Carroll College Athletics

A smooth shooting guard from Cincinnati, after a seasoning with the freshman team, the 6’2” Mallard was CC varsity’s seventh or eighth man his sophomore year. He cracked the starting lineup the next season, as part of the historic squad which was the Hilltop’s first to qualify for nationals. In 1966’s best-of-three District 5 playoffs versus College of Idaho, Mallard (playing with a leg injury) fired in 26 points in the third-game for a 76-69 victory over the Coyotes and a berth in the NAIA Tournament.

Carroll won its first game in Kansas City, 91-88 over Bethune Cookman (Florida), with Mallard chipping in 19 counters and 11 assists. They were then ousted by powerful Grambling 95-86, despite Mallard’s 30-point outburst. His final two seasons, Jim was named second team All-MCC both years, achieved eight 20-point games (and would’ve had many more with a 3-point line) and was the team’s assist-leader. Considered one of the program’s “greatest ball handlers and passers,” Mallard was selected 1967 honorable mention NAIA All-American.