Mauney was an All-American at Shelby High School coached by Gerald Allen. His freshman year, he gained 348 yards and scored five touchdowns and was voted most improved offensive back in spring drills. He also caught nine passes for 101 yards and a nifty 11.2 average per catch. The following spring in the Blue-Gold Game, he carried the ball 31 times for 82 yards and also hauled in six passes for 26 additional yards. As a sophomore, he played every game but one behind Kerry Marbury. He gained 295 yards on 43 carries and scored two touchdowns. In his only start, against Syracuse, Mauney gained 74 yards on seven carries. That previous spring, he was voted the most improved back, showing that he could perform well on either side of the ball. The spring after his sophomore year, he had an excellent performance in the Blue-Gold game, coming up with a key interception and was named most valuable defensive player by the coaches.

His junior year, he was moved to the defensive secondary from the tailback position he played his sophomore year. That year, he started five games at cornerback and missed four due to injury. He was however still selected to the ECAC weekly All-Star team for his play against Syracuse. He sealed a successful season for the Mountaineers in that game by scoring on a 56 yard pass interception with 1:02 remaining in the game to give WVU a 24-14 edge. Mauney was also the leading pass interceptor with four steals and 60 return yards. Another interception in the Illinois game enabled WVU to upset the Illini as he snagged an Illinois pass to set up WVU's game-winning touchdown. He also collected 58 tackles in seven games. Going into his senior year he listed to start at free safety.