LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-ATHLETE NAMED GATORADE NEW YORK BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR
CHICAGO (January 30, 2017) "In its 32nd year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, today announced Ty Brownlow of Liverpool High School as its 2016-17 Gatorade New York Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. Brownlow is the second Gatorade New York Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Liverpool 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 Brownlow 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,
Brownlow joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners
in 12 sports, including Lukas Verzbicas (2010-11, 2009-10 Carl Sandburg, Orland Park, Ill.), Megan Goethals (2009-10, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Mich.), Jordan Hasay (2008-09, Mission College Prep., San Luis Obispo, Calif.), Donn Cabral (2007-08, Glastonbury High School, Glastonbury, Conn.) and Chris Derrick (2007-08, Neuqua Valley, Naperville, Ill.).
The 6-foot-2, 170-pound senior raced to the Class A individual state championship this past season with a course-record time of 15:27.5. Brownlow won the Nike Cross Nationals New York Regional championships in 15:42.2 and placed 14th nationally at the NXN Final, earning All-American honors in the process. He also broke the tape at the Chittenango Invitational and the McDaniel-Baxter Pre-State Invitational.
Vice
President of his school's DECA Club, Brownlow has volunteered locally
on behalf of Immaculate Heart of Mary church and the National Honor
Society. "Ty is one of the most talented and driven young men I have
ever coached," said Liverpool coach Tracey Vannatta. "His
no-nonsense attitude and physical and mental toughness have elevated him
to the pinnacle of cross country running, in New York and also in the country."
Brownlow has maintained an A average in the classroom. He remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.
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 Player of the Year Selection Committee, 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.
Brownlow joins Gatorade New York Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year Ben Petrella (2015-16, Liverpool High School), Bryce Millar
(2014-15, Fayetteville-Manlius High School), Mickey Burke (2013-14,
Rush-Henrietta Senior High School), Nick Ryan (2012-13 & 2011-12,
Fayetteville-Manlius High School), Edward Owens (2010-11, The Packer
Collegiate Institute), Alex Deir (2009-10, Honeoye
Falls-Lima High
School), Joe Whelan (2008-09, Hamburg High School), and Patrick Dupont
(2007-08, Fairport High School) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.
As
a Gatorade Player of the Year, Brownlow will be able to select a
national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of
the Gatorade Play It Forward program. Every Gatorade Player of the Year
state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected
organization
deserves additional support. 12 spotlight grants "one for each sport" will be announced throughout the year.
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 www.gatorade.com/poy.
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