HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — Mountain Vista’s Bridget Malone is one of the deadliest outside hitters in the state.
“My goal for my senior year was like, be so good that you can't be denied first team all-state,” Malone said.
Malone is also the daughter of Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
“I love being a girl dad, supporting her, going to her games," Malone said. "My wife, she hates when she doesn't want to sit next to me at the games, because I get into it. I have a hard time not — I just can't sit there and do the golf clap.”
Being that the Nuggets are the hottest ticket in town, Bridget has gotten used to the backlash from opposing sports fans.
“I think my sophomore year, I remember getting called like the daddy's money, the Nuggets suck, that kind of stuff when we play away games," she recalled. "But I think now I've gotten used to it. I just think it's funny, like it's nothing that bothers me.”
But to the obvious question, when did she know basketball wasn’t for her?
“Early," Malone said matter-of-factly. "Even before middle school, I was like, I'm done. I didn't enjoy it. It was fun, like, certain things, but I would always like, foul out. It was just not for me. I was like, I am ready to do something different.”
Bridget's decision to choose volleyball was shockingly OK with her dad.
“They were nervous when they stopped playing basketball that I'd be upset," Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. "And I'd say I'm actually really thankful they didn't play basketball, because I'm a mess at volleyball games. I can only imagine how I'd be at a basketball game.”
Bridget leads the Golden Eagles in hitting percentage, kills per set and overall kills this season, blazing her own trail.
“Finding my own identity and living outside of like my dad's shadow was kind of hard for a while," Malone expressed. "I really think that volleyball gave me the perfect opportunity to become my own person. And I feel like I went from being known as like, the coach's daughter as like, being known as like, oh yeah, Bridget Malone plays volleyball going to North Carolina.”
Bridget is headed to one of the most prolific universities in the country, North Carolina, ironically known for basketball.
“It was just kind of a dream school, and they gave me the opportunity to play there, and I 100% knew that that's where I wanted to go,” Malone said.
Following in the footsteps of her mom, who, too, played Division I volleyball.
“I walk out of the gym every night just with so much pride, looking at her and seeing her do the things that she's doing," coach Malone said. "I just hope they continue to have the season that they're having.”
A bittersweet season for Malone’s senior year.
“Mountain Vista volleyball has totally been such a huge part in, like, my identity and making me who I am," Malone said. " So it's sad, but I'm excited to see what's to come.”
Mountain Vista's final regular season game is November 1 against University.
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