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
Meghan Gribbin of
Windham (Windham, Maine) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Maine Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Gribbin is the second Gatorade Maine Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Windham 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 Gribbin as Maine'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, Gribbin 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-5 senior point guard averaged 20.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.5 steals this past season, leading the Eagles to the Class A Western Conference semifinals. The 2012 Southern Maine Athletic Association Player of the Year, Gribbin is a 2012 Maine Miss Basketball finalist.
Gribbin has maintained a 95 average in the classroom. A member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society, she has volunteered locally as an elementary school tutor and as a youth soccer and basketball coach.
"Meghan Gribbin was the catalyst for all of her team's success," said Laughn Berthiaume, head coach at Gorham High. "She was able to control the game's tempo and she knew how to score in multiple ways. If Windham was up late in the game, she was able to dictate how the game would end."
Gribbin 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.
Gribbin joins recent Gatorade Maine Girls Basketball Players of the Year Niki Taylor (2010-11 & 2009-10, York High School), Morgan Frame (2008-09, Waterville), Rachael Mack (2007-08, Cony), Ashley Cimino (2006 – 07, McAuley), Katie Rollins (2003-04, Cony High School School), and Sarah Marshall (2002-03, Catherine McAuley) 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.
