Malone University Athletics

Julie (Harrison) Varner, a 1997 Malone graduate (Math), was a four-year letter winner in both cross country and track & field at Malone. A 1993 graduate of Lakota High School, she also went on to earn a Master of Arts in Education degree (Curriculum & Instruction) from Malone in 2003.

Varner competed in three seasons of cross country (’93, ’94, ‘96) for Malone before earning her undergraduate degree but then returned for one final cross country season in 1999. In the fall of 1993, she became the first Malone freshman women’s cross country runner to earn the NAIA All-America accolade. After earning an incredible three straight NAIA All-America honors in cross country in her first three seasons, she posted the clean sweep in the sport in 1999 by becoming the first (and still only) four-time NAIA All-American in the history of Malone women’s cross country. 

In addition, in that 1999 cross country season, she led Malone women’s cross country to its first (and still only) NAIA national championship. That NAIA national title is also still the only one for any Malone women’s sport. Incredibly, she also matched the four-time NAIA All-America feat by earning four NCCAA All-America honors as well. Varner also competed four seasons on the Pioneer track & field team and was a multiple qualifier to the NAIA indoor and outdoor national championships and the NCCAA national meets. She was a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete in both cross country and track & field. 

Varner is currently employed as a math teacher for Triway High School (for 10 years). She and her husband, Matt, who is also a Malone graduate and former cross country and track & field athlete for the Pioneers, have three sons (J.J., 6, and twin boys, Jackson and Jaydon, 2) and they reside in Applecreek, Ohio.