Tom Walter of Wake Forest

Tom Walter is a Division I baseball coach and social impact leader with more than 900 career victories across programs at George Washington, New Orleans, and Wake Forest. His coaching career has been marked by a strong commitment to academic achievement and community service, with every player he has coached completing their degree and engaging in meaningful outreach. At Wake Forest, his leadership has brought the program to national prominence, including a No. 1 national ranking and several NCAA tournament appearances. Tom was born in New York and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. His values and leadership style were shaped during his college years in Washington, DC, where he attended Georgetown University. As a student-athlete, he served as team captain in his junior and senior years, earned Big East All-Academic honors in 1990 and 1991, and was named team MVP in his senior year. He was also recognized as Freshman of the Year during his first season. After earning a degree in finance, Tom went on to pursue a master’s degree at George Washington University. While in graduate school, he supported the athletic department by tutoring athletes in calculus, managing sports equipment, and serving as an assistant coach. During that time, the team won the Atlantic 10 championship and made an NCAA tournament appearance in 1992. Tom became head coach at George Washington University in 1996. Over eight seasons, he led the team to a 273–181 record, becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach. In 2002, the team earned an NCAA tournament berth, and he was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. His leadership helped 26 players move into professional baseball, including one who reached the major leagues. In 2019, he was inducted into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame and is also a member of the AAABA and Cambria County Halls of Fame. Thomas Walter has continued to lead with purpose and consistency at Wake Forest while also founding Get In the Game to promote youth service and leadership. As he approaches 1,000 career wins.