A two year letterman from 1925 through 1927, Walter Hickey was a reliable starter for the teams concluding the John O'Reilly era as coach.

Hickey returned to his native Rochester after graduation and joined the family business, The Hickey-Freeman Company, a men's apparel manufacturer with over 1,700 employees at its Rochester headquarters. Walter eventually rose to president and CEO of the firm, leading the company from 1963 through his retirement in 1976.