by Lynn Sullivan '89

Tyler Walker '96 is not one of the stars of the Colby men's basketball team, but you'd never know it by the way his coaches and teammates talk about him.

"Tyler is one of the most focused guys we have," said head coach and athletic director Dick Whitmore. "He is a tremendous example of a hard worker and a vital team member."

Walker's contributions aren't sinking three-point shots, making key rebounds or setting up plays. "Every day in practice Tyler works harder than anyone else [on the court]," said teammate T.J. Maines, a senior tri-captain from Bath, Maine. "He is definitely a leader. During games he gets everyone involved and gets [the players] on their feet clapping."

Most games Walker is on the bench awaiting a rare chance to play. The Hampton, N.H., native--who was cut from the team his first year--has seen roughly 20 minutes of playing time during the past two seasons. That doesn't faze Walker, who remains enthusiastic.

"I get to play against one of the best point guards around," said Walker, who is responsible during practices for guarding senior tri-captain Matt Gaudet, the team's leading scorer and potential All-American. "[In practice I get] to challenge the starters. The best thing is playing against the good and great players everyday."

Walker, a 5' 7" point guard, says that despite the frustrations of limited playing time, basketball is his first love and he'll participate until he no longer has fun--something he hopes never happens.

"I'm not going to say I'm content with [not playing]," said Walker, "but I'm not going to express it. To complain about playing time would be ridiculous .  .  .  it disrupts team unity. It's natural to think you can play and it's tough sometimes not playing, but you have to have respect for seniority and the guys who've paid their dues. Plus the number one thing with everyone on the team is wanting to win."

Assistant coach Gerry McDowell `76 says Walker is an asset to the team. "Tyler is tremendously supportive of his teammates. He gives everything he's got from the bench to help us win games," he said.

Walker says it's hard to argue about minutes played when you're part of a highly successful team. Last year the White Mules had a 21-4 record and were seeded second in the Northeast Region of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III tournament. This year the team went 20-5.

"If I didn't want to play [in games] I wouldn't try hard in practice," said Walker, who runs a basketball and soccer camp during summers in Hampton. "If I'm not going to play in games, I've got to try hard in some other ways. I want to win as much as anyone on the team. You just have to keep in mind that you're contributing to a winning [program]."

"Tyler never complains," said Maines. "He may be down but you'd never know by his actions. He never says a word and is always positive."

Walker was an outstanding high school athlete, playing basketball and soccer and running track. The American studies major says he came to Colby because of its academic reputation, not because of athletics.

A starting outside halfback on the men's soccer team, Walker helped lead the White Mules to an Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship in 1993 and to the tournament semifinals in 1994. He was elected a captain for next season by his teammates.

"I'm pretty lucky. I've been on two pretty successful teams even though I don't play much on one," said Walker.

"Part of what you do in coaching is admire," said Whitmore, "and it's easy to admire Tyler because of everything that he brings to the table everyday. He is invaluable as far as the team is concerned."

"I think of Tyler as a leader," said Maines. "Next year, in my eyes, I think he should be a captain."

Said McDowell, "Tyler has the heart of a winner."

Stick Together The White Mules men's ice hockey team made their second straight appearance in the ECAC hockey tournament and finished the season with a 14-9-2 overall record. The team's best game came in January when they played to a 3-3 tie against Division I powerhouse Princeton University, a team that handed the 1993 NCAA champion University of Maine its first loss. Seeded fifth in the ECAC championship tournament, Colby lost 9-2 in the quarterfinal round to eventual champion Salem State College. The women's ice hockey team had its first winning season in more than a decade, finishing with a 12-7-1 record. The White Mules posted wins over Yale, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Harvard and Northeastern. First-year standouts Heather Richardson and Meaghan Sittler were named ECAC rookies of the week--Sittler twice. Sophomore Barb Gordon and Sittler have been invited to try out for the U.S. national team.	12th in the Nation Four members of the women's squash team represented Colby at the Individual Nationals this season--second team All-American Kate LaVigne '95 of Paxton, Mass., first-year student Sonia Totten of Tokyo, Ellen Derrick, a junior from West Falls, N.Y., and Sarah Molly, a sophomore from Indonesia. The squad finished the season with a 16-11 overall record and a national ranking of 12, the highest in the 12-year history of the program. Best Season Ever The National Intercollegiate Squash Racquet Association coach's poll selected Colby's men's squad as the recipient of the 1994-95 Barnaby Trophy, which is given to the most improved team in the nation. In addition, the squad received the Summers Trophy for its performance at Team Nationals in February. With a 16-8 final record, they finished the season with a national ranking of 17--the best in the program's 24-year history. Junior Jamie Cheston, of Ambler, Pa., and first-year student Dave Dodwell, of Warwick, Bermuda, represented the White Mules at the Individual Nationals.	Roundup The women's indoor track and field squad placed second, third and fourth at the three New England Challenge Cup meets and secured second at the Maine State Meet. The team finished fourth at the New England Division III championships and 13th at the ECACs. Senior Lenia Ascenso was undefeated in the 1000 meters and 800 meters until the Division III championships, where she placed 12th in the 800. Brooke Lorenzen '95 broke her own school record in the 20-pound weight throw with a toss of 49'4.25." . . . The men's squad tied for eighth at the ECAC championships. Senior Zach Nightingale won the 500-meter race with a time of 1:05.34, breaking a meet record held since 1992 and a Colby record held since 1983 by James McHugo '85. . . . The alpine and nordic teams placed in the top 10 at all the ski carnivals this season except for the nordic races at St. Lawrence. . . . Injuries and illness plagued the women's basketball team this winter as they finished the season with a 5-17 record.

Still Kicking It's been a while since Frank Stephenson '62 laced up his hockey skates, so it's no wonder the former All-American goalie misses the game. Currently an education consultant living in Ojai, Calif., Stephenson still holds Colby records for lowest goals-against average in a season (2.18)--set in 1961-62--and in a career (2.45). After graduating he did a three-year stint with the Army before returning to Mayflower Hill to work in the admissions and alumni/development offices over a span of 14 years. In the early 1970s he was instrumental in the formation of Colby's women's ice hockey program. In 1980 Stephenson became director of admissions at the Thacher School in California, leaving in 1986 to start his own consulting firm.