By Chris Basinger, News Editor

TRUSSVILLE, Ala.–Hewitt-Trussville High School Baseball Coach Jeff Mauldin has been named the 2024 Trussville Tribune Sports Person of the Year.

Mauldin was presented with the inaugural award by Tribune Publisher Scott Buttram at the Trussville Chamber’s Toast of the Town banquet Monday night.

“Because high school sports are such a big part of the nine cities covered by the Tribune, we have considered presenting a Trussville Tribune Sports Person of the Year for several years. This year, we felt the timing was right to move forward,” Buttram said.

“The 2024 recipient is a guy who has won state championships at two schools in the Tribune coverage area. He’s had his teams in several other championship series throughout his career. Jeff Mauldin’s teams consistently compete at the highest level, and, through baseball, he has impacted countless young people throughout our coverage area.”

Mauldin had a stellar year, becoming the youngest coach in Alabama high school history to win 700 games and just the sixth coach ever to reach that mark.

In December, he was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

“I was very surprised and shocked. I was lied to by my wife, Scott Buttram, my main man Jeff Schrupp–I thought I was coming here to introduce him. I’ve been working on his speech all day,” Mauldin joked.

“It’s very humbling. I’ve been blessed by God to have really good people around me and the kids that play the game,” he continued. “It’s just very humbling and I’m very appreciative.”

Since becoming the Huskies head coach in 2013, Mauldin has won 328 games, made five Final Four appearances, and took home the state championship in 2016.

Over his career, he has sent over 120 student athletes to play at the collegiate level and had 11 players drafted into Major League Baseball.

Mauldin has also fostered the next generation of coaching, having seen eight former assistants go on to become head coaches at the high school level.