FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ashley Ginascol (312-729-3622)
CHICAGO (March 8, 2012) — In its 27th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced
Alexis Prince of
Edgewater (Orlando, Fla.) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Florida Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Prince is the first Gatorade Florida Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Edgewater 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 court, distinguishes Prince as Florida's best high school girls basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award announced in March, Prince joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award-winners, including Candace Parker (2003-04, 2002-03, & 2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.), Rashanda McCants (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie (1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.).
The 6-foot-2 senior wing led the Fighting Eagles to a 28-4 record and the Class 6A state championship this past season. Prince averaged 19.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.6 steals, 3.1 blocks and 2.6 assists per game. A McDonald's and Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-American selection, Prince shot 51.7 percent from the field, 37.9 percent from 3-point range and 72.6 percent from the free throw line. An invitee to the 2010 USA Basketball Women's U17 World Championship Team trials, she helped her Essence Amateur Athletic Union squad to the semifinals at this past summer's Nike Nationals.
Prince has maintained a 3.73 weighted GPA in the classroom. In addition to donating her time as a member of the National Honor Society, she has volunteered on behalf of Every Kid Outreach.
"She's done a great job for that team," said Darnell Haney, head coach at Jones High. "She's virtually unstoppable, a quiet kid and respectable off the court. She's a kid you would love on your team."
Prince has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on an athletic scholarship at Baylor University 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 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.
Prince joins recent Gatorade Florida Girls Basketball Players of the Year Amber Henson (2010-11, Sickles High School), Dawnn Maye (2009-10, Dillard), Ashley Jones (2008-09, Lake Howell), Tiffany Hayes (2007-08, Winter Haven), Krystal Thomas (2006 – 07, The First Academy), Erlana Larkins (2003-04, The Benjamin School), and Dorian Williams (2002-03, Ribault Senior) among the state's list of former award winners.
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.
