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
Maddie Manning of
Ankeny (Ankeny, Iowa) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Iowa Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Manning is the second Gatorade Iowa Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Ankeny 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 Manning as Iowa'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, Manning 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 guard averaged 16.6 points, five rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.6 assists while shooting 54.6 percent on from inside the arc this past season, leading the Hawkettes to the Class 4A state final. A 2011 First Team All-State selection, Manning is ranked as the nation's No. 33 recruit by the Hoopgurlz ESPNU 100.
Manning has maintained a 3.49 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and as a youth camp counselor.
"Maddie Manning is one of the top players ever to come out of Iowa," said Mark Tiby, head coach at Urbandale High. "Her skills have developed each year and she plays the game with ease. I believe her biggest asset is her attitude, sportsmanship and her demeanor."
Manning has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on an athletic scholarship at the University of Oklahoma 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.
Manning joins recent Gatorade Iowa Girls Basketball Players of the Year Kiah Stokes (2010-11 & 2009-10, Linn-Mar High School), Jaime Printy (2008-09, Linn-Mar), Kelly Krei (2007-08, City), Kelsey Bolte (2006 – 07, Battle Creek-Ida Grove), Nicole Wieben (2003-04, Ankeny), and Keanna Levy (2002-03, West Waterloo) 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.
