Lucy Biles as she crosses the line at Utah State Cross Country 2012, Photo By Kyle Perry
HERRIMAN HIGH SCHOOL STANDOUT NAMED GATORADE UTAH GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR
CHICAGO (January 10, 2013) — In its 28th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Lucy Biles of Herriman High School as its 2012-13 Gatorade Utah Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. Biles is the first Gatorade Utah Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Herriman High School.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Biles as Utah’s best high school girls cross country runner. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Biles joins an elite alumni association of past state award- winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).
The 5-foot-5 sophomore raced to the Class 4A individual state championship this past season with a time of 17:49.6. Biles took fourth at the Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional championships in 17:23 and earned victories at the Park City Invitational, the Herriman Invitational and the Region 7 championships.
Biles has maintained a 3.91 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics and an area food bank.
“Lucy has only been running for just over one year,” said Herriman head coach James Barnes. “She’s a great kid, and very coachable. She has great leadership skills for a young girl.”
Biles will begin her junior year of high school this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
Biles joins Gatorade Utah Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year Kelsey Braithwaite (2011-12, Box Elder High School), Shea Martinez (2010-11, Davis High School), Gillian Gorelik (2009-10, Park City), Danielle Menlove (2008-09, Jordan) and Hailey Knettles (2007-08, Judge Memorial Catholic) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.
To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.
