RANDY HISNER
WZBD.com
Heritage senior Alexa Walter will be a Division I athlete next year.
Surrounded by family, friends, and coaches, Walter signed a track and field scholarship to Miami of Ohio Wednesday afternoon in a ceremony in the Heritage High School lobby.
Walter attracted a lot of attention last spring when she added over four feet to her shot put PR in the state meet, catapulting herself from her 13th seed all the way to second place.
Walter topped her own expectations with that finish. “I was very surprised,” she said. “When I threw that (her runner-up effort of 44-04.75) it was super-shocking and a great experience to have.”
Now, with 2025 state champ Gwen Howard of Whitko throwing for Duke University, Walter is the top returning female shot putter in the state.
Walter won the shot put and discus in the New Haven Sectional last year, as well as the ACAC title in the shot. She also put to rest the inaccurate stereotype of throwers as just big, lumbering athletes by taking second in the ACAC 100-meter dash.
If that were not enough to establish her all-around athletic prowess, she’s an excellent volleyball player as well, earning second-team All-ACAC honors this fall. And, pointed out head track coach Matt Smith, she’s got a lot more going for her. “The best part about Lexie,” he said, “is she’s extremely coachable, has a great personality, and is an amazing student and all-around great person.”
Walter credits the throws culture at Heritage for much of her success. “The throws culture here is just amazing,” she said. “Obviously, we’re serious when we need to be, but also it’s just fun. There’s no tension between us. We’re not trying to beat each other. We’re just trying to be at our best and supporting others when they’re at their best. Just being around this team makes you better.”
Throws coach Jason Habisch, Walters says, has a lot to do with that positive culture. “He has a very successful record,” she pointed out. “He’s super supportive; he trains us each individually for what we need.”
Walter, who will study kinesiology at Miami with a career goal to become a physical therapist, is keeping an open mind about which throws she will compete in for the RedHawks. At the college level, in addition to the shot and discus, she will have a chance to try the hammer and the javelin.
“I’ve been told I throw like I could be pretty good at the hammer, so I’m looking forward to doing that for the first time,” she said. “I think the javelin looks super awesome too, so I’m hoping to get into that too.”
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