In Focus: Walton's Senior Season Doesn't End On Senior Night
February 26, 2016 | General, Women's Basketball
By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
When a team gets to its final home game each collegiate season, the program takes time to thanks its seniors.
For the Washington women's basketball team, last year provided an opportunity to honor Jazmine Davis and Aminah Williams. Next year, it will be Kelsey Plum, Katie Collier and Chantel Osahor's turn to receive recognition.
This year, though, the spotlight is reserved for Talia Walton, one of three seniors on the Huskies' roster.
“She's been a huge part of everything we've been able to accomplish,” coach Mike Neighbors said. “She's been versatile and adaptive. She's played multiple positions. She's been here every step of the way with us, five years now. It's hard to believe.”
How much has Walton meant to the Huskies? Well, heading into tonight's game against Utah, she is one of four Washington players in the program's top 10 for career scoring (10th) and rebounding (fifth). She has the team's all-time record for blocks and is third in three-pointers.
“She's set herself in rare air,” Neighbors said.
But, for as much as she's accomplished, the numbers that truly matter are the final scores that end in Washington victories. Over the past four seasons, Walton has been a part of 82 wins.
With two games to play before the Pac-12 tournament and second-straight trip to the NCAA tournament, Walton plans to add a few more victories to that to total.
“It's a bittersweet feeling in your senior year, watching it slowly come to an end, but it's nice that I have some control in how it ends,” she said.
Walton was never supposed to be in this position. She was told her knees would cut short her career long before she became a senior.
But here she is, a pivotal part of the program's resurgence under Neighbors.
“I try to just live in the moment,” she said. “Now that it's here, I will enjoy these last two home games and try to make the most of them, soak up all the emotions and everything that's going to go along with this experience.”
Walton's final season in purple and gold has had its share of ups and downs. But, at 18-9, the Huskies are still in a prime position to better last season's finish.
“It's been a lot of fun,” Walton said. “This is a great group of girls. I'm definitely proud and honored to be their senior leader and captain.”
But, when it comes to taking credit for the program's success, Walton is happy to share the spotlight with her teammates.
“I owe a lot of it to my teammates, if not all of it,” she said. “I wouldn't be where I am without them continuing to believe in me, stick with me and ride it out. I want to give a lot of thanks to them, as well as to all the coaches.”
When it comes time to recognize Walton after Saturday's game against Colorado, she will savor the moment before shifting her attention back to the primary objective – wins in the NCAA tournament.
Last year's trip was nice, but Walton wants to win on the NCAA's biggest stage before her career comes to a close.
“We have some experience and I think it's enough to get us some wins in the tournament,” she said. “
Then she smiled.
“I'm just excited to see how we end it,” she said.
