Waite is a graduate of Monona Grove High School in Madison, Wisconsin.

Waite received All-MIVA honors his junior and senior years, and was named team co-captain and co-MVP in 1980.

He started his coaching career in 1981 at Northside High School in Muncie, Indiana and spent the next year as a junior varsity coach at his alma mater, Monona Grove High School.

Waite also coached one year at Bremen High School in Midlothian, Illinois.

[2] Under Waite, Wisconsin has won two Big Ten titles (2000 and 2001) and finished as NCAA National Runners-up to Nebraska.