Nearly 5,000 miles separate Tim Wallace’s Hawaii home from West Point but that wasn’t going to stop him for getting the full Army football recruiting experience.
Wallace was hooked on the idea of playing for Army from the moment that Black Knights special teams coach Sean Saturnio visited his Mililani High School in January.
When Wallace competed in Nike Indoor Track and Field Nationals in New York, he made sure to set up an unofficial visit to West Point in March.
Wallace received a preview of cadet life, participating in West Point’s Summer Leadership Program earlier this month. From there, Wallace competed at Army football’s summer (prospect) camp and earned the Class of 2025 defensive back MVP honors.
“For me, it felt like no-brainer,” said Wallace, who committed to Army Wednesday. “The character that West Point instills into you is unlike any other school. The prestige that the West Point school and degree holds is another reason I decided to pick West Point.”
Wallace, a standout hurdler in the 60 meters, is being recruited to play cornerback by Army. He’s a perfectionist at the position.
“I feel like one of my biggest strengths is my technique,” Wallace said. “Every day, I find something to work on and I take a lot of pride in trying to perfect my craft.”
Wallace said the bond established with Saturnio, a native of Hilo, Hawaii, was another reason for his Army commitment. It started from their first meeting in January. Saturnio has recruited some Army standouts from the islands during his 10-plus years at West Point including fullback Calen Holt and kicker Quinn Maretzki.
“He (Saturnio) really made me feel at home when I was there (at West Point visiting) and even now, he’s always checking up on me,” Wallace said. “He really cares.
“I’m fired up to work with all of the coaches. I know coach (Jeff) Monken has something special ever since he started coaching at West Point. So. I’m super excited.”
