Small Town to SEC: Marshall County standouts Nimmo and Galloway heading to next level
BENTON, Ky. (BVM) — The list of achievements for Marshall County standouts Jay Nimmo and Sophie Galloway are already sprawling, but both look to add to their list of accomplishments in their college careers and beyond as they aspire to compete professionally. Nimmo has committed to play golf for Mississippi State University while Galloway will wear the “Vols Orange” as she represents the University of Tennessee in track and field.
Nimmo closes out his high school career as a three–time individual regional champion, a two–time individual state champion, named to the all-region team five times and was voted Kentucky’s “Mr. Golf” in 2019. Outside of high school athletics, Nimmo won two American Junior Golf Association tournaments and was a two–time All-American.
Galloway leaves Marshall County High School as an eight–time individual state champion, finished runner–up for two state titles and was voted the Kentucky Gatorade Track and Field Player of the Year in 2018, 2019, and 2020. In 2019, she was nominated for Kentucky Sportsperson of the Year, a prestigious award with other nominees being Ja Morant, Lamar Jackson and John Calipari.
Thanks to their illustrious high school athletic careers, Nimmo and Galloway had a multitude of colleges across the country interested in their services. Nimmo ultimately chose to join the Bulldogs of Mississippi State, and Galloway felt at home with the Vols of Tennessee.
“I never had a dream school,” Nimmo said. “I kind of went in with an open mind and I was looking for a place that was just a good fit. For me, that was a great coaching staff, great golf courses and great athletic facilities. I just fell in love with Mississippi State and the coach there. He’s building something I want to be a part of, so I’m really excited to join the team.”
As for Galloway, her decision to go to Tennessee checked a lot of the boxes she was looking for.
“I’m obviously a southern girl, so I wanted to stay in the south and be a part of the SEC,” Galloway said. “I wanted it to be relatively close to home. Not too close, but close enough that I could get home if I needed to. I wanted to have a coaching staff that was going to be there and stay for a while, because if I decide to go pro one of these days, I’m going to want to keep the same coaches instead of changing.”
Both Nimmo and Galloway were excited to finally make the commitment to their respective universities because it took the pressure off of competing.
“That decision just freed me up,” Nimmo said. “At some points, I would have five to six SEC schools watch me at a time. When I commit to Mississippi State, it’s a done deal, and that just kind of allowed me to play freely.”
Galloway found the process similar, but she pointed out that making the commitment came with the added pressure of representing two schools at the same time.
“I think it allowed me to play better. The first time after was tough, because you’re representing your high school, the state of Tennessee and yourself. It was a big thing to grasp initially, but after I got used to it, it was a pretty cool feeling.”
Nimmo and Galloway stood out from the competition in the Western Kentucky area, often competing and training outside the area to perfect their skills and test their abilities against the best of the best. As they transition into college, where the other athletes will be improved and more skilled, both Nimmo and Galloway say they will welcome the challenge.
Along with the increase in competition, another challenge athletes face when transitioning from high school to college is the adjustment to their college town. Marshall County is located in Benton, Ky., which has a population of around 5,000. Nimmo will be traveling to Starkville, Miss. with a population of 25,000, and Galloway moves to Knoxville, Tenn. with a total of 185,000 people. Though the cities may be larger in size, Nimmo and Galloway are not intimidated by the change in scenery.
“I grew up in Farmington, Ky., which is in the middle of nowhere,” Galloway said. “So going to Knoxville is going to be different. But if you know me, I just talk constantly, I never meet a stranger, and I love people. So I think when I get there, I’ll be fine.”
Nimmo recognized the difference in population density between his hometown and his future college town, but said it is not anything to become worried about.
“With there being 25,000 people, I’m sure that includes the students,” Nimmo said. “So let’s not act like it’s huge. There’s a lot of fun stuff to do in Starkville, even though a lot of people don’t think so. It is a college town. It’s a good spot and I’m excited to get there.”
The colors that they wear and the name across their uniform may change, but Nimmo and Galloway agreed that there will always be a part of them representing Marshall County and the Western Kentucky area.
“I don’t think I can represent one school,” Galloway said. “I represent the population, the people I’ve grown up around, the people that have helped me along the way, and most importantly, my friends and family. It is not just about the school at this point, I think it’s about just making sure people know that I’m doing what I can to show that I worked hard and take pride in where I came from.”
Nimmo, who grew up in Marshall County and represented the Marshals his entire career, loves the people in the community and the support they provide.
“I love Marshall County,” Nimmo said. “I’ve had a lot of people ask when I’m moving in, and if I’m excited and stuff like that. Having the communities’ support is really cool. I know that people are going to be following both me and Sophie in college, and I don’t know if you get that in a lot of other places other than Western Kentucky. I think there’s something about a small town community where everybody knows everybody and they always support the athletes from the area.”
The excitement that Nimmo and Galloway have to represent their universities is undeniable. The natural drive and competitiveness that both athletes exhibit give them the ability to make an impact with their college teams as soon as they step foot on their campuses this fall. They have made it in the 2% of high school athletes to compete at Division I universities, and though they both want to have success at the college level, their aspirations to play professionally await them after they graduate.
“Each accomplishment is just the stepping stone to the next thing. I don’t think of them as awards. I just think of them as the next mark that I’ve gotten to,” Galloway said. “There’s always an end goal and there’s always another step, and I think that’s going to lead into the Olympics for me.”
Nimmo’s potential and work ethic can definitely land him on the professional tour, but he values taking it one step at a time.
“First off, I just want to be successful in college, so I have goals to be All-SEC and then hopefully be an All-American,” the golfer said. “Obviously the next goal is to play on the PGA Tour and play professionally. I think it’s really cool that we have a chance to make a living doing stuff that we love to do, and it’s cool to see this part of my story come together. This is just the first step though. It’s not over yet.”
As Nimmo and Galloway go off to their SEC schools, they have an entire community supporting them along the way. Nimmo and Galloway said they will be following and keeping tabs on one another as they compete in one of the most prestigious conferences in the United States. Though they will never directly compete with one another, attending schools in the same conference will fuel a friendly rivalry between the two.
“I think we’ve already made arrangements to go to the Tennessee-Mississippi State football game,” Nimmo said. “We’ll be rooting for each other along the way, but I can speak for both of us, there’s going to be more texts of trash talk than support.”
