CHICAGO (June 19, 2014) — In its 29th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Candace Hill of Rockdale County High School as its 2013-14 Gatorade Georgia Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Hill is the first Gatorade Georgia Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Rockdale County 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 track, distinguishes Hill as Georgia’s best high school girls track & field athlete. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year award to be announced in June, Hill joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including Allyson Felix (2001-02, Los Angeles Baptist, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.), Lolo Jones (1997-98, Roosevelt HS, Ia.) and Bianca Knight (2006-07, Ridgeland HS, Miss.).
The 5-foot-8 freshman won the 200-meter dash with a state-record time of 23.21 seconds and the 100-meter dash in a meet-record 11.44 seconds at the Class 6A state championship meet this spring. Hill also won the 100 and 200 at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor championships, with her winning 200 time of 23.14 representing the nation’s No. 2 performance among prep competitors in 2014 at the time of her selection.
Hill has maintained a weighted 4.54 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of food, toy and clothing drives as well as anti-bullying initiatives. She’s also donated her time at a shelter for the needy.
“Candace is a coach’s dream,” said Rockdale County coach Venson Elder. “She comes to practice every day ready to learn and to get better. She is a quiet leader who takes pride in everything she does.”
Hill will begin her sophomore 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.
Hill joins recent Gatorade Georgia Girls Track & Field Athletes of the Year Kendell Williams (2012-13, 2011-12, 2010 – 11 & 2009-10, Kell High School), Chalonda Goodman (2008–09 & 2007-08, Newnan), and Brittany Long (2006-2007, Therrell) 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 www.gatorade.com/poy.
