Mallie Herb ’26 will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point in fall 2026, where she has been recruited to play lacrosse. A lifelong goal she once wasn’t sure would become a reality.
“I decided to pursue the United States Military Academy because I want my life to stand for something greater than personal success. I’ve never wanted to settle for average, especially knowing we only get one life to make an impact,” Mallie shared.
Commitment, sacrifice, leadership, and purpose – Mallie says that is what West Point represents and what she strives to embody. A mindset inspired by her dad. “He has never allowed me to quit when things got hard and has always pushed me to be more than mediocre. He’s taught me that growth comes from discipline and perseverance, and that mindset led me to choose a path that challenges me to become the best version of myself while serving something bigger than me.”
After setting this goal, Mallie knew she had to work hard to obtain it. She says Maryvale helped her achieve this goal by pushing her academically and helping her grow as a leader. She explained, “the challenging classes prepared me for the rigor of the United States Military Academy, and the support from my teachers gave me confidence throughout the application process.”
Mallie is especially grateful for her English teacher Ms. Willard who worked with her on SAT English questions to get the SAT score she didn’t think was possible.
“For so long, the score I was striving for felt impossible. It was just a number I thought I would never reach. But in the end, I did. The biggest lesson I learned from that experience is that no matter how difficult things become or how much self-doubt creeps in, you have to keep fighting.”
We are so incredibly proud of Mallie and cannot wait to watch her continue to be successful!
