CHICAGO (June 24, 2025) — In its 40th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Brooke Strauss of Glastonbury High School is the 2024-25 Gatorade Connecticut Girls 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 Strauss as Connecticut's best high school girls track & field athlete, and she joins an impressive group of alumni that spans CEOs, coaches and star athletes such as Sanya Richards (2001-02, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Fl.), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (2014-15, 2015-16 & 2016-17, Union Catholic High School, N.J.) and Angelina Napoleon (2022-23, Allegany-Limestone Central School, N.Y.).

The state’s 2024-25 Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, the 5-foot-5 senior distance talent set a state record in the 1600-meter run at the [State Open Championship] meet earlier this month and her time of 4:40.62 ranked No.6 nationally among girls prep competitors this spring. Strauss also set a state record in the mile at the BSR Elite Scholastic Meet with a 4:39.88 clocking, which ranked No.14 nationally. She added state titles in the 800-meter and 3200-meter runs, and her PR in the 800 of 2:08.26 at the Central Connecticut Conference Championships ranked No.49 nationally.

Strauss has volunteered locally with Camp Sunrise, which serves children with special needs. She has also donated her time to multiple community service initiatives through her church congregation. “Brooke is one of the best track athletes in Connecticut history,” said Kelvan Kearse, head coach of Windsor High School. “She has been dominating since her freshman year.”

Strauss has maintained a weighted 4.52 GPA in the classroom. She 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 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 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 Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY , Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade  and X(Twitter) at x.com/Gatorade .

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MySportsResults.com Extras

Brooke Strauss won the CIAC State Open 1600m in a CT Record time of 4:40.62 (Photo by Ron Knapp of MySportsResults.com)

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

Katie Bohlke, 2023-24, DIS, Newington High School, Newington CT

Tess Sherry, 2022-23, DIS, Conard High School, West Hartford CT

Sydney Segalla, 2021-22, SPR, Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Canaan CT

Sydney Masciarelli, 2020-21 Girls Track & Field, DIST, Marianapolis Preparatory School, Thomaston CT

Tess Stapleton, 2019-20 Girls Track & Field, HURD, Fairfield Ludlowe HS, Fairfield CT

Sydney Masciarelli, 2018-19 Girls Track & Field, DIS, Marianapolis Preparatory School, Thomaston CT

Alexis Holmes, 2017-18 Girls Track & Field, SPR, Cheshire Academy, Cheshire CT

Brittany Jones, 2016-17 Girls Track & Field, FLD, Bloomfield HS, Bloomfield CT

Jessica Drop, 2015-16 Girls Track & Field DIS, Coginchaug Regional HS Durham CT

Danae Rivers 2014-15 Girls Track & Field DIS, Wilbur Cross HS New Haven CT

Danae Rivers 2013-14 Girls Track & Field DIS, Wilbur Cross HS New Haven CT

Claire Howlett 2012-13 Girls Track & Field DIST, Westhill HS Westhill CT

Precious Holmes 2011-12 Girls Track & Field SPR, Hillhouse High School New Haven CT

Precious Holmes 2010-11 Girls Track & Field SPR, Hillhouse High School New Haven CT

Lindsay Crevoiserat 2009-10 Girls Track & Field DIS, Glastonbury HS Glastonbury CT

Meg Ryan 2008-09 Girls Track & Field DIS, Fairfield Warde HS Fairfield CT 

Anna Shields 2007-08 Girls Track & Field DIS, Lewis Mills HS Burlington CT 

Shaniqua Burgess 2006-07 Girls Track & Field SPR, Hillhouse High School New Haven CT 

Tynisha McMillan 2005-06 Girls Track & Field SP/DT, Stamford High School Stamford CT 

Natasha Harvey 2004-05 Girls Track & Field Spr, HRD/LJ, Hill Regional Career HS New Haven CT 

Shanea Calhoun 2003-04 Girls Track & Field SPR/Relay, Wilbur Cross High School New Haven CT 

Meghan Owen 2002-03 Girls Track & Field, DIS, Killingly H.S. Danielson CT 

Meghan Owen 2001-02 Girls Track & Field, DIS, Killingly H.S. Danielson CT 

Chelsea Lenge 2000-01 Girls Track & Field, DIS, Conard HS W. Hartford CT 

Nicole Toney 1999-00 Girls Track & Field SPR, HURD, LJ Conard West Hartford CT 

Jessica Schenk 1998-99 Girls Track & Field, MDIS, Fitch Senior Groton CT 

Rachel D'Amora 1997-98 Girls Track & Field, SPR, Wilbur Cross New Haven CT 

Shayla Wallace 1996-97 Girls Track & Field, SPR, Northwest Catholic West Hartford CT 

Shayla Wallace 1995-96 Girls Track & Field, SPR, Northwest Catholic West Hartford CT 

Stephanie Littlejohn 1994-95 Girls Track & Field, MDIS, Bloomfield Bloomfield CT 

Ann Crouse 1993-94 Girls Track & Field, JT, Stonington Pawcatuck CT 

Liz Mueller 1992-93 Girls Track & Field, MDIS, Waterford Waterford CT 

Liz Mueller 1991-92 Girls Track & Field, MDIS, Waterford Waterford CT 

Cristal Nelson 1990-91 Girls Track & Field, HUR/ LJ Norwich Free Academy Norwich CT 

LeAndrea Banks 1989-90 Girls Track & Field, SPR, Bloomfield Bloomfield CT 

Cindy Davis 1988-89 Girls Track & Field, DIS, Darien Darien CT 

Margaret Barbour 1987-88 Girls Track & Field, DIS, Cheshire Cheshire CT 

Dorothy Raterman 1985-86 Girls Track & Field, HURD, Hall West Hartford CT