Gatorade established an award honoring America's elite high school student-athletes in 1985 and now recognizes standouts in football (boys), volleyball (girls), boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, baseball (boys), softball (girls), and boys and girls track & field.
State Players of the Year are selected for their outstanding athletic performance, academic achievement and exemplary personal character. The process is handled by RISE Magazine.
The following athletes went on to be recognized as national players of the year:
- Kenny Anderson, basketball, 1989
- Felipe Lopez, basketball, 1994
- Stephon Marbury, basketball, 1995
- Greg Paulus, football, 2004
For more information, visit the
Gatorade site.
| | BASEBALL | | |
| 1985-86 | Clifford Brantley | Port Richmond | Pitcher |
| 1986-87 | David Allen | Greece Athena | Pitcher |
| 1987-88 | Len Brutcher | Cicero-North Syracuse | Pitcher/DH |
| 1988-89 | Doug Hecker | MacArthur | Pitcher/infielder |
| 1989-90 | Steve Karsay | Christ the King | Pitcher |
| 1990-91 | Manny Ramirez | George Washington | Centerfielder/3rd base |
| 1991-92 | Dave Post | Kingston | Shortstop |
| 1992-93 | James Wallace | Kellenberg Memorial | Pitcher/1st base |
| 1993-94 | Tim Spindler | Washingtonville | Pitcher |
| 1994-95 | Ron Marietta | Brooklyn Bishop Ford | Pitcher |
| 1995-96 | Dermal Brown | Marlboro | Outfielder |
| 1996-97 | Vincente Rosario | George Washington | Outfielder |
| 1997-98 | Rick Riccobono | Commack | Pitcher |
| 1998-99 | Ruddy Lugo | Xaverian | Pitcher/shortstop |
| 1999-00 | Ron Braun | St. John the Baptist | Catcher/outfielder |
| 2000-01 | Tim Layden | Deer Park | Pitcher/1st base |
| 2001-02 | John DeFendis | Xaverian | Outfielder |
| 2002-03 | Estee Harris | Central Islip | Outfielder |
| 2003-04 | Pat McAnaney | Westhill | Pitcher/1st base/outfielder |
| 2004-05 | Pedro Alvarez | Horace Mann | 3rd base/shortstop |
| 2005-06 | Dellin Betances | Grand Street Campus | Pitcher/1st base |
| 2006-07 | Brian Dupra | Greece Athena | Pitcher |
| 2007-08 | Philip Pohl | Cooperstown | Catcher/outfielder |
| | BASKETBALL | | |
| 1985-86 | Keith Robinson | Buffalo Grover Cleveland | Forward |
| 1986-87 | King Rice | Binghamton | Guard |
| 1987-88 | Christian Laettner | Buffalo Nichols | Center |
| 1988-89 | Kenny Anderson | Archbishop Molloy | Guard |
| 1989-90 | Khalid Reeves | Christ the King | Guard |
| 1990-91 | Andre Riddick | Bishop Loughlin | Center/forward |
| 1991-92 | John Wallace | Greece Athena | Forward/center |
| 1992-93 | Felipe Lopez | Rice | Guard |
| 1993-94 | Felipe Lopez | Rice | Forward |
| 1994-95 | Stephon Marbury | Abraham Lincoln | Guard |
| 1995-96 | Lamar Odom | Christ the King | Center |
| 1996-97 | Elton Brand | Peekskill | Forward/center |
| 1997-98 | Anthony Glover | Rice | Forward |
| 1998-99 | Kenny Satterfield | Rice | Guard |
| 1999-00 | Omar Cook | Christ the King | Guard |
| 2000-01 | Julius Hodge | St. Raymond | Guard |
| 2001-02 | Jason Fraser | Amityville | Forward |
| 2002-03 | Chris Taft | Xaverian | Center |
| 2003-04 | Sebastian Telfair | Abraham Lincoln | Guard |
| 2004-05 | Greg Paulus | Syracuse CBA | Guard |
| 2005-06 | Jonathan Mitchell | Mount Vernon | Forward |
| 2006-07 | Jonny Flynn | Niagara Falls | Guard |
| 2007-08 | Sylven Landesberg | Holy Cross | Guard |
| | CROSS COUNTRY | | |
| 2007-08 | Pat Dupont | Fairport | |
| | SOCCER | | |
| 1985-86 | Steve D'Antonio | Oceanside | Defender |
| 1986-87 | Jason Hadges | New Rochelle | Sweeper |
| 1987-88 | Michael Bianchi | Greece Arcadia | Striker |
| 1988-89 | Kevin Anderson | St. John the Baptist | Midfielder |
| 1989-90 | Tom Henske | Northport | Goalkeeper |
| 1990-91 | Miles Joseph | Shenendehowa | Midfielder |
