Nico Walz, University of Dallas, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field - Character & Community

Nico Walz, University of Dallas, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field - Character & Community

NICO WALZ OF THE UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS, a sophomore on the men's cross country and track & field team, has been selected the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Character and Community Male Student Athlete of the Week for the week beginning January 17.

The SCAC Character & Community award honors the efforts of student-athletes who excel in the field of athletics, and also serve their campus and community.



Walz may just be a sophomore at the University of Dallas, but he has been a part of the Crusader community for a long time and he intends to keep it that way.

His father being a professor at the university, Walz had spent many hours of his childhood and young adult life engrossed in the culture of UD.  Though his decision to attend could have been as simple as wanting to follow his father, Walz was quite careful in choosing where he would spend the next four years of his life.

“I looked at a couple of other places and I couldn’t find anywhere that had the kind of combination of an intellectual environment and the thoroughly Catholic education and community that the University of Dallas offers.”

A lifetime cross country and track & field athlete, Walz was thrilled to be able to continue his competitive career as a Crusader.  But perhaps more importantly, he found another community he was proud to be an active member of.  “The spring before my freshman year here, Coach Schneigert reached out ot me and asked if I would like to keep running with the UD cross country team, and I was really thrilled to be able to join such an awesome team with great competition, but also a very ‘UD’ sense of what is important.  I’m so grateful to have such great teammates and such a great cross country community.”

As is so common with those who choose to attend UD, Walz’s Catholic faith has been at the forefront of his life, and he has been able to continue and grow in his dedication at the university.  “One of the few things I’ve been doing longer than running is altar serving.  I’ve served since I was very young, and I was very happy to continue that at the University of Dallas at the Church of the Incarnation.  That’s been a big part of coming here is living out the Catholic faith, helping out the church, and also through other clubs that are associated with the Catholic faith.”

Being a part of the Catholic faith and community doesn’t end with simply practicing for Walz; he hopes to teach others some day.  “One day, I’m hoping to be a professor or teacher myself, and coming to UD has been extremely beneficial in assisting me with that goal.  The intellectual discussions. The ability to talk to professors and fellow students, as well as the strong Catholic life…strengthening me both spiritually and intellectually and preparing me to go out one day and hopefully teach others myself.”

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