Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press

Maloney has become a household name at New Mexico Military Institute.

Gavin, a 2018 graduate of NMMI, has been living the dream competing on the diamond as a sophomore at the NCAA Division I level with the Santa Clara University Broncos.

Five generations of Maloneys have passed through the Institute.

Gavin’s great-great grandfather attended NMMI in 1907 while his grandfather graduated in 1968. Gavin’s oldest brother, Haden, was a captain on the Colt football and baseball teams in 2014.

Rilan, Gavin’s sister, is a junior at NMMI who has participated in baseball, volleyball, track and field, and basketball.

“I think we’re really happy that we’ve been able to make a name for ourselves at NMMI,” said Gavin Maloney. “I think just the fact that NMMI has made us into the people that we are today is what we appreciate the most.

“It’s not so much the athletic side, which is obviously important to our family, but just the fact that it’s shaped us into becoming better people.”

Graduating from NMMI as a first sergeant, Gavin was a five-year letterman in baseball. He posted a .486 batting average as a senior with 36 hits and five home runs.

On the mound he went 16-6 with a 3.80 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 129 innings.

He was named first team on the All-USA New Mexico baseball team comprised by USA Today Sports alongside current NMMI outfielder and former Goddard High standout Cameron Stevenson.

Gavin also lettered four times on the Colt football squad as a quarterback and outside linebacker.

“I think the mental fortitude and strength you build at NMMI just helped me develop a better mindset in college because that’s definitely a bigger part of the game in college,” he said.

Arriving in Santa Clara, Gavin was one of 15 freshmen vying for playing time.

He played in 29 games compiling a .239 average with a team-best .341 on base percentage. Gavin recorded his first collegiate hit and RBI on March 26, 2019 during a 9-0 win over UC Davis.

Gavin went 2 for 3 with a pair of singles and a run scored in his debut.

“Couple guys unfortunately got hurt or things like that and that’s how I got my opportunity. I think I did a pretty good job of taking advantage and I ended up playing most of the back half of the season,” he added.

To start the spring, Santa Clara went 12-5 before the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Gavin made two appearances as a pinch hitter. He drew a walk during an 18-4 win over San Jose State on Feb. 16.

Santa Clara had a gauntlet of a schedule featuring SEC powerhouse Georgia which was ranked third in the country with a 14-2 record.

One of Georgia’s losses was suffered to Santa Clara on Feb. 23.

The Broncos were riding a four-game winning streak before they were slated to begin a three-game series at West Coast Conference rival Gonzaga.

“Last year we had a tough season. We had a lot of young guys,” he said. “We worked on building a culture and building more of an identity as a team rather than just the physical side of the game.

“We try to work on more of the mental approach. When the season started I think it really showed.”

Currently a mechanical engineering major, Gavin will again be a sophomore next season due to the NCAA’s waiver that allows additional eligibility for spring sport athletes affected by the pandemic.

Being in the heart of the Silicon Valley, he hopes to work for one of the many Fortune 500 companies in the area.

On the diamond, Gavin has a personal goal of getting drafted. For now, he is trying to help his team build a winning culture.

NMMI’s structured academic program helped prepare Gavin for the future.

“I realized that when I went out to college that I was just following the same routine I had been on at NMMI,” he said. “A lot of people didn’t have a routine. That aspect helped academically.”

In New Mexico there’s usually less than 10 Division I baseball recruits each year in the entire state.

To get the opportunity to play at the highest level in college can be overwhelming for a small town athlete that’s not used to the big stadiums and abundance of talent.

Gavin has not let any of that phase him. He’s just enjoying the moment.

“I think just the fact that coming from New Mexico it doesn’t happen as often,” he said. “At the end of the day you’re still playing the game. It’s still the same game.

“It’s something I’ve always dreamed about and I had hoped it would come my way. I’m glad it did and I’m trying to take full advantage of it.”