| 1991-92 | Miles Joseph | Shenendehowa | Forward |
| 1992-93 | Dana Quick | Spencerport | Defender |
| 1993-94 | Jon Busch | Guilderland | Goalkeeper |
| 1994-95 | Matthew Chulis | Central Islip | Midfielder |
| 1995-96 | Dema Kovalenko | Greece Arcadia | Midfielder |
| 1996-97 | Steve Pedicini | East Meadow | Midfielder |
| 1997-98 | Jeff Parrinello | Pittsford Mendon | Midfielder |
| 1998-99 | Jordan Cila | Jericho | Midfielder |
| 1999-00 | Nathaniel Francis | P.D. Schreiber | Midfielder |
| 2000-01 | Eric Zegle | John Jay | |
| 2001-02 | Jordan Chirico | Livonia | Midfielder |
| 2002-03 | John Mulhern | Smithtown | Midfielder/defender |
| 2003-04 | Robbie Morgenroth | Woodmere | Midfielder/sweeper |
| 2004-05 | Michele 'Mike' Grella | Glen Cove | Forward |
| 2005-06 | Alex Johnson | Niskayuna | Defender |
| 2006-07 | Wilber Bonilla | Brentwood | Midfielder |
| 2007-08 | Will Ogden | Byram Hills | Forward |
| | TRACK AND FIELD | | |
| 1985-86 | John Trautmann | Monroe-Woodbury | Distance |
| 1986-87 | Joe Galeano | Centerreach | High jump/hurdles |
| 1987-88 | Derrick Adkins | Malverne | Sprints |
| 1988-89 | Brad Sumner | Rochester McQuaid | Middle distance |
| 1989-90 | Mike Going | Wheatley | Distance |
| 1990-91 | Ivan Jean-Marie | Prospect Heights | Sprints |
| 1991-92 | Andre Inniss | Paul Robeson | Middle distance |
| 1992-93 | Jermaine Stafford | Rochester Franklin | Sprints |
| 1993-94 | Kristen Lightbourne | Uniondale | Hurdles/sprints |
| 1994-95 | Matt Tooman | Deer Park | Distance |
| 1995-96 | Joe Matias | Newark | Distance |
| 1996-97 | Sal Gigante | Iona Prep | Weights |
| 1997-98 | Chris Miltenberg | John Glenn | Distance |
| 1998-99 | Dylan Welsh | Saratoga Springs | Middle distance |
| 1999-00 | Sean Lambert | South Shore | Sprints/relays |
| 2000-01 | Perfection Harris | Poly Prep | Horizontal jumps/relays |
| 2001-02 | Brian Dalpiaz | Sayville HS | Distance |
| 2002-03 | Brian Dalpiaz | Sayville HS | Distance |
| 2003-04 | Hakon DeVries | John Jay | Distance |
| 2004-05 | Justin Craddock | Kenmore East | Sprints/long jump/relays |
| 2005-06 | Walter Henning | St. Anthony's | Weights |
| 2006-07 | Walter Henning | St. Anthony's | Weights |
| 2007-08 | Kyle Merber | Half Hollow Hills West | Distance |
| | FOOTBALL | | |
| 1985-86 | Clarence Jones | Central Islip | Tackle |
| 1986-87 | Bill Schoenle | Williamsville South | Lineman |
| 1987-88 | Antoine Moore | Hempstead | Running back |
| 1988-89 | Dorsey Levens | Nottingham | Running back/safety |
| 1989-90 | Alcindor Coleman | Aquinas | Defensive line |
| 1990-91 | Andre Johnson | Southampton | Lineman |
| 1991-92 | Ron Brockington | Hempstead | Running back |
| 1992-93 | Brian Underwood | Bronx Lehman | Running back |
| 1993-94 | Brandon Williams | Buffalo South Park | Tight end/linebacker |
| 1994-95 | Joel Stephens | Elmira Notre Dame | Running back/defensive back |
| 1995-96 | Malik Campbell | Buffalo Turner-Carroll | Quarterback/defensive back |
| 1996-97 | Derrick Jones | Comsewogue | Lineman |
| 1997-98 | Marquise Walker | Syracuse Henninger | Wide receiver/defensive back |
| 1998-99 | Clifton Smith | Freeport | Linebacker/running back |
| 1999-00 | Sam Maldonado | Harrison | Running back/defensive end |
| 2000-01 | Leon Williams | Canarsie | Tight end/linebacker |
| 2001-02 | Kwakuo Robinson | Poly Prep | Lineman |
| 2002-03 | Ryan Poles | Canandaigua | Lineman |
| 2003-04 | Mike Hart | Onondaga | Running back |
| 2004-05 | Greg Paulus | Syracuse CBA | Quarterback |
| 2005-06 | Eric Olsen | Poly Prep | Lineman |
| 2006-07 | Mike Paulus | Syracuse CBA | Quarterback |
| 2007-08 | Latavius Murray | Onondaga | Running back/linebacker |
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