Wheeling Park Lacrosse Goalie Honored Twice
Wiley Receives W.Va. A-A Slot, Bob Scott Award
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WHEELING - A recent Wheeling Park graduate has received one of the highest honors for high school Lacrosse in West Virginia.
Max Wiley, the 5-9, 185-pound starting goalie for the Patriots, was voted on by a committee of coaches to receive the 2023 All American Slot for the Mountain State. Alongside him were Drew Allen, of George Washington High School, and Westin White, of Morgantown High School,, who were awarded the other two slots.
Wiley, who started playing lacrosse in the 5th grade with the Wheeling Phantoms, quickly rose to become a player all opposing coaches would come to know by name.
After being named captain of the Patriots, Wiley led his team to a 7-5 season, falling one game short of the state championship game. During those 12 games, he gained and held a 70-percent save rate, leaving him at the top of the leaderboard in West Virginia for goalies.
According to Max Preps, he finished the year with 174 shots saved, making him the 28th best goalie in the nation. He achieved all this while maintaining a 4.5 GPA throughout high school.
When asked how it felt, Wiley said, "I'm humbled beyond words to receive this recognition. It wouldn't have been done without my teammates, coaches, and everyone who pushed me along the way. So to them, I say thank you!"
Wiley will be added to the All-Time All-American list with USA Lacrosse and featured in next month's issue of USA Lacrosse Magazine.
While receiving the All-American Slot, he also received the West Virginia Bob Scott Award. This award "recognizes a high school senior who goes above and beyond in service to their team, school, and community. This athlete, who truly honors the lacrosse game, is invested in developing the game in their town and is an exemplary teammate. In addition, they must be outstanding students with high academic achievement and serve as role models within their school community," the West Virginia State Lacrosse Association Board said in a prepared statement.
Coach Sean Caldwell said, "An All-American is more than just stats; it's a player constantly striving to better himself and his entire team; Max was that on our team this year." Caldwell added, "Beyond proud of this young man. He earned these awards. Players like him make my job as a coach easy and enjoyable."
Wiley plans to further his academic career at Marshall University, where he will study Sports Business.