Men's Indoor Track and Field

Student-Athlete Spotlight: Max Wallace, UW-Whitewater

Each week during the 2025-26 academic year, the WIAC will feature two student-athletes (one male and one female) from one of its eight institutions for a “Student-Athlete Spotlight” Q & A segment. The segments will be posted every Thursday and individuals are selected by the institution. The WIAC Student-Athlete Spotlights are presented by Culver's.

Name:  Max Wallace
Institution:  UW-Whitewater
Hometown and High School:  West Allis, Wis. (Nathan Hale High School)
Year in school:  Junior
Sport:  Men's Track & Field
Majo:  Journalism
Minor: Sports Management

Why did you choose UW-Whitewater?
I chose UW-Whitewater because I had an amazing visit. I loved the campus and atmosphere. It was a good distance away from home, and it felt like the right choice.

What other clubs/organizations on campus are you involved in?
I am a sportswriter for Royal Purple, the university paper

What do you like most about competing in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and being a NCAA Division III student-athlete?
What I love most is watching others achieve their goals and have smiles on their faces. I have made so many friends through track, not just from UW-Whitewater but from other schools in the WIAC too, so the camaraderie that occurs at meets is awesome, everyone cheers for each other.
 
What is your favorite…
Menu item from Culver’s?  Cheese Curds
Flavor of the Day from Culver’s?  Carmel Fudge Cookie Dough
Non-Athletic Spot on Campus?  Anderson Library
TV Show?  Attack on Titan
Holiday?  Thanksgiving
Food?  Chicken Alfredo
Animal?  Chameleon
Smartphone App?  Spotify
Musical Group or Artist?  The Goo Goo Dolls
Professional Sports Athlete or Team?  Damian Lillard
Vacation Spot?  Utah
 
What is your greatest sports moment? 
Hitting a walk off in the Cooperstown New York tournament
 
What is your favorite thing to do off the court/field with your teammates?
I like going out to eat, playing board games, or watching sports with my teammates.
 
Who is someone that you look up to?
I look up to various NBA players that talk openly about mental health like DeMar DeRozan and Kyrie Irving. 
 
Do you have any words of advice for younger/upcoming student-athletes?
Don’t directly identify yourself with your sport and don’t make it your whole personality. When people ask who you are, your response shouldn’t just be I'm an athlete, it is just something you do. Associating yourself so closely to your performance can only lead you down a harsh path of negative emotions and thought patterns. And lastly, keep striving to be a better person. It doesn’t matter what people think of you as an athlete, they will always look at you as a person first.
 
One word that describes you?
Mellow
 
What is your dream job? 
Sports Broadcaster
 
Three things on your "bucket list"?
---I want to go skydiving
---Travel Europe extensively
---Learn Guitar
 
A non-athletic talent that you have is?
I can play the cello

What’s your dream sporting event to attend?
A Kansas Jayhawks men's home basketball game

Do you have any pre-game/pre-event superstitions or rituals? If so, what are they?
I like to listen to peaceful instrumental type music when I warm up to calm my nerves, I also usually have my go to snack, Goldfish, a little before I compete 
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