A local high school golfer has not only found herself as one of the top five golfers in the state, she’s now moving on the compete at the college level.  Junior golfer Mallory Sullivan signed last week with Cumberland University in Lebanon, a move that Sullivan said she is very happy about.
"I'm very excited and I'm ready to start my future," Sullivan told the Smithville Review. "It’s a great group for me. I love the golf team and the coach, and the small classroom sizes."
Sullivan, who recovered from a shoulder separation last year, said she is back to full form, and, though she can graduate early next year, plans to return for a final season at DCHS.  "We’re excited.  It should be a good year.  I’m playing good and everything’s back from my injury."
DeKalb County High School Golf Coach Joe Pat Cope told the Smithville Review Sullivan has been one of the best players he’s ever coached. "Mallory’s going to be a senior next year and she finished second in the state as a sophomore. She’s been to the state all three years and probably the best all around female athlete I’ve been associated with. She’s one of the top five golfers in the state."
Coach Cope said that Sullivan’s abilities are not only apparent on the golf course. "This is my ninth year coaching and she came out and played tennis this year as my number-one tennis player.  She was a heck of a softball player. She would also come in the gym and shoot basketball, and you know she’d shoot 60 percent.  She’s just a phenomenal athlete and she’d hit shots in girls’ golf that you just don’t see.  She hits it so far from the women’s tee that she makes the course look obsolete almost.  She’s that good."
"I know she’ll be successful in college," Cope continued.  "She’s a great student as well. Not only is she state runner-up, but she’s almost a 4.0 student.  Those come around very few and far between."
Assistant Golf Coach at Cumberland University Richard Williams told the Review character was a big part of signing Sullivan.  "We're happy to have someone of Mallory's character. Obviously playing ability is important but we're also looking for a great group of kids that have very good chemistry on the team. We think she will fit in very well."
When asked about Cumberland’s golf team, Williams said the girls’ team is new but successful.  "The girls’ (team) has not been around for very long but we've had instant success. We finished 20th in the country this year in the NAIA and have an individual who is leaving this Saturday to go play in the NAIA National Championship, as an individual, so we're very pleased with the direction that the program is going,"
Sullivan says that she could graduate in December, but she plans to wait to attend college so she won’t lose a year of eligibility.