Scholar Stories: From Eugene to Ann Arbor, Patience Paying Off for Mullens
12/10/2025 10:00:00 AM | Baseball
Continuing the series that began in 2016-17, each Wednesday MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories.
By Jonathan Franchi
Despite growing up in Eugene, Ore., as the son of 16-year Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens, Cooper Mullens decided to take his talents to the Midwest. A two-sport star in high school, highlighted by a first team All-State selection in baseball and an honorable mention All-State selection in basketball, Mullens is now in his third year as a utility infielder for the University of Michigan baseball team.
With his father being the Oregon athletic director, Mullens recalls many fond memories of being around Oregon Athletics, including football and baseball practices. He remembers spending time with the Oregon teams led by Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and is very appreciative of those times.
"It's cool to be able to look back and think I was around those guys somewhat, and I think I got a better understanding of how high-level athletics works from a very young age."
Despite his ties to Oregon, Mullens did not want to go to school there, but he did consider staying out on the West Coast, closer to home. Ultimately, Mullens wanted to carve his own path, and the overall package that Michigan had to offer provided a great fit for Mullens.
"The academics at Michigan were obviously a big piece. And then I just wanted to come play for the coaching staff that's here," Mullens said. "I wanted to be a part of it. I don't think it was necessarily one thing that I immediately gravitated towards; I think it was just a feel kind of thing, just a gut feeling that this was a good situation and the people I wanted to be around."
After seeing limited action during his freshman season, Mullens decided to redshirt his sophomore year to focus on building his frame, but his year away from the game provided him with beneficial learning opportunities.
"I think the biggest thing for me was getting bigger, so I put on around 20 pounds, which will definitely help me a lot," he said. "And I think it was interesting to step back and see things from a redshirt perspective, knowing I'm not going to play. So, I could truly take a step back and see the game a step removed and from a 30,000-foot view kind of thing. That gave me a new perspective on seeing a lot of different aspects of the program that you don't necessarily see when you're playing every day and trying to get ready to hit."
Being away from the game was hard, but Mullens stayed motivated by understanding that the work he was putting in away from the field was going to pay off eventually. As the start of the baseball season nears, Mullens wants to take his third year day by day and focus on what he can control to put himself in the best position to contribute to the team.
Off the diamond, Mullens is in the Ross School of Business, looking to prepare himself for life after baseball. In his classes, Mullens has been able to take part in several group projects that have reinforced the importance of teamwork, an essential skill in sports and school.
"I think it's very similar, because I think it's about finding ways to get individuals to come together for a common goal a lot of times," Mullens said. "You're trying to do the same things in terms of getting people aligned and on the same page in both school and sports. And it's kind of working to get all the individual goals and agendas into one team, one goal and one agenda."
Mullins is looking to leverage his college baseball background and his Business Administration degree from the Ross School of Business to pursue a career in sports after graduating. With his father having an extensive background working in college athletics, sports have surrounded Mullens his entire life, so a career in sports feels like a natural next step in his journey.
"Just kind of being around sports, I've never really been involved in anything super outside of athletics," Mullens said. "That's what I grew up on, and that's what I've always been interested in. When I went home after school, sports were what was talked about, and I was always busy with sports in school. So, working in sports is just kind of something that feels natural to me."
As Mullens enters his third season with Michigan baseball, he approaches this year with a fresh mindset and an improved mentality after his redshirt season. On his road from Eugene to Ann Arbor, he has gone through several experiences that have shaped him and his attitude. By staying patient and focusing on the overall process, Mullens' confidence, discipline, and level-headed maturity will allow him to excel both on the diamond and in his future endeavors.
