On Memorial Day weekend, Walker Wallace rejoiced as the final whistle sounded and he became a national champion with the Cornell lacrosse team. And then he decided to transfer to a program that has never even come close to winning a national championship.
That’s because he was switching to another sport.
Wallace spent five years at Cornell — one season canceled due to COVID-19 — and had finally reached the mountaintop. He played in every game this season for the Big Red, an All-Ivy first-teamer who scored three goals as a long-stick midfielder.
But with one year of eligibility remaining, Wallace decided it was time to make the switch to football, a sport he played through high school, and finish his college career as a tight end at Virginia.
Football was always something he had thought of doing in college. But lacrosse had always been his first sport, and so it came first.
“It was always something that was in the back of my head,” Wallace said in an interview. “It was something I talked to my high school football coach about throughout my lacrosse career.”
Wallace, a former student at the St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, is elated to be returning home. He is a Virginia sports legacy — his uncle, Charles, played linebacker for the Cavaliers and his mother, Elizabeth, was a member of the track team. Having already followed in his brother’s footsteps by playing lacrosse for the Big Red, Wallace is looking forward to being able to continue his family legacy in Charlottesville as well.
“It’s full circle,” Wallace said. “I grew up going to Virginia football games with my uncle and with a lot of my extended family, so it will be cool to join that coming from a different perspective now.”
After developing both physically and mentally during his time in college, though, Wallace felt it was finally time to give football a chance again, as his time on the lacrosse field hit the rearview mirror.
“My body changed and matured in a lot of ways, and I saw that this was something I thought I could do, so I wanted to give it a shot,” Wallace said.
The thinking often goes that lacrosse players are athletes that can easily shift their skillset to other sports. So what attributes does Wallace have as a transitioning football player?
Adaptability is the first skill that jumps off the charts. Wallace spent his first two years at Cornell as a goalie, but he made the switch to midfield in 2023. Despite the fact that those positions have completely different skill sets, Wallace took the change head on and thrived in his new role. That experience should ease the shift to tight end, a position he played growing up.
“There are a lot of unknowns in the next chapter, but it’s the same thing as when I changed positions,” Wallace said. “I know the recipe even if I don’t know all the pieces that go into it.”
Another skill that Wallace will bring is his physical prowess. At 6-foot-7 and 242 pounds, Wallace is the tallest and one of the biggest tight ends on the roster. He is also incredibly athletic, a three-sport athlete in high school.
Along with that size comes a winner’s attitude. Aside from winning a national championship this year, he played a big role in the Big Red never having a losing season over the past five years and making the NCAA Tournament three times in four seasons. His 2022 squad finished as national runners-up. He, unlike a football program that has not seen a winning season in four years, has been to the peak of competition multiple times.
Not often does Virginia get a Virginia kid with such a diverse skill set at the tight end position. And, of course, importing a national championship mindset never hurts.
“I feel like I am aligned with what they’re trying to do culture-wise and team-wise and think I will be able to bring some experience,” Wallace said. “Just being a guy who has competed and been able to win a national championship [is an aspect I want to] bring to the locker room.”
Wallace will slot into a tight end room that has a wavering depth chart. Senior Dakota Twitty and graduate student Sage Ennis are likely to get big playing time, but sophomore John Rogers also looked good in offseason workouts and could make a run. With his unique blend of athleticism and physicality, Wallace could add a dimension to the Cavalier offense as a good blocker or receiver.
Wallace was also a teammate of senior wide receiver Andre Greene Jr. in high school and is excited to get to play with him again.
With Aug. 30’s season opener against Coastal Carolina just a couple of months away, Wallace will attempt to quickly re-acclimate to football mode and help out the team. He will enjoy every minute.
“To be able to end up at U.Va. was kind of a dream come true,” Wallace said.
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