It’s been a pretty good week for Max Clark. In addition to being picked No. 3 overall in the 2023 MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers, he’s been named the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year.
He’s coming off a remarkable 2022-23 season, hitting .646 with six home runs, 33 RBI and scoring 45 runs. And his glove work was equally strong, committing only two errors all year.
Off the field, Clark’s effort in the classroom (3.97 GPA) and in his community highlight the type of positive strides that have become synonymous with Gatorade nominees.
On the other side, Lake Creek (Texas) softball star and Florida commit Ava Brown won the Gatorade Best Female Player of the Year.
Brown went 27-0 as a starting pitcher and posted a 0.53 ERA in 2023, closing out her career with an 81-0 record and 830 strikeouts. And she was just as impressive with a bat in her hand, hitting .462 with nine home runs, 17 doubles, 65 RBI and a .888 slugging percentage.
She is the second softball athlete to take home the honor in the award’s 20-year history, and like Clark, her resume off the diamond—from a 3.55 GPA to volunteering with the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes—weighed heavily on the honor.
Both Clark and Brown beat out hundreds of thousands of other high school players to win the Baseball and Softball Gatorade awards, and they also had to contend with the other Gatorade Player of the Year winners from different sports nationwide. That list included:
- Juju Watkins, National Girls Basketball Player of the Year
- Kennedy Fuller, National Girls Soccer Player of the Year
- Daniel Simmons, National Boys Cross Country Player of the Year
- Irene Riggs, National Girls Cross Country Player of the Year
- Angelina Napoleon, National Girls Track and Field Player of the Year
- Issam Asinga, National Boys Track and Field Player of the Year
- Ransford Gyan, National Boys Soccer Player of the Year
- Harper Murray, National Girls Volleyball Player of the Year
- Cam Boozer, National Boys Basketball Player of the Year
All 12 nominees headed to Los Angeles for the culmination of a three-day journey that included a trip to the ESPYs as well as a a visit to the First Break Academy, a community tennis program that looks to impact Los Angeles youth.
“Each year, we’re thrilled to bring the 12 Gatorade National Players of the Year to Los Angeles for a truly special, one-of-a-kind experience to celebrate their amazing accomplishments on and off the field,” said Gatorade Portfolio president and general manager Michael Del Pozzo in a statement provided to USA TODAY HSS. “The star-studded event is a glimpse into their undoubtably successful careers and futures as they join previous winners of the prestigious Gatorade Player of the Year award.”
To top it all off, former Gatorade award winners joined the talented athletes:
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics forward and 2015-16 Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Olympic champion, world-record holder and 2016-17 & 2015-16 Gatorade Best Female Player of the Year
- Sam Mewis, Kansas City Current midfielder and two-time Massachusetts Girls Soccer Player of the Year (2010-2011 & 2009-10)
- Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks forward and 2007-08 Gatorade National Player of the Year
- D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
- April Ross, Three-time Olympic medalist and 1999-00 Gatorade National Girls Volleyball Player of the Year
Congratulations to all the nominees, and to the winners Max and Ava.
Photos from the night:
Taking home this award is a huge moment in my career. The list of past winners speaks for itself; there are so many legends who have achieved great things on and off the field, so I’m honored to have my name next to theirs. – Max Clark
Winning the Gatorade Best Player of the Year award is so special because it’s a testament to not only my work on the field, but also what I’ve done in the classroom and in my community. Seeing my name on the trophy alongside a list of so many legends means everything to me. – Ava Brown
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