Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Wake Forest Demon Deacons Football History

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Demon Deacon Fight Songs

O Here's to Wake Forest
1. O here's to Wake Forest
A glass of the finest
Red Ruddy, Rhenish filled up to the brim.
Her sons, they are many
Unrivaled by any
With hearts o'erflowing, we will sing a hymn.

(chorus)

Rah! Rah! Wake Forest, Rah!
Old Alma Mater's sons are we
We'll herald the story
and die for her glory
Old Gold and Black is ever waving high.

2. As frosh we adore her
As sophs we explore her
And carve our names upon her ancient walls. As juniors patrol her
As seniors extol her
And weep to leave for'er her sacred halls.
 
   

Wake Forest Scores With "Touchdown 2000"

Bridger Field House

The Wake Forest football program is prepared for the future and future success because of "Touchdown 2000", a major fund-raising drive that has made possible a dramatic enhancement of the Groves Stadium complex.
Wake Forest football history

Through "Touchdown 2000 -- The Drive for Wake Forest Football" a new Bridger Field House has been constructed at the stadium, replacing the previously existing field house which had served the facility for nearly three decades. This new structure, built at a cost of $8 million, will serve the football team in numerous ways and be a major catalyst for the continued growth and development of the overall program.

Ground-breaking for the structure took place on June 28, 1996. The football portion of the building is scheduled to be available for this year's opening game with Northwestern, with completion of the second and third floor areas following later this fall.

The new Bridger Field House was made possible through the generous support of Deacon Club members and other loyal Wake Forest supporters, whose response to the fund-raising appeal was nothing short of phenomenal.

In fact, with the original $7.5 million goal achieved, Wake Forest now has the opportunity to reach beyond the Fieldhouse to make other improvements to Groves Stadium and other athletic facilities with "The Point After" Touchdown 2000 phase of the capital campaign.

Actually, the entire Wake Forest athletic program will benefit from this beautiful facility alone, for it includes offices for the athletic ticket office, marketing and promotions staff and Deacon Club, as well as a club meeting/banquet room that will be the site of athletic (and general university) functions for years to come.

The WFU Hall of Fame will also have its new home in the complex, and a Deacon Gift Shop will be included to service WFU fans not only during home contests but throughout the calendar year.

The primary focus of the new building, however, is obviously Demon Deacon Football.

"We are building a football program the right way and want to insure that when our program reaches the highest level that we keep it there," WFU director of athletics Ron Wellman says. "This facility is an important part of that process and a vital step we need to make in order to allow our football program to be successful."

A spacious team locker room and new dressing area for visiting teams, a modern sports medicine unit, team and coaching staff meeting rooms--all are part of the facility.

The complex will also provide a wonderful setting for prospective student-athletes as they visit Wake Forest to learn more about the program. Former Demon Deacon players can also share in this new facility, which will host Varsity Club activities and other related functions surrounding home contests.

Activities will include food service for Deacon Club donors, alumni and friends in a second-floor "club room" and "sports lounge" named for two Wake Forest greats--Norman Snead and Billy Ray Barnes.

Former Deacon players were actively involved in supporting the new facility financially as well. One major gift was made by former Wake standout wide receiver Ricky Proehl, the second-leading receiver in ACC history and now a member of the Chicago Bears, who committed $100,000 to the effort.

"This new complex will make a statement to prospective student-athletes that Wake Forest is committed to a successful football program," Proehl says. "Any former player will gain a great feeling of satisfaction in knowing that he contributed to the future success of the Deacons by being part of this effort."

Another former Deac, Dave Harris, an all-Southern Conference player at Wake Forest in the 1940s and a member of the WFU Hall of Fame, served as chairman of the advisory board for "Touchdown 2000".

Head coach Jim Caldwell is, of course, equally excited about the opportunities that the new facility will bring to his program.

"We have expanded our facilities on campus with a new weightroom, equipment and sports medicine areas for our football team. Now we will have taken another major step forward by improving our facility at Groves Stadium," Caldwell says.

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