He was one of two African-American players who arrived at Vanderbilt that year, but the other, Godfrey Dillard, was injured before he could earn a varsity letter (at the time, freshmen were not eligible to play on NCAA varsity teams), and ultimately transferred to and played at Eastern Michigan.

He became the first black athlete to complete four years at an SEC school,[7][9] graduating with a degree in engineering in 1970, and was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers.

[10] He responded with a press interview in which he described some of the loneliness he had felt on campus throughout the four years, ranging from small slights and the lack of true inclusion by or friendship from well-meaning people to overtly racist professors and racist incidents, such as a demand from the University Church of Christ, located across the street from the campus but not affiliated with it, that he not attend church services there because of his race.

[10] In the following season, basketball teams from Alabama, Kentucky, Florida and Georgia contained black athletes.

[2] Wallace was a trial attorney at the United States Department of Justice, where he dealt with natural resources and environmental law.