Valdez Named Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete

MADISON, Wis.—Luc Valdez has earned the 2023 Max Sparger Men's Scholar-Athlete Award from the WIAC. Valdez is the first Titan to be honored since the 2011-2012 season (Zach Mueller).

A senior from Tinley Park, Ill., Valdez is majoring in finance with minors in risk management and insurance, as well as risk management and actuarial science, and boasts a 3.92 grade point average. He is a two-time member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-America Team and secured a spot on the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll three times.
 
A team captain this season, Valdez claimed the 125-pound title at the WIAC championship after finishing as the runner-up a season ago. He placed third at 133 pounds at the 2021 championship and sixth at 125 pounds in 2020. In 2022, Valdez recorded a fifth-place finish at 125 pounds at the NCAA Division III Upper Midwest Regional. In 2020, he was a member of UW-Oshkosh's team that received the university's Highest Team GPA Award.
 
Valdez is a member of UW-Oshkosh's Finance Club. He has volunteered as a folkstyle coach and Greco Roman coach at local high schools. In addition, Valdez is currently a finance intern at Oshkosh Corporation.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Max Sparger, who served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference for 22 years from 1971-93. He oversaw the transition of the conference from NAIA to full NCAA membership. Sparger arrived at UW-Stout in 1959 and served the institution in a variety of capacities, including as an assistant football and basketball coach, head wrestling coach and head football coach. He served as UW-Stout's athletics director from 1969-71 and was inducted into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, he must be in his last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is based on academic achievements, athletics accomplishments and involvement in other campus activities, organizations and community service projects.