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Bug Tussel Triple Threat Athlete of the Week: Trent Mullen, Appleton North

02/09/2023, 12:00pm CST
By Mark Miller

The Bug Tussel Triple Threat Athlete of the Week is an honor given on WisSports.net to the top senior boys and girls three-sport athletes in the state. Players are recognized each week on WSN, with the a boys and girls winner of the Pat Richter Award at the end of the season to the best three-sport athlete of the year.

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Trent Mullen

Name: Trent Mullen

School: Appleton North

Grade: Senior

Football Honors: Three-year starter at cornerback for Appleton North ... Team captain as a senior ... Unanimous first-team all-Fox Valley Association selection as a junior and senior ... First-team All-Region and honorable mention All-State at defensive back as a senior ... Statistics for senior season included 34 tackles, 10 pass breakups, two interceptions and 11 receptions for 180 yards at wide receiver ... Helped the Lightning to a 9-3 record and a Level 3 appearance in the WIAA Division 1 playoffs in 2022.

Basketball Honors: Four-year starting at point guard for coach Chris Kellett ... Two-time team captain ... Unanimous selection on the all-FVA Defensive team as a junior ... School record holder for assists (220) and steals (124) ... Averaging 8.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.2 steals as a senior for a very young Appleton North squad. 

Baseball Honors: Starting center fielder for the Lightning as a junior ... Honorable mention all-league choice in 2022 ... Batted .254 as a junior with eight stolen bases while helping the team to an 18-7 record.

Favorite Sport: "I truly like all sports, but football is my favorite sport. Football is my favorite because I enjoy the physicality of the sport, the brotherhood I share with my teammates and Friday night lights in the FVA is just an amazing experience."

Best Part of High School Sports: "I am an extremely competitive person so high school sports have given me a chance to compete on a daily basis. Playing in a top conference in the FVA is also great for me because I am competing against top players and teams every game. I really enjoy the challenge. Also, playing three team sports allows me to compete with my friends/teammates in every game."

Best Advice from a High School Coach: "Be a great teammate because people forget about the games, but not about the person." -- from assistant football coach Matt Hechel

Most Memorable Moment in High School Sports: "My most memorable moment was defeating Kimberly 21-10 at Kimberly in the Level 3 football playoffs in 2021. Besides the fact that it was the WIAA playoffs, it was also a big rivalry game. The stadium was packed and a local TV station broadcasted the game. It was a huge rush of emotion for our whole team and fans when we knocked them off."

Which Person Has Served as Positive Role Model in Sports For You: "My varsity coaches at Appleton North have been great role models for me. Coach Rob Salm in football has pushed me to always be my very best. Coach Chris Kellett in basketball has always gone out of his way to talk with me one-on-one and has always made me feel important. Coach Gus Maves in baseball has encouraged me to be the best person that I can be both inside and outside of school. Coach Niles Clark in football has taught me the importance of mental preparation as a defensive back in regards to formation recognition and coverages as well as just being a really good person."

Best Part of Playing Three Sports: "My favorite part of playing three sports is that I am always in season and getting the chance to compete. I never really have an offseason or a dull moment. Also, the people I have met over the years have been special. I've gotten the opportunity to play with so many great friends over the years in all three sports. Being teammates forges a special bond and a special friendship. Finally, getting to know so many of my opponents through camps and AAU basketball over the years has also been pretty cool. It makes the game a little more special when we compete against each other on a Friday night."

Toughest Part of Playing Three Sports: "Playing three varsity sports in the FVA is challenging. There is a huge demand for my time, especially in the summer. Doing strength, speed, agility and weight room workouts in the morning and the having two basketball games or a baseball game in the evening is not easy. There are days when I can get pretty tired. But, in all honesty, I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Favorite Opponent: "Kimberly. They are a traditional powerhouse in all sports and your team has to play its best to beat them. Your team knows it has accomplished something worthwhile when you beat them, and I personally love the challenge of competing against the best."

Toughest Individual You've Competed Against: "Playing in the FVA, there are tons of great individuals to compete against. Braelon Allen of Fond du Lac in football ... tackling him was just painful. Jackson Paveletzke of Kimberly in basketball ... his ability to make a shot from any sport on the court made him tough to guard. Owen Pawlikowski of Kimberly in football ... he was a very physical athlete with great body control, which made him a challenging wide receiver to cover."

Favorite Professional Teams: Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers

Favorite Professional Athlete: Travis Kelce

Favorite College Teams: Wisconsin Badgers

Cumulative GPA: 3.9
 
Most Admired High School Teammate:
"The high school teammates that I admired the most would be Mitch Cambray and Wilson Zuck. They both treated me very well and took me under their wings when I was a young varsity player in basketball and football. More importantly, they modeled for me the intensity that is needed to compete at a high level in the Fox Valley Association."

College Plans: "I have committed to play football at UW-La Crosse. I plan to major in Exercise Science with the hopes of continuing on to become a Chiropractor of Physical Therapist."

Activities Outside of Sports: Volunteer for Inspire Sports, volunteered for youth football, basketball and baseball camps, visited local elementary schools to read to younger students.

Favorite TV show: Stranger Things and Outer Banks
 
Favorite Movie:
Dumb and Dumber

Favorite Musical Artists: Future or Drake

Favorite Subject: Psychology

Favorite Restaurant: Buffalo Wild Wings

Favorite Website: YouTube (New Heights Podcast)

Other Family Members: Mike, father; Yvonne, mother; Taylor, Marissa, sisters.

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