“You know its a fantastic feeling, you look back on all of these other eight individuals, I played with two of them, and was extremely lucky to be able to have the opportunity to play with two of them, Jordon Thompson and Carly Nolan. Being able to you know, follow in their footsteps, because I knew coming here those two were two outstanding players. Carly and Jordan being a position of my own, playing back row, I was like I want to be like them, I want to get these stats, but not only that, I wanted to be able to connect with a team like they did. Now knowing, I did put myself in that role, I have followed in their footsteps, I am forever grateful for those two, to have two huge role models to look up to for three years of my life. To finally being able to fill that role, it’s really an incredible feeling.”
Mallon came to Cincinnati in 2018, which was Carly Nolan’s senior season, and Thompson’s redshirt junior season, I asked Mallon what knowledge she was able to pick up from those two incredible players from their playing days, now that she joins the elite club with those two individuals.
“The biggest thing I looked at from those two were their mental state, how they would act when they didn’t score. You know I didn’t start playing immediately when I arrived to Cincinnati, I had to work for that spot. I look at Carly Nolan, Jordan Thompson, if they made a mistake, I would watch how they bounced back from that mistake and I would try and mimic that. I should be able to overcome that mistake, how I can better myself and grow from that. So, looking at those two players, and being able to play with both of them together my freshman year was really a life changing experience for my volleyball game. They had all that college volleyball knowledge, and it was perfect for me to come in and learn from them.”
Mallon recorded her 1000th dig on the final play of this weekends 3 set to 2 victory over Memphis. Mallon knows a lot about about recording the final kill, or digs, in big time situations as she recorded the final kill to upset 6th ranked Pittsburgh to send the Bearcats to the Sweet Sixteen in 2019, I asked her which one she will remember more about her playing career, whether its that final kill at Pitt, or her 1000th dig at Memphis.
“It will always be the final kill versus Pittsburgh, I get goosebumps talking about it every time, because it was such a monumental experience, and moment for Cincinnati volleyball. We joke around about it now after a game, with Jordan Thompson, because if you remember Jordan set me on that last kill, and I rarely hit back row attacks. The 2019 season and just being able to hit that back row attack, I know the team was freaking out, and was like, “oh my gosh Maria just put it in the court, and when I went up I was thinking the same thing to myself.” I was thinking, I can’t believe I’m hitting out of the back row with the score 14-13 against the No. 2 team in the country right now. I just went up, swung, and got the kill. I just remember sitting their like “What just happened,” I was in absolute shock, as I think it was my first back row kill all season, like it’s hilarious to think about. I mean front row, back row, ace, dig, my biggest monumental historic moment was that back row attack.”
We discussed her career at Cincinnati, looking back at what she has accomplished here at Cincinnati the last four years, becoming the very decorated player she is now today for the Bearcats.
“You know my career here, its been incredible, I am glad I came to Cincinnati. I’m glad I got to experience all of these accolades, these awards, with all the people around me. I have just been grateful enough for the opportunity, to be able to get these stats, hang with these people, and meet this incredible community, I’m just glad that I was able to finish on a good note, as this is my last season, I’m just so grateful to come to Cincinnati and be given that opportunity.”
A look back at Maria Mallon’s decorative career as a Bearcat include being named to the First Team all AAC her freshman and sophomore season, An AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention selection in 2019, 2nd Team All-AAC, in the shortened spring 2021 season, 1000 career kills, 1000 career digs, as well as being Top 10 in school history in service aces as well. She helped lead the Bearcats to upset top ranked Pittsburgh in the NCAA tournament where she recorded the final kill to sent the Bearcats to their first ever Sweet 16. Mallon has had an extravagant career as a Bearcat, and for people who study the sport of volleyball know these stats, aren’t common and that shows that the Bearcats have such a talented and special player in Maria Mallon.
We would like to congratulate Maria, on joining such an elite group of players to join the 1000 kill, 1000 dig club, as well as her career at Cincinnati, and we are very excited to see what is next for the senior outside hitter, weather its in her playing career, or whatever is next for her upon graduation.
