While Abby Mallo’s name appears on the Atlantic-10’s Co-Player of the Year award for 2025 in women’s softball, the Saint Louis junior catcher is quick to share the accolade with all her Billiken teammates.
“It’s amazing,” Mallo said. “I owe it to everyone I play with honestly. It’s just a great feeling to be recognized, but my teammates see it every single day and my coaches push me to be better. It feels like a win for the team. But also hearing my name was super awesome.
“We were on the bus when our coach (Christy Connover) told us. We were flying to the A-10 Tournament (in Washington, D.C.) and she told us and I was shocked. Everyone was like, ‘What? We can’t believe you got Co-Player of the Year. We thought you would get Player of the Year.’ I had no idea that I was even in contention for it, but it’s awesome.”
So was the season that the Oak Lawn resident put together. Starting all 58 games for SLU, Mallo batted a team-best .363 while also leading the team in hits (65), doubles (13), home runs (20), RBI (82) and slugging percentage (.782). Mallo, who is majoring in biomedical engineering, was second in runs (40).
The 2022 Richards graduate was fifth in the nation in RBI sand tied for 23rd in home runs. In her three seasons with the Billikens, Mallo has slugged 43 homers.
“Growing up, I was definitely always trying to hit a home run,” Mallo said. “Even this year, I was going up there with the confidence of that I could put it out at any moment. But I also focused a lot this year on having better at-bats and swinging at better pitches. I think that helped me a lot.”
So did moving back behind the plate where she experienced a great deal of success in her four years at Richards. Before this season at SLU, Mallo had played third base and right field.
“I communicate really well,” Mallo said. “Being behind the plate this year was exciting. It was my first time catching this season at SLU. … It was my first time getting back behind the plate which is where I really excel and I stay more involved in the game. I’m a better hitter when I’m catching because I’m a little more dialed-in. I feel like being a good communicator, talking to my teammates, talking to my pitchers, working hard back there, that’s where I excel.
“It was good to get back to something I really love. This was my first time getting back there in a while and I really love it. I love the grind, I love catching the bullpens and making really good pitches with the pitchers. If I can work hard for them, it’s a good feeling when you get a strikeout looking and you’re the one catching it or looking at your teammates and being the voice on the field. I really like being involved.”
● Two local student-athletes from Webster were chosen to the 2025 All-St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Third Team in baseball.
Lauded were freshman outfielder Ryan Hartz (Brother Rice) and junior pitcher Eli Rompala-Matthews (Mount Carmel).
Hartz batted .282 with six home runs, 29 RBI, 29 runs and 15 stolen bases in 17. Rompala-Matthews was 5-2 with a 3.91 ERA in 13 appearances (11 starts). He struck out 46 in 46 innings.