FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lauren Rollins (312-729-3607)
Montgomery Bell AcademySTANDOUT NAMED
GATORADE TennesseeBOYS 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 Daniel Peters of Montgomery Bell Academy as its 2011-12 Gatorade Tennessee Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. Peters is the first Gatorade Tennessee Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Montgomery Bell Academy.
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 Peters as Tennessee’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, Peters 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 5-foot-10 senior raced to the Division II-AA individual state championship this past season with a time of 15:57.31, leading the Big Red to third place as a team. A three-time First Team All-State selection, Peters earned seventh place and was the fastest Tennessee competitor at the Nike Cross Nationals Southeast Regional championships, crossing the line in 15:29.9.
Peters has maintained a 4.03 GPA in the classroom. A devoted parishioner in his church community, he is the president of his school’s Stock Market Club, a member of its Health and Nutrition Club and he has volunteered locally on behalf of St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville and Catholic Charities of Tennessee.
“Daniel Peters overcame an Achilles injury to become arguably the best runner in the state by the end of the season,” said Montgomery Bell Academy head coach Roderick Russ. “He was not only our finest runner, he also took his leadership roll very seriously and pushed his teammates to train and compete hard.”
Peters 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 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.
Peters joins Gatorade Tennessee Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year Michael Peters (2010-11, Montgomery Bell Academy), Brandon Lord (2009-10, Baylor School), Bill Matthews (2008-09, Baylor School), and Sean Keveren (2007-08, Brentwood) 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.
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