Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

The 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 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.

Name: Ava Dean

School: McFarland High School

Volleyball Honors: Three-year varsity performer for coach Joseph Moriarty and the Spartans... member of their Division 2 state runner-up squad as a sophomore... junior year was named first-team all-Rock Valley and second-team Division 2 WVCA all-state... as a senior, was named Badger Small Co-Player of the Year, first-team all-conference, State Journal/WiscNews first-team all-area, WVCA Division 2 first-team all-state, WVCA All-Tournament Team, and AVCA honorable mention all-American... the 5-8 setter compiled 1,029 assists, 104 aces, 171 kills, and 394 digs as a senior for the Division 2 state runner-up Spartans... 

Basketball Honors: Four-year varsity performer for coach Sara Mallegni and the Spartans... earned second-team all-Rock Valley as a sophomore and junior... helped the Spartans advance to the WIAA Division 2 State Tournament as a junior... named honorable mention all-tournament team by WisSports.net... the 5-8 wing/guard averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.5 steals per game as a junior for the 26-3 Spartans... 

Soccer Honors: Enters her senior year as a three-year varsity player for coach TJ DiPrizio and the Spartans... member of McFarland's Division 3 State Championship squad as a freshman... named second-team all-Rock Valley as a sophomore and junior... helped the Spartans advance to the WIAA State Tournament as a sophomore... 

Favorite Sport (and why): "Volleyball, because I love the game of momentum and energy. The cheering after every point, while competing with my best friends." 

Best Part of High School Sports (and why): "I love all the memories I made. I get to compete with a new team every season and create new friendships every year. We work together to challenge each other in practice and turn it around to compete with each other." 

Best Advice from a High School Coach: Control the controllable.  

Most Memorable Moment in High School Sports: "State championship freshman year soccer, or 2023 volleyball state semi-final against Pewaukee." 

Best Part of Playing Three Sports: "Being able to experience different team dynamics, and bring what I think is valuable from one team to another."  

Most Difficult Part of Playing Three Sports: Time Management.

Favorite Opponent (and why): "Greta Ashewald, because she’s very competitive and challenges me." 

Favorite Professional Team: Milwaukee Bucks 

Favorite Professional Athlete: Damian Lillard 

Favorite College Team: Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball 

Cumulative GPA: 3.989

Toughest Individual You’ve Competed Against (and why): "Abbie Dix. She’s an incredible volleyball and basketball player. We always had trouble stopping her."  

Most Admired High School Teammate (and why): "Teagan Mallegni because she works extremely hard and never complains. She is always willing to learn and improve and is one of the only people who matches my competitiveness." 

College Plans: "Attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, major in business." 

Activities Outside of Sports: "Shopping, hanging with friends, boating."

Favorite TV Show: Gilmore Girls 

Favorite Movie: Finding Nemo 

Favorite Musical Artist: Zach Bryan 

Favorite Subject: English 

Favorite Restaurant: Cheesecake Factory 

Favorite Website/App: Instagram 

Other Family Members: My dad, Justin Dean; mom, Sheri Dean; and brother, Evan Dean.