Andersen Takes Long Route to Willamette, then Sets Records for Bearcats
By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Max Andersen (Jr./So., WR, Chico, CA/Moreau Catholic HS/Butte College) had an outstanding first season with the Bearcats in 2019. He was the team's top receiver and also set several records. His accomplishments happened after an unusual set of circumstances brought him to Willamette.
In high school, Andersen was a standout wide receiver at Pleasant Valley High School in California. His efforts created key plays that helped Pleasant Valley win a State Championship in 2016.
"My two biggest highlights from high school were a touchdown in overtime of the State Championship game to set up our two-point conversion for the win, and a fourth-quarter, one-handed, fourth-down catch on a post route in the State Semifinals," Andersen said. "Winning the State title in high school was an amazing experience ... from the 10-hour bus ride to winning 50-49 in overtime, it is something that I will never forget and feel lucky to have been a part of."
After graduating in the spring of 2017, Andersen went to Butte College, located in Chico, California, his hometown. Eventually, Andersen decided to transfer.
"I played one year as a practice player and redshirted," Andersen recalled. "Following that season, I decided I did not want to play football at Butte anymore. At that point, I was pretty sure my football career was over. I spent a year just going to school, and graduated with my Associate of Arts degree from Butte, and was set to go to UC Davis as a student, but I was very much itching to play football again. The year I took off really reminded me of the love I had for the game."
He wasn't sure where to transfer.
"On a whim, after a discussion with my mom, I decided to send an email to the coaching staff at Willamette since they had recruited me out of high school when Head Coach Isaac Parker was at Lewis and Clark College," Andersen commented. "I asked about the possibility of playing. I was not sure what to expect, given that I had not played for a year, but thankfully the coaches believed in me and let me be a part of the team. I'm very grateful that I ended up here at Willamette, with these amazing coaches, players, professors, faculty, and students."
Fans of the Bearcats quickly became fans of the talented wide receiver. He consistently provided big plays and was difficult for opponents to defend. He earned Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference recognition.
For the season, Andersen hauled in a team-high 47 passes and led the team with 852 yards. He scored 10 touchdowns while averaging 18.1 yards per catch.
"It has been such a great experience having Max join us," Parker said. "He has been a great addition to our program on and off the field. His work ethic is a great example for our young players and his success on the field has been a direct result of his hard work. I'm excited for his continued development and his leadership with our young players."
He scored on the longest pass in school history, a 95-yard toss from Mathew Castaneda ('20) against Pacific Lutheran University on Nov. 16. The catch broke the old record of 94 yards set on a pass from Todde Greenough to David Shirley on Oct. 8, 1988, against Whitworth University.
Andersen caught a school record 14 passes against Lewis & Clark on Oct. 26, then broke the record by bringing down 16 receptions against the University of Puget Sound on Nov. 9.
In the game at L&C, his catches allowed Andersen to gain a school record 247 yards, as he surpassed the 244 yards by Jeff Jones versus Western Oregon University in 1985. Andersen also ranks third on the all-time list with 235 yards in the game against Puget Sound.
Andersen averaged 94.7 receiving yards per game last fall. He ended the season more with than 125 yards in four different games. He scored three touchdowns against Lewis & Clark and tallied two scores versus Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran. He ranked fourth in the NWC in receiving yards per game and touchdowns.