INDIANAPOLIS, June 10,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 37th year
of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade
today announced Keagan Rothrock of
Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, In. is the 2021-22 Gatorade
National Softball Player of the Year. Rothrock won the prestigious
award for her accomplishments on and off the field, joining an
impressive group of former Gatorade National Softball Players of
the Year who have combined for 17 gold medals and five National
Championships.
Rothrock was surprised with the trophy by her family, coaches
and teammates at school. Check out a video of the announcement
here.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic
excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and
exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field,
distinguishes Rothrock as the nation's best high school softball
player. The Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which
leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others to
evaluate candidates, selected Rothrock from nearly half a million
other student-athletes who play softball nationwide.
Competition for the national award was fierce. Rothrock topped
the list of state winners in softball who collectively boast an
incredible list of accomplishments, including 36 who volunteer with
2+ organizations, 9 returning state Gatorade Players of the Year
and 23 with a GPA of 4.0 and above.
"There is 'dominating,' and then there's what Keagan does—and
she's been that way her entire career," says Brentt Eads, executive editor of Extra Inning
Softball. "Keagan has been nicknamed 'the Lebron James of Softball'
because of her physical talents and her success at leading teams to
championships. She's a fiery competitor between the lines, but
she's humble and hard-working off the field. She isn't merely the
top hurler in her class. She's one of the best pre-college pitchers
in any age group or any graduation year. She is an excellent power
hitter as well, and her work ethic is unmatched for her age
level."
At the time of her selection, the 5-foot-10 junior right-handed
pitcher had led the Royals to a perfect 32-0 record and a berth in
the Class 4A state championship game. The state's returning
Gatorade Softball Player of the Year, Rothrock owned a 27-0 record
with a 0.73 ERA entering the state final, having fanned 366 batters
in 163.1 innings pitched through 32 games while surrendering just
17 walks and 51 hits. A member of the USA Softball U18 National Team, she also
batted .529 with 14 home runs and 54 RBI amassing an OPS of 1.628.
Rothrock was a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American,
a MaxPreps First Team All-American and the Extra Inning Softball
Player of the Year as a sophomore. She's ranked as the nation's No.
1 prospect in the Class of 2023 by Softball America.
Also a talented artist and an editor of her school's yearbook,
Rothrock has volunteered locally on behalf of Servant's Heart of
Indy, Riley Hospital for Children and Powerhouse Training softball
camps. She also coaches youth players privately in hitting and
pitching almost daily and donates most of her earnings to her
church.
Rothrock has maintained a 4.06 GPA in the classroom. She will
begin her senior year of high school this fall.
"There are plenty of sports awards for high school athletes, but
what sets Gatorade Player of the Year apart is how we look at the
whole athlete," said Gatorade Senior Vice President and General
Manager Brett O'Brien. "Keagan Rothrock's achievements in sport, in the
classroom and in her community are head and shoulders above the
competition, which is why she is so deserving of this
award."
Each year, a selection committee evaluates the nation's top
talent to choose one state winner from each of the 50 states as
well as Washington D.C., in 12
different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross
country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and
girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. In all, 608
athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one
national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports.
Gatorade has a long-standing history of serving athlete
communities and understands how sports instill valuable lifelong
skills on and off the field. Since the program's inception in 1985,
Gatorade Player of the Year award recipients have won hundreds of
professional and college championships, and many have also turned
into pillars in their communities, becoming coaches, business
owners and educators. Previous winners include a distinguished list
of athletes, such as Peyton Manning,
Abby Wambach, Jayson Tatum, Elena
Delle Donne and many other sports icons.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program,
check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit
playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on
Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY, Instagram at
instagram.com/Gatorade and Twitter at
twitter.com/Gatorade.
PREVIOUS GATORADE
NATIONAL SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS
|
YEAR
|
NAME
|
HOMETOWN
|
STATUS
|
2020-21
|
Jordyn Bahl
|
Papillion,
NE
|
University of
Oklahoma
|
2019-20
|
Jayda
Coleman
|
The Colony,
TX
|
University of
Oklahoma
|
2018-19
|
Kelley Lynch
|
Sharpsburg,
GA
|
University of
Washington
|
2017-18
|
Megan
Faraimo
|
San Diego,
CA
|
University of
California, Los Angeles
|
2016-17
|
Taylor
Dockins
|
Norco, CA
|
California State
University, Fullerton
|
2015-16
|
Madilyn "Bubba"
Nickles
|
Merced, CA
|
US Women's National
Softball Team
|
2014-15
|
Rachel
Garcia
|
Palmdale, CA
|
US Women's National
Softball Team
|
2013-14
|
Taylor
McQuillin
|
Mission Viejo,
CA
|
Cleveland
Comets
|
2012-13
|
Carley
Hoover
|
Central, SC
|
US Women's National
Softball Team
|
2011-12
|
Geri Ann
Glasco
|
Watkinsville,
GA
|
Deceased
|
2010-11
|
Paige
McDuffee
|
The Woodlands,
TX
|
Played for University
of California, Los Angeles
|
2009-10
|
Kasey Fagan
|
Dunnellon,
FL
|
Played for University
of Arkansas
|
2008-09
|
Kenzie
Fowler
|
Oro Valley,
AZ
|
Played for University
of Arizona
|
2007-08
|
Kenzie
Fowler
|
Oro Valley,
AZ
|
Played for University
of Arizona
|
2006-07
|
Ashley
Brignac
|
River Ridge,
LA
|
Played for University
of Louisiana, Lafayette
|
2005-06
|
Kirsten
Shortridge
|
Keller, TX
|
Played for Baylor
University
|
2004-05
|
Dani Hofer
|
Palm Harbor,
FL
|
Played for Louisiana
State University
|
2003-04
|
Anjelica
Selden
|
Fairfield,
CA
|
Played for New England
Riptide
|
2002-03
|
Lisa Dodd
|
San Diego,
CA
|
Played for University
of California, Los Angeles
|
2001-02
|
Alicia
Hollowell
|
Fairfield,
CA
|
Retired from US Women's
National Softball Team
|
2000-01
|
Cat Osterman
|
Cypress, TX
|
Played for University
of Texas, Austin
|
1999-00
|
Tia
Bollinger
|
Santa Ana,
CA
|
Played for University
of Washington
|
1998-99
|
Maureen
LeCocq
|
West Hills,
CA
|
Played for Stanford
University
|
1997-98
|
Amanda Freed
|
Cypress, CA
|
Played for Chicago
Bandits
|
About Gatorade
The Gatorade Company, a division of PepsiCo
(NASDAQ: PEP), meets the needs of consumers who participate in
sports and fitness, through brands that include Gatorade, Propel,
Muscle Milk, and Evolve. The solutions they provide are driven by a
deep understanding of the unique occasions and needs across
athletic activity. Gatorade, their marquee brand, is underpinned by
a 56-year history of studying the best athletes in the world, and
sports nutrition research by the Gatorade Sport Science Institute,
allowing it to provide scientifically formulated products that meet
athletes' needs both on and off the field. For more information and
a full list of products, please
visit www.gatorade.com.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion
times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the
world. PepsiCo generated more than $79
billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary
beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's,
Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and
SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of
enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that
generate more than $1 billion each in
estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in
Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive
(pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts
sustainability at the center of how we will create value and growth
by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive
change for planet and people. For more information, visit
www.pepsico.com.
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SOURCE The Gatorade Company