Becky Taylor/The Tifton Gazette Diamond Wallace gets support from dad, Emerich Wallace, while signing with Columbus State.

TIFTON — Diamond Wallace is competitive in every track and field event. Now, the recent Tift County graduate can put those skills to good use towards her education.

Wallace signed July 16 with Columbus State.

“She did it on her own,” said Tift County head track coach J.C. Clark. He did not mean just on the track, but getting signed as well.

When the state meet happened in May, Clark said he took his athletes on a college tour. “We stopped at Columbus State,” he said. While there, Wallace began asking questions of CSU’s coaches.

“All of a sudden, conversations led to opportunities,” said Clark. “A business card here, an email there and all of a sudden (Columbus State said) ‘We like what we see and we want to give you something.’”

Wallace might have several opportunities at Columbus State.

On the academic side of it, Wallace said she intends to pursue nursing.

Wallace has been active with the middle and high school track programs since she was in seventh grade. Clark raved about her development.

She holds the school record in long jump at 17-10 and ran a leg of the 4×100  and 4×200 relay teams that also hold a TCHS mark. In addition to qualifying for state in long jump, Wallace also qualified for nationals.

MileSplit named Wallace to the All-Senior team for Class 6A, third team as an individual and honorable mention for her work in the 4×200.

She was 12th in long jump at the 2025 state meet. A year earlier, Wallace ran in the 4×200 finals with Taliyah Thomas, Caitlyn Burgess and Nairobi Graham.

Asked what events she might compete in in college, Wallace said it would be similar to in high school.

Teammates and educators cheered on Wallace during the ceremony at TCHS.

“Thank you to everyone who gave me the opportunity, especially my coaches,” said Wallace. She admitted she’d made them work hard. “We made it, and we’re here, and I made a lot of friends along the way,” she said.

She also thanked her dad, Emerich, for his support. “You came a long ways with me,” said Wallace.