After a 1-10 start in non-conference play, Marist volleyball head coach Sean Byron decided to involve freshman outside hitter Mallory Reck more on offense. Reck answered the call for Byron, rising to the occasion and helping the team to a 4-3 start in conference play.
In Marist’s first six conference games, Reck scored double-digit kills in four; she has developed into the team’s number two option behind junior outside hitter Sara Dasic in the Red Foxes offense, providing a reliable scoring threat and giving the setters the chance to spread out the offense.
Byron decided to trust the freshman because she knows what it takes to win and is no stranger to high-pressure situations. During Reck’s senior year of high school, she helped guide her high school team to a state championship and her club team to a national championship.
Reck served as a captain for her high school team at Northville High School, where her leadership played a key role in Northville’s success. Those experiences during high school and club playing against top-notch competition helped prepare her for college volleyball.
“Winning is a lot of fun, especially when you work hard; it makes the struggles and everything worth it,” said Reck.
While winning a state championship during her senior year, Reck played alongside her identical twin sister, Molly, who now plays Division I volleyball at Oakland University.
The twins paved the way for their high school team to finish with an outstanding 41-2 record and a state championship. In previous years, Northville lost in the state championship in 2022 and in the semifinals in 2023. In 2024, both Mallory and Molly demonstrated their skills, combining for 46 kills in the state championship and over 500 kills each during their high school careers.
“That was honestly one of the best days of my life,” said Reck. Getting to play alongside my sister during high school was so fun.”
All members of the Reck family played a college sport, including her dad and mom, who both played basketball, as well as her other sister, Abby Reck, who currently plays volleyball at Illinois State. Growing up in a family of athletes taught Mallory what it takes to succeed at the college level.
“She is used to winning, and she knows how to train at a level to win games,” said Byron.
The freshman also won a national championship with her club team, Michigan Elite Volleyball. Reck played right side for the squad and proved to be an important asset for the team.
Back at outside hitter in Poughkeepsie, Reck fits in well as a new piece for Marist, emerging as a focal point in the offense. Reck is second in kills with 163 behind her outside hitter partner, Dasic. The freshman leads the team in hitting attempts with 536 – the number of attempts Reck gets shows how much her teammates and setters trust her.
“In preseason, before we started to play, we had some concerns that they were setting Mallory too much,” said Byron.
Opponents have also seen Reck’s impact on the offensive side and have adjusted to get more blockers out to her. Marist’s coaching staff countered by emphasizing spreading the ball out more to add a flow to their offense.
“If someone’s having a bad match, we can move the ball around and everyone has the ability to help our team on offense,” said Byron.
Through the beginning of the season, the duo of Reck and Dasic has led the team with more than half of the team’s kills and leads the team point-wise. In the first week of October, the outsides were recognized by the MAAC, with Dasic earning Player of the Week and Reck taking Rookie of the Week honors.
Reck is a crucial piece in the Red Foxes’ offense, but she had to work over the summer and in the preseason to earn her spot. Now that she has earned the starting spot thanks to her work ethic, she plans on working just as hard to keep it.
“Receiving the outside spot is an honor. I get excited to wear this jersey and play every game. I want to work hard and I want to keep the starting spot,” said Reck.
Reck said she is excited to continue playing outside for Marist, but she is still developing and getting comfortable at the position at the DI level.
During the Michigan native’s club days, she played right side for her team. On the right side, Reck did not practice serve receive, so she had to adjust even more to be prepared for it at Marist.
Reck has remained steady in serve receive and on defense, too. The freshman ranks third in digs with 128.
“I’ve always loved defense. I love getting to read players and digging hard-hit balls,” she said.
Reck is thriving in the early stages of her freshman career and said she is happy she came to Marist. Reck chose Marist after fall camp in 2023, which she attended with her twin and got to play with the team during the week.
The experience of camp introduced Reck to Marist’s volleyball environment, as well as some of her teammates, freshman setter Caelyn Dumas and freshman right-side hitter Ava Lanzetta.
“Good players want to be with good players,” said Byron. “We hit a home run getting all three of them.”
During camp, the freshman didn’t meet any of the current upperclassmen, but she decided to commit to Marist after seeing the environment Byron was building. Reck has seemed to quickly build a bond with the upperclassmen, making winning about more than just personal success.
We just need to execute. We all want this so bad, and we talk about it in the locker room,” said Reck. “We all wanna do it for each other.”
Reck is off to a strong start for Marist, already surpassing 150 kills in her freshman season. If she continues to develop, the Red Foxes may find themselves towards the top of the MAAC standings when the calendar turns to November.
Edited by Ava Battinelli and Ben Leeds
Graphic by Quinn DiFiore
Photos via Marist Athletics
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