His closet is a sea of gray, but the predominant color of his wardrobe reflects little of Seth Newsome's life. Standing in at 6'4", the guard with the oh-so-sweet outside shot will be the only returning '99 on the men's basketball team this coming year.
A cursory examination of Newsome's life, however, would lead you to believe he's more in pursuit of a life as a shaggy-haired fisherman searching for dinosaurs than a scholar-athlete dreaming of Ivy League championship.
As for Newsome's wardrobe of gray t-shirts ... well ... let's hope the basketball team's equipment manager isn't reading this.
"I like the pinshirts. I've borrowed a few," Newsome said jokingly of the team-issued gray t-shirts he wears at practice and around campus. "They're comfortable."
Newsome has been known to be somewhat of a kleptomaniac on the court as well, stealing three-pointer after three-pointer with relative ease.
A two-sport star in high school, Newsome was recruited by West Point, the Naval Academy and several other Ivies. Newsome, his girlfriend, and his floppy hair made the right decision in not going to a military school, where his brown locks would have been the first thing to go.
"My girlfriend wants me to grow it long," Newsome said.
Dartmouth Head Coach Dave Faucher, however, is ready to launch a scud at any move Newsome makes on the court without first cutting his hair.
"We don't allow headbands," Faucher said. "If he's spending time getting his hair out of his eyes, that's time he should be doing other things with his hands."
The dramatic showdown between coach and player won't have much of a climax, however.
"My father and coaches want me to look like an Ivy league player," Newsome said. "I'll end up cutting it before the start of the season."
Praised by his coaches for his quick release, defensive quickness and competitiveness, Newsome has one goal for the upcoming season, "Beating Princeton. I'd love to sweep Princeton," he said.
"Seth has been one of our hardest working players," said Faucher, "He has a tremendous ability to stretch the defense with his outside shot."
With only four returning upperclassmen, as opposed to last year's eight, Newsome figures to fill a leadership role.
"The seniors are going to be excellent captains," Newsome said, "But I'd like to be a person to look up to. A guy that the younger guys can gain experience from."
"It's no secret, we're going to have a young team for the next couple years and we're going to be rebuilding," he added.
"With the limited playing time that Seth had last season, I think he really shined when he was given the chance," said teammate Asa Palmer '98. "I think he's going to be a big part of the picture this coming season."
Coming from La Jolla, Calif., Newsome has found Dartmouth to be everything he wanted it to be.
"I love the outdoors, so Dartmouth was a perfect fit," he said.
A geology major, Newsome is keeping busy this summer in the classroom by taking three lab courses. It doesn't allow much time for extra-curriculars, but off the court and out of the classroom he's on the fly -- fishing that is.
"I go almost every day," Newsome said of his fly fishing fascination.
A member of the Ledyard Canoe Club, Newsome enjoys kayaking, canoeing and backpacking. To think that Dartmouth isn't a perfect fit for Newsome is absurd.
Playing basketball and spending lots of time experiencing the outdoors doesn't lend itself to schoolwork, but Newsome has his priorities straight.
"My father keeps reminding me that I need to keep my education in front of everything else," Newsome said.
This fall Newsome will be getting more outdoors experience than the great Paul Bunyan himself as part of the Geology FSP which will take him out west from Montana to Hawaii.
Being off-campus, Newsome will miss the first five weeks of pre-season training, but he hopes that by the time winter break rolls around, he'll be back in playing form.
After graduating, Newsome would like to go to grad school, preferably here at Dartmouth where there is a five year PhD program.
"I'd like to go into teaching," he said, "I could see myself as a professor in geology, with a specialty in Paleontology or Paleobiology."
Newsome's dreams don't lie solely in academics and the great outdoors. Were he presented to opportunity to play professional basketball after graduation, Newsome wouldn't have to think very hard about the decision.
"It would be tough to turn down," he said.
Despite his lofty goals, Newsome keeps his focus on the present, "I'm off to go fishing," he said of his post-interview plans.
Fishing for bass, rocks, dinosaurs, and an Ivy League championship.
