DCC Alumni Spotlight – Melissa Wallace

Melissa Wallace had the honor of being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader from 2014-2017. She is originally from Las Vegas and ventured to Texas to pursue a college education in engineering at SMU. At age 21 following her junior year of college, Melissa auditioned for DCC and was one of the nine rookies to grace AT&T Stadium that year.  

Melissa had an array of memorable stories to share. One that stuck out in particular was the first time she tried on the iconic DCC uniform. She said the uniform fitting was the first time she ever tried on cowboy boots! While Melissa was on the team, she acquired a nickname from the one and only, Kitty Carter. Everyone referred to Melissa as “Vegas.” She also remembers learning about the importance of a good spray tan!  

Melissa’s favorite moment as a DCC included her time on show group and having the opportunity to go on several USO tours, with her favorite being the Christmas tour to South Korea. Several of Melissa’s family members served, so being able to honor them was something she felt very passionate about. Troops have the opportunity to give military coins and there is a special DCC coin that Melissa cherishes today. Melissa also loved going on calendar shoots and bonding with her teammates. There is definitely something surreal about seeing yourself all done up on a beautiful beach and having the magic of the camera bring these pictures to life! 

Outside of the incredible appearances and performance opportunities, Melissa feels that the long-lasting friendships and sisterhood are the most valuable part of being a DCC. The pinky ring is something that binds DCC together and Melissa stated that it is always exciting when you are able to connect with a stranger who shares the same token of jewelry! Additionally, Melissa said it is pretty exciting to break out the Thunder choreography at every DCC wedding! 

The biggest takeaway from Melissa’s time on the team is that DCC is a chapter. You have to accept all that the chapter has to offer. She said, “You have to own it, love it, and keep things in perspective.”  Melissa still resides in Dallas and works for in engineering for a construction company. Her place of work has offices in both Dallas and Vegas, allowing her two worlds to collide. I loved getting to chat with Melissa and look forward to hopefully meeting her in person in the near future. 

DCC McKenzie