LYNN — St. Mary’s Brooke Moloney has been an athlete for as long as she can remember. Last week, her Division 1 dreams became a reality when she signed her National Letter-of-Intent to play softball at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
“It’s really exciting, I’m so excited to get there and be on campus,” said Moloney, MVP of the John Holland Memorial Softball Tournament last spring. “I think it was the best fit for me. The relationship I have with the coaching staff and the quality of softball… I’m so excited for my future.”
Moloney is not just a three-sport athlete (soccer, basketball, softball), but a National Honor Society student. Academics played a big role in her decision to choose UMass.
On the field, however, Moloney brought an infectious personality, often heard hyping up her teammates and leading by example. Come 2025, she’ll bring her leadership and personality to Sortino Field in Amherst, where she’s bound to make a difference at The Commonwealth.
Moloney said her family was “very excited” about her landing spot.
“My dad and I bond over softball. We always go to the cages frequently and in Little League, he was my coach, so he was so excited. My mom was very proud because hard work pays off and she watched me grow up working hard and saw me achieve my goals,” Moloney said. “My twin sister (Breanne) was also so proud and happy for me since she grew up watching me every step of the way.”
Moloney spoke highly of Breanne and the impact she had on her life.
“My sister has always been there for me. We’ve had ups and downs with sports, family, and everything, and she’s always been there for me. She’s also been my biggest cheerleader and when I need her, she’s there,” Moloney said. “She doesn’t play softball, but she’s helped me so much off the field and helped me grow and be a better person.”
Sometimes, in sports and in life, you have to go through adversity. It’s no different for Moloney.
Toward the end of this soccer season, Moloney tore her ACL, ruling her out for the rest of the tournament push, her basketball season, and potentially the spring season.
“High school softball, my senior year, is going to be rough. I’m going to try, but I have to be patient. I’ll still be a good leader off the field and do everything I can to support my teammates throughout the season,” said Moloney, who went 5-for-5 during a game against Concord-Carlisle last season. “I’m going to get through it and work even harder.”
But the charismatic Moloney won’t let an injury stop her from helping her teammates and motivating herself to get back on the field as an even better player.
“I think I can learn more about myself and, also, this makes me want to work harder,” she said. “Softball is something I really enjoy and love, so the fact I can’t do it for a long period of time, it’s inspired me to want to work harder, get stronger, and work on my mechanics. It’ll also help strengthen my mental game.”
As an athlete, physical gifts are one thing, but it’s also about being a good teammate. In Moloney’s case, you can check off all the boxes.
