STORY BY CEARA HESTER
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AUGUSTA, Ga. – Our two-time Peach Belt All-Academic honoree is all about her education. Mallory Myers, a four-year senior guard on the Augusta University women's basketball team, has recently been accepted into both the nuclear medicine therapy program and the radiation therapy program at Augusta University. Myers is the first student-athlete to be accepted into both programs in the school's history.
Myers has been playing for the Jaguars since her freshman year in 2015. She started 23 of her 26 games last season in 2017-18 and led her team in assists. On and off the court, Myers gives it her all when it comes to basketball and her education. She was named Peach Belt All-Academic two seasons in a row and currently has a 3.6 GPA. Once accepted into the radiation therapy and nuclear medicine programs, Myers chose to change her major from biology to radiation therapy and extend her stay at AU for two more years. However, she said it was not an easy decision to make.
"I was in Maryland with my dad and I was just like 'I don't know. Now I have options. I have to actually choose.' So, I had to write down a pros and cons list and I finally figured out from the pros and cons list."
When asked why she decided to major in radiation therapy, Myers replied, "I want to deal with cancer patients. My grandad died from cancer. I wasn't actually there, but just knowing that he died from cancer got me interested in the cancer side of the health field."
Myers plans on going to med school to pursue a career as a radiologist and says that she chose radiation therapy over nuclear medicine because it will give her the experience she needs before becoming a radiologist. However, she had a scare at the beginning of the summer when waiting for her acceptance into the radiation therapy program.
"I got accepted probably the first or second week in June. It was really late because they had to wait until they got all the applicants in and so I had to wait until May and I didn't get in in May so I was like 'oh my gosh' because that's the one I really wanted. Actually, nuclear medicine technician came in first, then I was like, okay, well, I have an option if it doesn't happen. So, I waited for radiation therapy and it came two weeks later, so I was happy."
A new major means a new campus for Myers. She will now be spending most of her time downtown at the Health Sciences Campus while taking four online classes, two in-class lectures, and clinical courses. Balancing her schedule will be all about time management she says. While playing basketball and beginning a new major, she hopes it will not place a burden on herself or her coaches.
Myers' last season with Augusta women's basketball team begins Oct. 20 in Christenberry Fieldhouse, when the Jaguars tipoff the 2018-19 season.
"I'm done after this year. It's kind of crazy because I have been playing basketball since I was four. It's been a long time. Just seeing it coming to an end, I'm just hoping that I leave it all on the court."
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