CHICAGO (June 25, 2025) — In its 40th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Marshall Potter of Simsbury High School is the 2024-25 Gatorade Connecticut Boys Track & Field Player of the Year.

Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their success on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The award distinguishes Potter as Connecticut's best high school track & field athlete, and he joins an impressive group of alumni that spans CEOs, coaches and star athletes such as Alan Webb (2000-01, South Lakes High School, Va.), Kerron Clement (2002-03, Laporte High School, Texas) and Christian Miller (2023-24, Creekside High School, Fl.).

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior throws specialist earned bronze medals in the hammer and discus at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor this past season, and his state-record of 227 feet, 9 inches in the hammer ranked No. 3 nationally among prep boys competitors this spring. Potter’s mark of 194-4 in the discus ranked No. 30 nationally. He won the discus and shot put at the Class L state meet and claimed the discus crown at the state’s [Open Championship] as well as at the New England Championships.

Potter works at Wine Etc. in Granby and has donated his time as part of multiple community service initiatives through “volunteens”, a service group in Simsbury. “Marshall came to track originally running hurdles,” said Tim Walczak, head coach of Simsbury High School. “He found his passion in throws and never looked back. He independently attends his own invitationals and seeks out camps in the offseason to perfect his craft.”

Potter has maintained a B average in the classroom. He has signed a written letter of athletic aid to compete at the University of Connecticut this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states across 12 different high school sports – 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 leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.

As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $5.6 million in grants to winners across more than 2,000 organizations.

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 Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade, Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY and X(Twitter) at x.com/Gatorade .

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MySportsResults.com Extras

(Photo by Ron Knapp of MySportsResults.com)

Previous Gatorade Players of the Year for Connecticut Outdoor Track and Field include:

Khalil Antoine, 2023-24, Track & Field, JMP, Hillhouse HS, New Haven CTl

Joshua Mooney, 2022-23, HUR/DEC, Stonington HS, Pawcatuck CT

Gary Moore Jr., 2021-22, Track & Field, THR, Hillhouse HS, New Haven CT

Gavin Sherry, 2020-21, Track & Field, Distance, Conard HS, West Hartford CT

Sean Dixon-Bodie, 2019-20, Track & Field, JMP, Bloomfield HS, Bloomfield CT

Justin Forde, 2018-19, Track & Field, JMP, Brien McMahon HS, Norwalk CT

Justin Forde 2017-18, Track & Field, JMP, Brien McMahon HS, Norwalk CT

Tyler Gleen, 2016-17, Track & Field, MIDDIS, Trumbull HS, Trumbull CT

Eric van der Els, 2015-16, Track & Field, Distance, Brien McMahon HS, Norwalk CT

Spencer Brown, 2014-15, Track & Field, Distance, Wilton HS, Wilton CT

Tyler Latham, 2013-14, Track & Field, HUR/THR, Fitch HS, Groton CT

Henry Wynn, 2012-13, Track & Field, MID/DIS, Staples HS Westport CT

Jake Scinto, 2011-12, Track & Field, JMP, Cheshire HS, Cheshire CT 

John Wlasuk, 2010-11, Track & Field, THR, Newtown HS, Newtown CT

Chris FitzSimons, 2009-10 Track & Field, MIDDIS, Hamden HS, Hamden CT

Cas Loxsom, 2008-09 Boys Track & Field, MIDDIS, Wilbur Cross HS New Haven CT 

Donn Cabral, 2007-08 Boys Track & Field, DIS, Glastonbury HS Glastonbury CT 

Terrell Wilks, 2006-07 Boys Track & Field, SPR, Hillhouse HS, New Haven CT 

James Nixon, 2005-06 Boys Track & Field, SPR, Hyde Leadership School, Hamden CT 

Myles Bradley, 2004-05 Boys Track & Field, LJ/TJ/HURD, Norwich Free Academy, Norwich CT 

Gavin Coombs, 2003-04 Boys Track & Field, DIS, Griswold HS, Jewett City CT 

Ahmed Haji, 2002-03 Boys Track & Field, DIS, Conard HS, West Hartford CT 

Andre Laboy, 2001-02 Boys Track & Field, DIS, Danbury HS, Danbury CT 

Glenn McFadden 2000-01 Boys Track & Field, SPR/LJ, James Hillhouse HS, New Haven CT 

Jermelle Lewis, 1999-00 Boys Track & Field, SPR/REL, Bloomfield HS, Bloomfield CT 

Shelldon Simpson, 1998-99 Boys Track & Field, SPR, East Hartford HS, East Hartford CT 

Hunter Spencer, 1997-98 Boys Track & Field, DIS, E.O. Smith HS, Storrs CT 

Dan Wilson, 1996-97 Boys Track & Field, DIS, Notre Dame HS, West Haven CT 

Steve Maheu, 1995-96 Boys Track & Field, DIS, Xavier HS, Middletown CT 

Jerome Young, 1994-95 Boys Track & Field, SPR, Prince Tech, Hartford CT 

Aaron Haynes, 1993-94 Boys Track & Field, HUR, Wilbur Cross HS, New Haven CT 

Jerome Young, 1992-93 Boys Track & Field, SPR, Prince Tech, Hartford CT 

Gardner Lewis, 1991-92 Boys Track & Field, WT/JUM, Hamden HS, Hamden CT 

Trevis Brunson, 1990-91 Boys Track & Field, SPR, Notre Dame HS, West Haven CT 

Harvey Kendall, 1989-90 Boys Track & Field, TJ, Hartford Public HS, Hartford CT 

J.T. Burke, 1988-89 Boys Track & Field, DIS, Xavier HS, Middletown, CT 

Harvey Kenda,l 1987-88 Boys Track & Field, TJ, Hartford Public HS, Hartford CT 

Mike Remigino, 1986-87 Boys Track & Field, MIDDIS, Northwest Catholic HS, West Hartford CT 

Norman McHugh, 1985-86 Boys Track & Field, MIDDIS, Westhill HS, Stamford CT