The Demon Deacon

The Demon Deacon at a Wake Forest men's basketball game

Those Deacons…

There are few college mascots as interesting as the Wake Forest Demon Deacon.

The Demon Deacon is a nod to the university’s history. Though now an independent university, Wake Forest was founded by Baptists near Raleigh in 1834. The name Deacon made its first appearance in the public domain on Nov. 9, 1923, when the Old Gold and Black referred to the football team as the “demon deacons” in a brief story about the next day’s game.

But it wasn’t until 1941 that some WFU students came up with the idea of designing a mascot based on a Baptist church deacon. The Deacon made his first appearance in top hat, tails, and umbrella.

Then, anecdotally at least, the Deacon was christened with his fierce adjective during a football game when a school reporter announced, “Those Deacons are playing like demons.”

The mascot has gone through some changes over the decades – but remains distinguished and distinctive.

Did You Know?  

The Demon Deacon makes an appearance at an estimated 130 home games each academic year across all sports.

The Demon Deacon mascot conducts the marching band on Hearn Plaza during Orientation for the Class of 2025.
The Deacon leads the charge! This is part of our “open the gate” tradition. The Demon Deacon always has a featured guest ride behind him to “open the gate” to our football games!
Pull up a chair and stay a while.
The Demon Deacon runs with one of his fans. Formal attire optional.
Wake Forest’s Number One cheerleader: our mascot!
Profile in courage.

What’s next?

Keep Exploring

Exciting things happen at Wake Forest every day! Check out additional topics to discover your niche and where you’ll leave your mark as a Demon Deacon, and learn more about affordability and explore our residence halls.

Secure Your Seat

Learn more about how to enroll and make your deposit.

Register for Campus Day

Welcome home, Deac! Are you ready for a sneak peek into your next four years? Join us for Campus Day on either Friday, April 5, or Monday, April 8. It’s your chance to explore the Forest and get a feel for what makes this place so special.

Connect with Students and Faculty

Start a conversation with a current Wake Forest student or faculty member. We’ll send you a text to see which majors you’re interested in, and we’ll make the connection!

WFU28 Resources

Majors & Minors

Take a closer look at our majors and minors and discover what inspires you.

WFU Facts

Check out our Viewbook and visit our facts and stats page to see what makes Wake Forest special.

Questions?

Reach out to your regional dean, who will be more than happy to answer them.