OWINGS
MILLS, Md., June 21,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 37th year of
honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade
today announced Jacob Murrell of
McDonogh School in Owings Mills,
Md. is the 2021-22 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of
the Year. Murrell won the prestigious award for his accomplishments
on and off the field, joining an impressive group of former
Gatorade National Boys Soccer Players of the Year who have combined
for 12 National Championships and 13 MLS first round draft
picks.
Murrell was surprised with the trophy by his 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 Murrell as the nation's best high school boys soccer
player. The Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which
leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others to
evaluate candidates, selected Murrell from nearly half a million
other student-athletes who play boys soccer nationwide.
Competition for the national award was fierce. Murrell topped
the list of state winners in boys soccer who collectively boast an
incredible list of accomplishments, including 16 First Team
All-State honorees, 25 who are committed to play soccer at Division
I colleges/universities and 18 with a GPA of 4.0 and above.
"Jacob delivered one of the most amazing seasons in MIAA history
under odd circumstances," said Sheldon
Shealer, national editor of prepsoccer.com. "McDonogh opted
out of organized team athletics in the fall of 2020, so he entered
his senior season with only two years of playing defender under his
belt at the high school level. While his club success (with
Pipeline SC) gave us insight that he could be a significant high
school player this past season, I don't think anyone could have
foreseen him scoring 41 goals in a highly competitive league where
20 goals is considered exceptional. He is a gifted athlete and
exceptionally hard worker with a rare combination of pace and
strength, but he also has the ability to be clinical on his
finishes. He can score in so many ways, beating defenders and
keepers 1v1, scoring from distance, scoring with placement and/or
power, or scoring on crosses. He carried a very inexperienced team
to a runner-up finish in one of the nation's strongest high school
leagues."
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound senior forward scored 41 goals and
passed for 20 assists this past season, leading the Eagles (21-3)
to the Maryland Independent Athletic Association Class A state
tournament championship game. Murrell compiled 12 multi-goal games,
including four hat tricks and four four-goal games. The Baltimore
Sun All-Metro Player of the Year and a United Soccer Coaches High
School All-American selection, he was named to the game's Best XI
at the High School All-American Game in December.
Murrell has volunteered locally with the Char Hope Foundation,
dedicated to helping adults in the Maryland agricultural community
who are facing the challenges of substance abuse. He has also
donated his time as a youth soccer coach.
Murrell has maintained a B-plus average in the classroom. He has
signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on scholarship at
Georgetown University this fall.
"Having served athlete communities for decades, Gatorade
understands how sports instill valuable lifelong skills on and off
the field," said Gatorade Senior Vice President and General Manager
Brett O'Brien. "It's clear
Jacob Murrell is a leader, role
model and team player in all areas of life, which is why we are
confident in his selection as this year's winner and his ability to
continue driving change in and out of sport in the future."
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 BOYS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS
|
YEAR
|
NAME
|
HOMETOWN
|
STATUS
|
2020-21
|
Bryce Boneau
|
Keller, TX
|
University of Notre
Dame
|
2019-20
|
Jony Munoz
|
Olathe, KS
|
University of
Missouri-Kansas City
|
2018-19
|
Omar
Hernandez
|
Dalton, GA
|
Wake Forest
University
|
2017-18
|
Ousseni
Bouda
|
Millbrook,
NY
|
Stanford
University
|
2016-17
|
Umar Farouk
Osman
|
Lakeville,
CT
|
University of
Michigan
|
2015-16
|
Lucas Mendes
|
Arlington,
VA
|
Al Wakrah SC
|
2014-15
|
Jack
Harrison
|
Sheffield,
MA
|
Leeds United
|
2013-14
|
Abu Danladi
|
Los Olivos,
CA
|
Nashville SC
|
2012-13
|
Cristian
Roldan
|
Pico Rivera,
CA
|
Seattle Sounders
FC
|
2011-12
|
Emmanuel
Boateng
|
Carpinteria,
CA
|
New England
Revolution
|
2010-11
|
Luis Rendon
|
Midlothian,
VA
|
Played for Duke
University
|
2009-10
|
Soony Saad
|
Dearborn, MI
|
Al-Wehdat SC
|
2008-09
|
Dillon
Powers
|
Plano, TX
|
Orange County
SC
|
2007-08
|
Chris
Agorsor
|
Owings Mills,
MD
|
Retired from Richmond
Kickers
|
2006-07
|
Brayan
Martinez
|
West Orange,
NJ
|
Monterrey
Flash
|
2005-06
|
Eric
Alexander
|
Portage, MI
|
Retired from FC
Dallas
|
2004-05
|
Lee Nguyen
|
Plano, TX
|
Ho Chi Minh City
FC
|
2003-04
|
Patrick
Phelan
|
Wilbraham,
MA
|
Retired from San
Antonio Scorpions
|
2002-03
|
Greg Dalby
|
Poway, CA
|
Retired from Charlotte
Eagles
|
2001-02
|
Jordan
Harvey
|
Mission Viejo,
CA
|
Los Angeles
FC
|
2000-01
|
Ned Grabavoy
|
New Lenox,
IL
|
Retired from Portland
Timbers
|
1999-00
|
Alecko
Eskandarian
|
Oradell, NJ
|
Retired from Los
Angeles Galaxy
|
1998-99
|
Kyle Martino
|
Westport, CT
|
Retired from Los
Angeles Galaxy
|
1997-98
|
Nick Downing
|
Redmond, WA
|
Retired from Charleston
Battery
|
1996-97
|
Nick Garcia
|
Dallas, TX
|
Retired from Toronto
FC
|
1995-96
|
Andrew Kirk
|
Milwaukee,
WI
|
Retired from Tampa Bay
Mutiny
|
1994-95
|
Pierre
Venditti
|
Milford, CT
|
Played for University
of Maryland
|
1993-94
|
Andriy
Shapowal
|
Chagrin Falls,
OH
|
Played for University
of Virginia
|
1992-93
|
Mike Fisher
|
Batavia, IL
|
Played for University
of Virginia
|
1991-92
|
Matt McKeon
|
St. Louis,
MO
|
Retired from Kansas
City Wizards
|
1990-91
|
Claudio
Reyna
|
Newark, NJ
|
Retired from New York
Red Bulls
|
1989-90
|
Todd Haskins
|
Ellicott, MD
|
Retired from D.C.
United
|
1988-89
|
Chris
Henderson
|
Everett, WA
|
Retired from New York
Red Bulls
|
1987-88
|
Lyle Yorks
|
Storrs Mansfield,
CT
|
Retired from D.C.
United
|
1986-87
|
John Gwin
|
Boise, ID
|
Played for Duke
University
|
1985-86
|
Kevin
Hundelt
|
Florissant,
MO
|
Retired from St. Louis
Steamers
|
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