Information Courtesy of Gatorade.com
The Gatorade State Player of the Year award was established in 1985 to recognize the nation’s most outstanding high school student-athletes for their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. The Gatorade State Player of the Year award winners are evaluated on those criteria as follows:
Athletic Excellence – Standout performance in their respective sport made at the high school, club, national or international levels of competition.
Academic Achievement – Review of GPA and class rank, as well as SAT and ACT scores, and academic honors distinctions.
Exemplary Character – Commitment to sportsmanship, character and community through membership and participation in positive activities.
The Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee administers the selection process for Gatorade State and National Player of the Year awards. All final selections result from a collaborative effort and are made by the committee.
To see additional information on each of the 2019 Gatorade State Player of the Year selections, follow the link below and click on their specific home states to see their bio.
https://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/winner/state
After Gatorade State Player of the Year awards are announced, a Gatorade National Player of the Year is selected. The twelve national winners selected represent the nation’s best all-around high school student-athletes. Of the national winners, one male and one female is recognized as the Gatorade Athlete of the Year.
The three national finalists in Girls Basketball for 2019 are senior Haley Jones (California), sophomore Azzi Fudd (District of Columbia), and junior Paige Bueckers (Minnesota).
Each year, a national voting panel consisting of sports journalists, coaches, prep-sports experts and analysts evaluate the twelve Gatorade National Player of the Year honorees. The male and female athletes receiving the highest rating from this panel are named Gatorade Athletes of the Year. The Athlete of the Year selections are again based on athletics, academics and character. The Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year awards are presented in Los Angeles, California, at the Gatorade Athlete of the Year Awards prior to The ESPY Awards.
