IU freshman Mallory Mulzer didn’t start getting serious about track and field until she was almost finished with high school.
When she started experiencing success in her junior and senior years at Reitz Memorial High School in Newburgh, Indiana, her coach and former IU track and field athlete Dylan Barnes pointed her out to IU Coach Ron Helmer.
“She scored at the state meet in the 400-meter as a junior for the first time with a solid time,” Helmer said. “She’s expanded her range into the 800 and this year at the state meet had a nice carry on their 4x800 relay.”
Mulzer ran track for the majority of her life but when Barnes recommended her to Helmer, she began taking the sport more seriously and Helmer said he knew she would be an impressive athlete.
“Barnes has great respect for what we’re doing, and I know he would not recommend someone to us that didn’t have the ability to have success at this level,” Helmer said.
Now just three weeks into her freshman season as a walk-on, Mulzer has contributed to the IU team. In early January, Mulzer won her first collegiate race, the 800-meter run, against in-state rival Purdue and has only been improving since.
Mulzer said she fell in love with track through the rewarding moments the sport has to offer.
“There’s always moments after a really good workout or after doing really well in a meet that makes me feel so happy,” Mulzer said. “No moment or emotion beats that, and I didn’t want to stop that.”
Mulzer said the team aspect was one of the reasons she wanted to continue her track career at the college level.
Helmer praised Mulzer’s willingness to be taught and self-motivation. These traits, Helmer said, make her an easy athlete to have on his team.
“She is easy to coach, and she wants to please everyone,” Helmer said. “She wants to do everything she’s supposed to do and not just because I or anyone else wants her to do it but because she wants to be good.”
This past weekend at the IU Relays Mulzer competed in the 600 meter event. She raced against teammates sophomore Taylor Williams, senior Mackenzie Bollinger and junior Kendell Wiles among opponents from other universities.
Wiles took first, Bollinger came in second, and right behind was Mulzer in third.
Mulzer said she very much looks up to these teammates and will be doing her best to keep up with them.
“My goal is to stay with them as long as I can and be as close to their times as I can,” Mulzer said. “They are both great runners, so if I’m anywhere close to them, I know I’m doing OK.”
Through the rest of the season, Mulzer said she hopes to continue to develop as an athlete and improve as a runner. She said she wants to prove her value as a member of the team and ultimately earn a scholarship.
Helmer said he believes in her potential to develop into a top athlete and become a great asset for the team in the future.
“Her work ethic is great and her competitive spirit is great,” Helmer said. “She’s plenty talented to develop to a place where she’ll be a large contributor on a Big Ten team at this level, and I couldn’t be happier with the progress she’s made.”
