CHICAGO (March 10, 2016) — In its 31st year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Jordyn Dawson of Huntington High School as its 2015-16 Gatorade West Virginia Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Dawson is the third Gatorade West Virginia Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Huntington 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 Dawson as West Virginia’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, Dawson joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award- winners, including Candace Parker (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 junior forward has led the Highlanders to a 24-1 record and a berth in the Class AAA state tournament. At the time of her selection, Dawson was averaging 20.1 points, 13.2 rebounds and 7.3 steals while shooting 52 percent from the floor through 25 games. The 2016 Mountain State Athletic Conference Player of the Year, she scored the 1,000th point of her prep career in a win over Spring Valley last month.

Dawson has maintained a B average in the classroom. A talented artist, she has volunteered locally on behalf of the Hoops Family Children’s Hospital and with her church youth group.

“Jordyn Dawson is a game-changer,” said Huntington High head coach Lonnie Lucas. “Sometimes it’s like she has another gear that other players just don’t possess. She is one of the most coachable players I’ve ever had. She has no idea how good she really is.”

Dawson will begin her senior year of high school 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 the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, 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.

Dawson joins recent Gatorade West Virginia Girls Basketball Players of the Year Shayna Gore (2014-15, Logan High School), Mychal Johnson (2013-14 & 2012-13, St. Joseph Central Catholic High School), Makenzie White (2011-12, Scott High School), Mariah Byard (2010-11 & 2009-10, North Marion High School), Whitney Bays (2008-09 & 2007-08, Huntington High School), and Mackenzie Maier (2006–07, Charleston Catholic High School) among the state’s list of former award winners.

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