Home >  Sports >  High School Sports >  Athlete of The Week

Thursday, March 14, 2002

By Paul Zeise and Mike White, Post-Gazette Sports Writers

SCHOOL: Oakland Catholic

WHO IS SHE? A senior and one of the best girls high school swimmers in the state.

LAST WEEK: Wallace was named the most outstanding swimmer at the PIAA Class AA championships Friday and Saturday at Penn State after winning four gold medals and helping to set three PIAA records. She won the 100-yard backstroke in a record 55.79 seconds and won the 200 freestyle. She also swam a leg on the Eagles' 200-medley and 400-freestyle relay teams. Both relays set meet records. Her individual times qualified her for All-American status. The Eagles won the team title for the second consecutive season.

THIS SEASON: Led the Eagles to their third consecutive WPIAL Class AA title, winning two individual and two relay events at the WPIAL championships. Wallace won the 100 backstroke and 200 freestyle and swam a leg on the 400 freestyle and 200 medley relay teams. Both relays set WPIAL records.

CAREER: Wallace owns three individual WPIAL Class AA records and two relay records. She also owns one PIAA individual and two relay records. She has won 14 PIAA medals, including 12 gold medals (five individual, seven relay). She has also won 11 WPIAL medals. When she was a sophomore, Wallace qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials in Indianapolis and finished 17th in the 100-meter backstroke. She's won numerous regional, sectional and national meets in various age groups.

GEORGIA ON HER MIND: Wallace signed a letter of intent to swim at the University of Georgia and, now that her high school days are over, is eager to get on with her college career. "One of the main reasons I chose Georgia is because it is one of the elite programs, and I'm ready for that challenge," she said. "I'm ready to go back to being looked at as just another swimmer. I need that kind of challenge because it will push me to train even harder and work even longer at becoming the best swimmer I can be. Everyone there is so good, I'll have to really push it to make it back to the top."

NOT A PROBLEM: Wallace is a diabetic, but she has learned how to manage the disease to the point where it hasn't disrupted her training or held her back. On the first morning of the PIAA meet, for instance, her insulin pump wasn't working properly and her blood sugar was high, causing her to be fatigued and dehydrated. "The thing is, I knew what the problem was right away," said Wallace, who carries sugar cubes, fruit and juice boxes with her to every meet. "So I got the pump working and was fine by the time I had to swim."

-- By Paul Zeise

SCHOOL: Peabody.

WHO IS HE? A 5-foot-10, 150-pound junior guard for the Highlanders' basketball team.

Justin Mullen: Two-year starter at Peabody. (Franka Bruns, Post-Gazette)

THIS WEEK: Mullen had 23 points as Peabody defeated Penn Cambria, 50-42, in a PIAA Class AAA second-round game Tuesday. He made five 3-pointers and was 7 for 9 from the free-throw line.

SEASON: Mullen turned into one of the best players in the City League, averaging 15 points a game. He was one of the main reasons Peabody won the City championship for the fourth year in a row.

TITLE MAN: Winning City championships has become routine for Mullen because he has been a member of three championship teams at Peabody. He has been a varsity player since his freshman year and a starter since his sophomore season. In seventh grade, he won the City middle school championship and lost in the title game in eighth grade.

HOOPAHOLIC: It seems Mullen can't get enough basketball. If he isn't playing it, he's watching it on television.

"He's a basketball junkie," said Peabody Coach Jim Kahn said. "I don't think kids watch enough basketball these days. He really watches it. In fact, I get on him a little because he comes to school tired sometimes. He's been up watching a late game or ESPN SportsCenter."

Mullen said: "I try to watch every game I can on television. I want to see what the players are doing and try to learn from them."

FACING THE BEST: Mullen is eagerly awaiting tomorrow night's PIAA quarterfinal game against West Mifflin. The Titans feature 6-3 guard Bryant McAllister, a Duquesne University recruit.

"It's a great challenge because he's one of the best point guards this side of the state," Mullen said. "Playing against him adds a little more to this game for me. I feel like I have to do what I can to get myself known."

DIVISION I FUTURE? Kahn believes Mullen could be a low Division I prospect for next season.

"There is always room for improvement, but right now he can do a little of everything. He can penetrate and he can shoot. He's gotten a lot stronger in the last year, too."

Mullen said: "I pray I can be a Division I player someday. But I can't go out there worrying about being a Division I player. I can't let anything distract me because we're trying to win a state championship."

-- By Mike White