Lady Deacons going dancing
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (BVM) — While the men’s basketball NCAA Tournament is taking place in Indiana, we must not forget that the women’s NCAA Tournament begins on Sunday in San Antonio. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are going to try to make sure that it’s unforgettable.
At just 12-12 on the season, the Deacs got an at-large bid into the tournament as a 9-seed, which drew them a matchup with the 8-seeded Oklahoma State Cowgirls. This is just their second appearance in program history, but all along, head coach Jen Hoover knew that they had March Madness potential.
“From the first day they stepped on campus on July 6, I knew this was a special group that had the opportunity to get Wake Forest back where it belongs, the NCAA Tournament,’ Hoover said in a press release. “I know this group is ready for the challenge of the NCAA Tournament in San Antonio.”
Though they finished .500 on the year and just ninth in the conference, these numbers are deceiving. They played in the elite Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) that produced eight NCAA tournament teams this year, leading all of women’s college basketball. They have six NET top-50 wins, and made it to their second consecutive ACC quarterfinals.
They play team basketball, winning by committee all season long with four players averaging double digits. They are led by Coach Hoover who played her college ball at Wake Forest and now has led that same school to the NCAA tourney for the first time since 1987-88. The Deacons have the makings of a Cinderella team.
Their matchup with the Cowgirls on Monday will be the first ever meeting between the two teams, with the winner slated to take on the winner of Stanford and Utah Valley State. The last time the Deacons played postseason basketball was in 2017 in the WNIT.
“This is an outstanding achievement for our student-athletes, coaches and staff, and all of Deacon Nation,” Director of Athletics John Currie said. “Coach Hoover, our senior leaders and the entire program have persevered through the challenges of the pandemic to accomplish the goal of returning to the NCAA tournament. DEACTOWN is headed to San Antonio and we encourage all Wake Forest fans to enjoy the Demon Deacons’ journey.”
