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| In January Maggie Maloy became the first-ever recipient of the NCAA Inspiration Award and will be the featured speaker at the annual Bluffton College athletic awards program on April 16. |
Maggie Maloy, the first-ever recipient of the NCAA Inspiration Award, will be the featured speaker at the annual Bluffton College Athletic Awards program in Yoder Recital Hall at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 16.
Maloy, who overcame two life-threatening experiences to be a successful cross country runner at Galion High School and Defiance College, will present a speech titled “The Promise of a New Day.” The BC athletic department will hand out the A.C. Burcky Award to the top senior male student-athlete of the year, the Kathryn E. Little Award to the top senior female student-athlete of the year and the Larry W. Jones Award to a non-athlete in recognition of support of BC athletics.
Maloy graduated from Defiance College in 2001 with a degree in communications and was presented the first-ever NCAA Inspiration Award in Indianapolis in January along with co-recipient Sam Paneno of the University of California at Davis.
Returning to Galion High School after a morning run with the cross country team in September of her sophomore year, Maloy was kidnapped, raped, strangled and shot five times. However, Maloy recovered and competed in track the next spring and was a member of the cross country and track squads for the remainder of years in high school. Then as a junior at Defiance, Maloy was injured in an automobile accident that broke her pelvis in three places and left her immobile for three months. Once again she overcame tragic events to compete in cross country and track as a senior for the Yellow Jackets, finishing 15th at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference cross country championships.
ESPN and CBS sports personality Clark Kellogg served as master of ceremonies at the NCAA Honors Dinner where Maloy and Paneno were honored. “Refusing to fold to adversity, these amazing individuals turned to their competitive spirit inside and rose to the challenge,” said Kellogg. “Through incredible perseverance, dedication and determination, not only have they each overcame these life-changing events, they now serve as role models to give hope and inspiration to others in similar situations.”
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| Maggie Maloy overcame two life-threatening obstacles to have a successful cross country career at Defiance College. |
Maloy’s mother, Linda, saw first-hand her daughter’s strength through both ordeals. “She’s done this in a matter-of-fact way, without much ceremony,” she said. “I was amazed at the dedication of the poise she has shown through all of this—that people can survive.”
