC Championship as the starting quarterback in his redshirt freshman season. He was the 2006 ACC Rookie of the Year, named Second Team All-ACC in 2006, holds the NCAA record for completion percentage in a bowl game, holds the ACC single season completion record, was named the 2008 EagleBank Bowl MVP, and is the winningest quarterback in Wake Forest history. Riley is 1st in school history in career passing yards, 2nd in single season passing yards, 1st in career passing touchdowns, tied for 2nd in single season passing touchdowns, 1st in career total offense, 2nd in single season offense, 2nd in career total touchdowns, and 2nd in single season total touchdowns.

Michael Bingham

Bingham is an 8-time ACC Champion in track and field, 4-time All-American in the 400 meters, the 2009 400-meter National Champion, and a 2008 Olympic Bronze Medal Winner in the 4x400 meter relay for Great Britain.

Sam Swank

Swank scored all of Wake Forest’s points in the 2006 ACC Championship win when he converted on three field goal attempts. He was the 2006 ACC Championship Game MVP, a 2006 First Team All-ACC selection, named a First Team All-American by three publications in 2006, named a Sporting News Freshman All-American in 2005, a three-time Lou Groza Award Semifinalist, and a 2006 Ray Guy award semifinalist. Sam is the all-time leading scorer in school history, first in Wake Forest history in career field goals made, second in single season field goals made, first in career PATs made, and third in career field goal percentage.

William Hesmer

Hesmer was a two-time All-American, three-time All-ACC member, Academic All-American, and the 17th pick in the 2004 MLS Draft. He finished his Wake Forest career first in shutouts and goals against average.

Drew Taylor

The Heritage inductee for the class of 2021, Taylor won five ACC Championships in diving, out of six he competed in. Taylor won every dual-meet title he competed in his senior year, and is the first member of the Wake Forest swimming and diving program to be inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame. His five individual ACC titles are the fourth most in school history for any athlete of any sport.

Due to COVID-19, the Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be announced at a later date.

Congratulations to all six of these outstanding former Deacons! GO DEACS!