Soccer: Mallory Pugh Parents Ran Track And Husband Dansby Swanson Plays Baseball

Mallory Pugh’s parents, Horace and Karen Pugh, are athletes in their own right.

Her father, Horace, ran track and played soccer in his youth. While Pugh’s mom, Karen, was a long-distance runner.

The local Western Colorado University awarded Pugh’s father, Horace, a degree in Business, Management, and Marketing. He worked for numerous businesses after earning his degree in 1987 and amassed a ton of expertise in the business development industry.

The proud father now works as the Business Development Manager for Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management.

Mallory’s mom, Karen, ran competitively in her Englewood High School days. As Mallory grew, the mom-daughter both excelled in the 100-meter sprint. She now helps her husband handle the family business.

When Karen and Horace first began to see just how elite their daughter was, Mallory had just turned 14. Then, she was invited to participate in the famous Manchester United Premier Cup U.S. Finals in Beaverton, Oregon, with Real Colorado’s U-15 team. Numerous college and U.S. national team coaches attend the competition to evaluate the players.

The genes of Mallory’s parents have well gotten into her, as she is one of the fastest players in the National Women’s Soccer League. As per the Fifa 23 rating, she has an acceleration of 91 and a sprint speed of 87, which is quite impressive for a 24-year-old.

Mallory’s parents gave her the drive and inspiration to follow her goal as a soccer player. She has also stated that her parents are what she looks up to the most. She appreciates the parental support she received in her goal to represent the United States as a soccer player at the international level at the youngest age ever.

Mallory Pugh’s husband, Dansby Swanson, is an American professional baseball shortstop. He is currently a free agent.

The soccer star and MLB player have been dating since 2017. They were introduced by Jace Peterson, Swanson’s former Braves teammate, who happens to be married to Pugh’s sister.

Regarding Pugh’s husband’s career, Swanson previously played Major League Baseball with the Atlanta Braves. He was selected in the first overall 2015 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondback. The shortstop then made his MLB debut in August 2016 and was the lone rookie from Atlanta selected for the Braves’ 2017 Opening Day roster.

However, he was demoted to Triple-A due to his offensive and defensive struggles. He also suffered hand injuries throughout 2020 and got the chance to set his career with a .274 batting average.

Swanson was selected as a reserve for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2022. He hit his century career home run against Jacob deGrom of the New York Mets on September 30, 2022. Moreover, he also got his first Gold Glove Award this season, making all 162 games of the MLB. However, he became a free agent at the end of the season. 

Mallory Pugh comes from a family of athletes.

She grew up alongside her older sister, Brianna, in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, as the youngest member of her family.

Like her sister, the Chicago Red Stars started playing soccer at the tender age of four. She played for the Real Colorado soccer club’s competitive team in the Elite Clubs National League, pursuing in her sister’s footsteps.

Brianna is married to Jace Peterson, Swanson’s former Braves teammate. The couple also shares a daughter and lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Mallory’s brother-in-law, Jace, last played for the San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and Milwaukee Brewers. As of 2022, the second baseman is a free agent.

Once Mallory and Briana went skiing with their parents, Horace and Pugh. After the girls took over from Karen and Horace as the leaders, the parents were left with a difficult decision: push harder and risk injury or recognize Mal and Brianna’s maturity. They chose the former because they knew that in the event of an accident, their bodies would require more time to heal.

Dansby Swanson slid the engagement ring on Mallory Pugh’s finger under a massive balloon arch.

Mallory Pugh’s engagement ring was nothing if not a unique diamond. And it costed Dansby a pretty penny.

A year ago, the baseball star had purchased the ring in November after winning the world series. He eventually knelt in front of a festive house, where a large balloon arch greeted Pugh.

The soccer star then shared her happiness on Instagram, posting a closer view of her ring. She wrote: “Forever with you (love emoji). Mr. and Mrs. Swanson coming soon (ring emoji).”

In their respective sports, Swanson and Pugh are both world champions. Swanson led his hometown Braves to their first World Series victory since 1995 in November. With the U.S. Women’s National Team, Pugh also won the 2019 Women’s World Cup. She also helped the Chicago Red Stars finish as runners-up in the NWSL Championship.

More about the couple can be known from Pugh’s Instagram handle @malpugh. Her verified handle has a total of 583 thousand followers.