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Talegate Featured Athlete: Mallory Dial, Hayden High School

When Mallory Dial was in the eighth grade, her mom signed her up for a college preview day in Birmingham, Alabama. While there, she learned about a small college in Clinton, Miss., called Mississippi College, and fell in love.

“And then I found out that they had a really competitive, really well-put-together pre-med track and their rate of graduates who go into medical school is incredibly high,” Mallory says. “That’s the career path that I’ve chosen to do into so that was really alluring to me.”

This semester, Mallory will complete her high school career at Hayden, one in which she has been decorated with numerous awards and accomplishments. In addition to holding seven school records in track, she is a four-time county MVP, was the 4A-5A state champion in the high jump, and was the 5A outdoor state runner-up.  

Her PR’s in each event are as follows: High Jump – 5’5”, Long Jump – 16’10.25”, Triple Jump – 33’10”. She also participates in the pentathalon and heptathalon.

Mallory has developed a special bond with her track and field coach, Shane Howard, whom she describes as a “second dad” who has always poured into her and helped her with the technical aspects of training—“way beyond anything that I would have ever expected from a coach,” Mallory says.

For Coach Howard, the feeling of admiration is mutual. “Mallory is what happens when talent meets hard work meets discipline meets composure. Even as a seventh grader she knew what she wanted and developed the discipline and work ethic she needed to accomplish those goals. Watching her grow as a person, athlete, and student has been incredible,” Howard said.

While competing in multiple events on the track team, Mallory has also managed to maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA in the classroom. She participates in the Ambassadors program as well as the Key Club, and serves as the Senior Class Vice-President.

As she pursues her pre-med degree at MC, Mallory has plans to one day work in emergency medicine. She says her mom’s work as a CRNA has helped her to generate interest in the medical field.

Outside of school and track, Mallory says her faith is a big part of her life. Her hobbies include reading, writing, cooking, and weightlifting, and says her favorite weekend activity is relaxing with a good book.

Mallory has loved her experience at Hayden, both academically and athletically. She says her favorite thing about being a student-athlete at HHS is, “the connections it creates among myself and my peers” and believes the community does a good job of highlighting their athletes.

Her overall life philosophy sums up how she approaches track and field and her academic pursuits and will also serve her well as she steps into the next chapter of her life at Mississippi College: “God’s got you and He has a plan…but you have to be able to put in the work in all aspects of your life, because that’s what you were called to do.” TG   

A special thanks to our sponsor, Launius Furniture!

Photos by Al Blanton

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