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
Madison Ristovski of
University Liggett (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Michigan Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Ristovski is the first Gatorade Michigan Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from University Liggett 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 Ristovski as Michigan'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, Ristovski 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 5-foot-10 senior guard led the Knights to a 19-4 record and a berth in the Class C regional semifinals, scheduled for March 6. Ristovski averaged 22 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals through 23 games. A three-time First Team All-State selection, she is the top-ranked recruit in the state according to the Michigan Girls Basketball Report.
Ristovski has maintained a 3.14 GPA in the classroom. A staff editor for her school's yearbook, she has volunteered locally as an elementary school tutor and as a youth basketball coach.
"Madison Ristovski is an incredibly skilled player who makes her teammates better," said Jason Gray, head coach at Goodrich High. "She is so difficult to guard and can beat you by herself but she does such a great job of getting her teammates involved, making her even more difficult to defeat."
Ristovski has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on an athletic scholarship at the University of Michigan 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.
Ristovski joins recent Gatorade Michigan Girls Basketball Players of the Year Jasmine Hines (2010-11, Central Lake High School), Madison Williams (2009-10, Detroit Country Day School), Destiny Williams (2008-09, Benton Harbor), Kellie Watson (2007-08, Ionia), Keshia Hines (2006 – 07, Avondale), Krista Clement (2003-04, LaSalle), and Elsie Morrison (2002-03, Detroit Country Day School) 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.
