FAYETTEVILLE-MANLIUS HIGH SCHOOL STANDOUT NAMED GATORADE NEW YORK BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO (January 23, 2012) — In its 27th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Nick Ryan of Fayetteville-Manlius HS as its 2011-12 Gatorade New York Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. Ryan is the first Gatorade New York Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Fayetteville-Manlius HS.

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 Ryan as New York’s best high school boys cross country runner. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Ryan 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.), Kevin Garnett (1992-93, Maudlin HS, S.C.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

The 6-foot junior raced to the Class A individual state championship this past season with a time of 16:28.4, leading the Hornets to the state title as a team. Ryan won the Nike Cross Nationals New York Regional championships in 15:59.10 and was fifth nationally at the NXN Final, with a time of 15:30.41. He also earned victories at the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Invitational and the Section III championships.

Ryan has maintained a 3.26 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf of a homeless shelter and a youth arts program.

“Nick had a dominating year in every way,” said Fayetteville-Manlius head coach Bill Aris. “His results speak for themselves. He’s a fearless kid, but not egotistical. He’s very hard-working and humble, and always demands the best from himself.”

Ryan will begin his 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 ESPNHS 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.
Ryan joins Gatorade New York Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year Edward Owens (2010-11, The Packer Collegiate Institute), Alex Deir (2009-10, Honeoye Falls-Lima), Joe Whelan (2008-09, Hamburg), and Patrick Dupont (2007-08, Fairport) 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.