Meet These Twin Talking Heads
Vance Mallory ’23 and Mason Mallory ’23 have a lot in common. They’re identical twins (give or take a few inches), they were both marketing majors who are now pursuing MBAs, and they’re both longtime volleyball players with an unwavering passion for the sport.
They finish each other’s sentences and share a friend group, and now they’re also sharing the spotlight as the new student broadcasters for the women’s volleyball team.
Going into their first broadcast on September 8, the brothers were a little nervous, having never done this sort of thing before. They consulted former commentators and trained with Director of Sports Information Shawn Medeiros, but otherwise, this was a whole new arena for them. Nevertheless, they were confident and excited to take on the opportunity.
“Shawn, who hired us, realized we have a good touch and wording for the game because we play the sport,” said Vance. Added Mason: “Volleyball has been such a big part of our lives, so this is definitely going to come very naturally to us.”
California natives, the twins are used to volleyball as an all-year sport and have played almost continually, in clubs and in school, since age 12. “We started off with baseball, and then our sister played soccer, so we played soccer. And then our sister went to volleyball, so we went to volleyball. And then she went to fencing, and my mom said, ‘Now you’re done. You went to volleyball, you can’t go to fencing; that’s her sport now,” Vance said, laughing. “So, we stuck with volleyball.”
Between the classes and work associated with their studies, the brothers still play volleyball for Endicott—Mason in the OPP (opposite hitter) and OH (outside hitter) positions, Vance in the L (libero) position.
Vance admitted he never expected to play at the college level; he calls his brother the “superstar” athlete, but Mason is honest about the fact that along with all his volleyball successes were myriad injuries.
“Being a fifth-year playing, it’s definitely one final push, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Mason said. “I love Endicott. I love the program. I’ve loved everyone who’s come through the door and it’s definitely made me a better player and a better person.”
The brothers agree on a lot of things, including the fact that the women’s volleyball team is beyond impressive. Compared to the men, who aim to hit the ball downward as hard as possible, the women play much more defensively and dynamically.
“The men’s games are almost kind of luck at times. The women’s games are so different. You’ve got to be super quick, running around, communication through the roof,” Vance said. “So, yeah, I think I’m going to have an absolute ball watching their defensive game.”
Like on the court, each brother brings something different to the broadcasts.
“I’ll do most of the talking,” Mason said, with a smile. His brother agrees, “He’ll do most of the talking. I got all the stats.”
They’re right: Mason handles the play-by-play commentary, describing the action in real-time, while Vance offers the “color,” bringing in statistics and facts that relate to what’s happening on the court.
Thanks to a recent internship with Columbia Records, Mason brings entertainment industry experience to his role, and both brothers have internship experience in marketing. Even so, the one element they feel that’s prepared them most for broadcasting is an established closeness with the women’s team. Supporting other teams is a key pillar of Endicott’s athletics program. That, and it’s always been the norm for the men’s team to watch the women play and cheer them on—and vice versa.
“When we were freshmen, the seniors drilled it in our brains that we go to every women’s game. If more than 10 of us couldn’t make it, it was an issue. You’ve got to be there. They support us, you support them,” Vance said. “All of Endicott’s athletes are really good at supporting one another.”
Going to the women’s games helped Mason and Vance prepare for the broadcasts in that they could pinpoint nuances of the game as well as strengths among the players. But it also further solidified their respect and appreciation for their fellow athletes. It’s their hope that through commentating on the women’s games, others will realize how amazing the team is and pass the message on—or, even better, go to a game and cheer them on.
“Hopefully, us commentating will also be something that our team looks at and says, ‘That could be something I could do my senior year or if I do a fifth year,’” Mason said. “Broadcasting is also another way to get closer with the women’s team. You talk to them, you ask how they’re feeling. And then you get little stories to add in. So, you’re getting to bond with the whole program of men’s and women’s volleyball.”
So far, the twins are having a lot of fun commentating on the games. The future may separate the tight-knit brothers—as Mason plans to move wherever there’s a job in entertainment, while Vance aims to stay in Boston and work in marketing—but in the meantime, these broadcasts give them an opportunity to stay together and in the Endicott community at large.
“Sometimes it’s nice working with your brother, sometimes it’s not, so we’ll see how it works,” Mason joked.
“We’ve been playing since freshman year, which has been fantastic, but at the end of the day, the biggest thing we’re here to do is be students and then athletes and just get to know everyone. It makes me feel like I sound old, but the culture and the relationships you build are what makes Endicott so great,” chimed Vance. “It’s not just about volleyball, it’s about the friendships you make.”
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