Alabama's Beth Mallory Wins Commissioner's Trophy
5/17/2005 12:00:00 AM
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By winning two events and taking third in another, track and field standout Beth Mallory grabbed Alabama’s first Commissioner’s Trophy since 1994 at this weekend’s Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships.
“It was pretty much icing on the cake,” Mallory said. “I knew they had the trophy, but I didn’t expect to take it home at the end of the weekend. Coach (Sandy) Fowler mentioned that it was possible after the shot put, and then when the meet was over, she thought that I’d won, but we didn’t know for sure until they called out my name.”
Mallory is the fifth Alabama track and field athlete to win the Commissioner’s Trophy, given annually to the high point scorer at the SEC Championships. Mallory won the shot put, her second consecutive discus title and took third place in the hammer throw to amass 26 individual points.
“I had a good meet,” Mallory said. “I seem to do well at the SEC Championships, at those kinds of meets, and my parents were there to see me compete. I started the meet off well and ended it well.”
With its five Commissioner’s Trophies, Alabama ties LSU for the most by any one school. Mallory joins Flora Hyacinth, who won the title three times, 1986, ‘87, ‘90, and Stacy Bowen, who took home the trophy in 1994.
“It’s a great accomplishment,” Alabama head coach Sandy Fowler said. “Beth has been building toward this kind of weekend all season. I’m obviously very pleased and proud of her performance.”
Mallory, the runner-up in the discus throw at last year’s NCAA Championships, broke her own school record in the hammer at the SEC Championships. She also threw a career best in the shot put at the conference meet. Earlier this season, Mallory won the discus at the prestigious Drake Relays.
The Ashland, Ohio native carries a 3.74 grade point average in physical education and was named the Paul W. Bryant Scholar-Athlete earlier this month and earned Academic All-District honors last year.
Alabama’s Commissioner’s Trophy Winners
Year – Athlete (points)
1986 - Flora Hyacinth (26.5 pts.)
1987 - Flora Hyacinth (34.5 pts.)
1990 - Flora Hyacinth (20 pts.)
1994 - Stacy Bowen (24.5 pts.)
