Soccer's Casey Malone earns National Merit Scholar honor

SYLACAUGA, Ala. - In a school year filled with milestones, Sylacauga High School senior Casey Malone added one more that places him in rare company.

Malone has been named a National Merit Scholar, an honor reserved for fewer than one percent of high school seniors across the country. It adds to an already impressive academic résumé that includes a perfect 36 on the ACT.

The path to becoming a National Merit Scholar is anything but simple. Each year, roughly 1.5 million students take the PSAT as the starting point. From there, about 16,000 of the highest scorers, roughly the top half percent in each state, are selected as semifinalists. Those students must then submit a detailed application that includes essays, academic records, extracurricular involvement, and a recommendation from a school official, along with confirming ACT or SAT scores.

Around 15,000 advance to finalist status, and ultimately about 8,000 earn the National Merit Scholar designation.

Malone made it through every step, a testament to both his academic ability and consistency over time.

That same consistency has shown up on the soccer pitch.

A mainstay of the Aggies' soccer program since the eighth grade, Malone has been part of the varsity lineup for years, helping guide the team through deep postseason runs and key wins along the way. Most recently, he played a role in Sylacauga capturing the 2026 Talladega County Soccer Championship.

Balancing that kind of academic workload with varsity athletics is no small task, but Malone has made it look routine.

He plans to attend the University of Alabama and major in chemical engineering.

For Sylacauga High School, Malone's story checks every box – excellence in the classroom, consistency on the field, and a steady approach to both. As he gets set for Tuscaloosa, there is little doubt his next chapter will be just as impressive as the one he leaves behind.