In the history of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL), few teams can match the tradition of Greater Latrobe. The Wildcats not only have captured numerous championships, but they have also produced a myriad of players who continued beyond the high school ranks. Among those standout players who once donned a Wildcats jersey is Alex Walker, who is now a crucial piece at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Walker is in the spotlight for this edition of the Westmoreland Alum Q&A.

Walker made the Greater Latrobe varsity as a freshman forward in 2017-18, playing in a dozen games with the Wildcats. In that action, he compiled two goals and one assist. Greater Latrobe went 13-6, compiling 26 points, earning the top seed from the PIHL Class AA East Division. The Wildcats were upset by Quaker Valley in overtime of the quarterfinals, however, ending their season.

The next year, Walker appeared in 19 contests, registering 11 goals and 30 assists. That season, GL compiled a mark of 14-4-1, accumulating 29 points. As the second seed from the Class AA South Division, the Wildcats ousted Hampton in the quarterfinals, but came up short against Pine-Richland in the semifinals to conclude the campaign.

In the 2019-20 season, Walker emerged as one of the most prolific players in the PIHL, and the Wildcats looked destined for gold. During the regular season, Walker posted 12 goals and 29 assists in 13 contests, while Greater Latrobe went 16-1-1, earning 33 points. As the top seed from the Class AA Southeast Division, the Wildcats cruised past Armstrong in the quarterfinals, and then edged Hempfield Area in the semifinals. In those two postseason tilts, Walker amassed three goals and two helpers. As a result, the Wildcats were set to face Baldwin in the Penguins Cup Championship, but the game was cancelled as a result of COVID.

Instead of playing for the Wildcats during his senior year, Walker instead shifted to junior hockey, as he signed with Wichita Falls of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). In 26 games with the Warriors, he notched four goals and four assists.

The following season, he appeared in 38 games with Wichita Falls, accumulating three goals and six assists. He also played in three games with the Johnstown Tomahawks.

In 2022-23, Walker appeared in a pair of games with the Tomahawks, notching one assist. He also played a dozen tilts for Boston Advantage of the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), tallying one goal and five assists.

Last season, Walker made the move to the NCAA level, joining the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He played in 26 games with the Corsairs, scoring eight goals and dishing out 17 assists as a forward. Collectively, UMass Dartmouth went 16-11-0, including 13-8-0 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC). In the conference tournament, the Corsairs knocked off Worchester State University, but fell to Fitchburg State University in overtime of the semifinals.

Thus far this campaign, Walker has participated in all eight contests, producing two goals and an assist. UMass Dartmouth has gone 4-4-0 overall, including 2-2-0 in the MASCAC.

Alex set aside time from his schedule to respond to questions about the adjustment to playing at the NCAA level, the disappointment when the Penguins Cup final was cancelled, and which goalies he’d like to face in a shootout.

Q: You averaged nearly a point a game last season as a freshman. What was the key to your offensive success?

A: I just made sure to work extra hard in the gym and on the ice over the summer, and also had a very talented team around me that helped me to succeed.

Q: What have been the biggest adjustments to playing at the NCAA level?

A: It’s just moving up to that next level, so everyone is a little bigger, faster, and stronger, which means you just have to work extra hard to make sure you can compete with everyone out there

Q: What is your best quality as a player?

A: I’d say my vision on the ice and being able to see plays.

Q: What individual and team goals did you establish for this season?

A: As an individual, I hope to get right back to where I was last year offensively while also honing in on the defensive side of the puck. As for the team, it would be to win our conference and make the NCAA tournament.

Q: Your high school teammate, Lane Ruffner, and Burrell's Tyler Stewart also play for UMass Dartmouth. How beneficial has it been to have others from Western Pennsylvania on the team with you?

A: It’s very helpful going to a new place and having people you’ve known for a long time already be there to help you adjust and help with that transition back into school and into college hockey.

Q: What led to your decision to attend UMass Dartmouth?

A: I’d say the campus, as well as all the nice facilities they have here at UMD and how welcoming all of the guys were. And they also have a great business school, which I am a part of here.

Q: What is your major and ideal future profession?

A: I am a finance major and am planning to get my master’s degree here and then jump into the workforce following college.

Q: Your opportunity to win a Penguins Cup Championship with Greater Latrobe was taken away because of COVID in 2020. How did you handle that disappointment?

A: It was definitely a shock and a disappointment to all of us when our season got cut short due to the pandemic since we were headed to nationals for both Latrobe and for the Esmark Stars, but we couldn’t let that end all of our hopes - as soon as everything opened back up, we were right back to work trying to get ready for the season. But a positive from COVID was being able to sign a tender with Wichita, which led to me playing my senior year of high school for them in Texas in the NAHL.

Q: What was your fondest high school memory at Greater Latrobe?

A: Going to hair dye every year we made playoffs and dying our hair as a team and seeing all of the reactions we’d get.

Q: Do you still follow the Wildcats or the PIHL?

A: Yeah, I still have a couple friends on the team and keep tabs on how the season’s going.

Q: If you could go against any goalie, past or present, in the shootout, who would you choose? What would be the result?

A: From the PIHL, I’d choose Connor Strobel and I’d score five hole on him for sure, but for an NHL goalie, I’d have to pick Fleury - it’d be cool to see what would happen with that.

Q: What is your favorite sports movie?

A: Gotta go with the classic - Miracle.

Q: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

A: Anything my mom makes homemade, but especially her chocolate chip coffee bars she makes.

Q: What is a hidden talent you possess or a little-known fact about you?

A: A little-known fact about me is that I like to hunt and fish when I’m not on the ice.