Wallace Carl Riddick Jr. (August 4, 1864 – June 9, 1942) was an American

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

coach and university administrator. Riddick received his A.B. degree from the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

and his degree in civil engineering from

Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU), in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States, is a private university, private research university. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer. Lehigh University's undergraduate programs have been mixed ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

. He served as a consultant for several water projects and for the Seaboard Railroad. Riddick was also a member of the Board of Visitors for the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

and of several state boards and committees. Because of his advocacy on the students' behalf, Riddick was awarded with the Officer's Cross of the Order of St. Sava by King Alexander of Yugoslavia in 1931.

Coaching career

Riddick served as the head football coach at

Wake Forest University Wake Forest University (WFU) is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The R ...

from 1888 to 1889, and at North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...

, from 1898 to 1899, compiling a career

record of 5–7–2.

North Carolina State University

Riddick assumed the presidency at

following Daniel Harvey Hill Jr.'s resignation in 1917. Riddick's administration added work to chemical, ceramics and aeronautics engineering, and developed an engineering experiment station. Riddick resigned as president in 1923 to become dean of the newly established school of engineering, and served in this capacity until his retirement in 1937. Riddick Stadium and Riddick Hall on N.C. State's campus were both named in honor of the former leader. NCSU Libraries Special Collections Research Center serves as the repository for Wallace Carl Riddick's manuscript collection.

Personal life

Riddick was one of the organizing incorporators of the Carolina Country Club.

Death

Riddick died at a

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

hospital on June 9, 1942, after weeks of ill health. His wife had predeceased him by a few weeks."Dr. Riddick, State College Veteran, Dies", ''Burlington Daily Times News'', June 9, 1942, Burlington, North Carolina

Head coaching record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riddick, W. C. 1864 births 1942 deaths NC State Wolfpack football coaches Chancellors of North Carolina State University Wake Forest Demon Deacons football coaches Lehigh University alumni University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni Officers of the Order of St. Sava People from Wake County, North Carolina