Karl Towns Jr. and Brianna Turner Named Gatorade High School Athletes of the Year

LOS ANGELES, July 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The biggest names in high school and professional sports convened in Los Angeles tonight as Gatorade honored the top prep male and female athletes with the 12^th annual Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year awards. Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year Karl Towns Jr. (St. Joseph High School/Metuchen, N.J.) was named the 2014 Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year and Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year Brianna Turner (Manvel High School/Manvel, Texas) received 2014 Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year honors.

Towns and Turner received their awards at a dinner emceed by ESPN's Hannah Storm and attended by Eddie Lacy (Green Bay Packers running back and 2013 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards guard and 2011 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year), Steven Jackson (Atlanta Falcons running back and three-time Pro Bowler), Omar Gonzalez (U.S. Men's National Team defender and two-time MLS Cup champion with the LA Galaxy), Brandon Knight (Milwaukee Bucks guard and 2010 Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year) and Mia Hamm (former U.S. National team member and two-time FIFA World Player of the Year).

Established in 1985, 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. In addition to athletic excellence, the award recognizes academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the field. In 2003, the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year awards were established to identify and honor the nation's top overall male and female high school athletes from among the 12 Gatorade National Players of the Year honored during the high school athletic season.

All Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year nominees will walk the ESPYS red carpet and be featured as special guests during The ESPYS Awards Show. The show will take place Wednesday evening and air live on ESPN at 9:00 p.m. ET.

"The Gatorade Athlete of the Year awards stand apart in that they honor those who are not only the best on the field of play, but are also proven performers academically, and actively give back to their communities," said Gatorade Chief Marketing Officer Morgan Flatley. "Karl and Brianna are outstanding examples of what a leader and a student-athlete should exemplify."

2014 GATORADE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS

Karl Towns Jr.: One of the top recruits in the country for the Class of 2014, Towns averaged a double-double while leading his team to a 30-2 record and the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions title. He is also a member of the Dominican Senior National Team, having earned a roster spot when he was 16 years old. The two-time Gatorade New Jersey Boys Basketball Player of the Year will join Kentucky's basketball team this fall.

• Led the Falcons to a 30-2 record and the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions title
• Averaged 20.9 points, 13.4 rebounds and 6.2 blocks per game
• Selected to play in the 2014 Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald's All-American Game
• Attended Nike Hoop Summit 2013 and 2014 as one of the top international high school students representing the Dominican Republic
• Recorded three triple-doubles and one quadruple double
• First Team All-State for the 2013 and 2014 seasons with Star-Ledger and Home News Tribune
• Shot 69.2 percent on two-point field goals, 51.8 percent on 3-pointers and 82.1 percent from the foul line
• Ranked No. 9 in the Class of 2014 by ESPN
• Ranked No. 4 in the Class of 2014 by Scout
• Ranked No. 5 in the Class of 2014 by Rivals
• Ranked No. 5 in the final 247 Sports Report
• Ranked No. 6 in the final Slam Online Ranking 2014
• Ranked No. 9 in the final Future 150 Rankings 2014
• Max Preps First Team All-American
• Parade Magazine All-American
• Home News Tribune High School Player of the Year 2013 and 2014
• Star-Ledger Player of the Year 2014
• NJ Hoops Player of the Year
• Two-Time St. Joseph High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year 2013 and 2014
• 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 New Jersey Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year
• Member of the Dominican Senior National Team (earned roster spot at age 16)
• First Team All-State Honoree in 2013 and 2014
• Won Non-Public A state titles in 2012, 2013 and 2014
• Selected for Nike Hoop Summit in 2013 and 2014
• 3.50 GPA
• Charity volunteer for Parents of Autistic Children, the Mary Kline Classic benefitting cancer research and the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children
• Volunteer at REED Academy for students with autism spectrum disorders
• Volunteer for Team Izod Basketball for youth players and the Falcons summer basketball camp
• Sports therapy intern at East Coast Conditioning in Edison
• Volunteer at St. Joseph's admissions-outreach and student-orientation initiatives
• Member of Student Council

Brianna Turner: Turner led her team to a 38-2 record and the Class 5A state championship this past season while averaging a double-double in just 23 minutes per game. Turner has also captured two gold medals competing for Team USA en route to the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship as well as the 2012 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Championship. A top recruit in the Class of 2014, she will be joining Notre Dame's basketball team this fall.

• Led the Mavericks to a 38-2 record and the Class 5A state championship this past season
• Averaged 20.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 3.9 blocks and 3.7 steals in just 23 minutes per game in her senior year
• Recorded 17 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks while being named Most Valuable Player in the Class 5A state championship game
• 2013 McDonald's High School All-American, WBCA All-American and Parade All-American
• MVP of McDonald's High School All-American Game
• District 22-5A MVP and Defensive Player of the Year
• District 22-5A All-Academic Team
• Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 5A Player of the Year
• Finalist for Naismith Player of the Year and Morgan Wooten Player of the Year national awards
• No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2014 by BlueStar Basketball
• No. 2 recruit in the Class of 2014 by ESPN
• Four-time gold medalist with USA Basketball
• Second-youngest member of USA Women's U19 World Championship squad (one of three prep players)
• Four-year career averages of 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, 3.0 assists and 3.1 steals
• Three-time First Team All-State selection
• 2013 Texas District 22-5A title/2012 Texas District 24-4A title
• Led DFW Elite T-Jack AAU to 2011 Nike Nationals Gold Division championship
• 3.78 GPA
• Volunteer for Houston Food Bank
• Alvin (Texas) Junior High student mentor
• Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity
• Member of Manvel's Friends of Rachel Club for student empowerment
• Volunteer for RCS Sports back-to-school charity drive

2014 GATORADE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINEES

The 2013-14 Gatorade National Players of the Year representing six male and six female sports who were nominated for the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year awards.

PAST GATORADE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS

Former winners of Gatorade Male and Female High School Athlete of the Year honorees include:

For more information on the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year awards and the Gatorade Player of the Year program, visit www.playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.

SOURCE Gatorade