Boys to come tonight

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

   Contact:  Lauren Rollins (312-729-3607)                                                                                                                                     

Fayetteville-Manlius High School STANDOUT NAMED
GATORADE New York GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO (January 12, 2012) — In its 27^th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN HS, today announced Jillian Fanning of Fayetteville-Manlius High School as its 2011-12 Gatorade New York Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Fanning is the first Gatorade New York Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Fayetteville-Manlius 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 Fanning as New York’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, Fanning 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 junior finished fourth at the Nike Cross Nationals Final with a time of 17:50, leading the Hornets to their sixth consecutive national title. Fanning won the Class A state meet in 18:53.8 and took first at the NXN New York Regional championships, clocking a 17:47.4. Fanning also won the Eastern States race at the Manhattan Invitational.

Fanning has maintained a 3.71 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of an animal shelter, her church’s soup kitchen and a youth running program.

“In past years, we’ve been interchangeable at all levels of the team, but this year Jillian emerged as a true No. 1 runner,” said Fayetteville-Manlius head coach Bill Aris. “She stepped to the front and dominated all season long.”

Fanning will begin her senior 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 ESPN HS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, 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.

Fanningjoins Gatorade New York Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year Aisling Cuffe (2010-11 & 2009-10, Cornwall Central High School), and Emily Lipari (2008-09 & 2007-08, Roslyn), 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.