Press release
Jony Munoz Named 2019-20 Gatorade® National Boys Soccer Player Of The Year
OLATHE, Kan., June 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 35th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, The Gatorade Company today announced
About this update from Pepsico, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"OLATHE, Kan., June 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 35th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, The Gatorade Company today announced Jony Munoz of Olathe West High School in Olathe, Kan. is the 2019-20 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Munoz won the prestigious award for his accomplishments on and off the field, joining an impressive group of former Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year winners who have combined for 11 National Championships and 12 became MLS first round draft picks.\nMunoz was surprised by his family, coaches and teammates with a drive-by parade outside his home.\nThe award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Munoz as the nation's best high school boys soccer player. A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Munoz from nearly half a million high school boys soccer players nationwide. \nCompetition for the national award was fierce. Munoz topped the list of 51 state winners in boys soccer who collectively boast an incredible list of accomplishments, including nine returning Gatorade Players of the Year, 24 First-Time All-State selections and 14 with a GPA of 4.0 or above.\nMunoz is now a finalist for the most prestigious award in high school sports, the Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year award, which is announced in July.\n\"Jony has great touch and pace, but where he really stands out is in his ability to control a match from the midfield,\" said Sheldon Shealer, High School Soccer Editor for TopDrawerSoccer.com. \"He knows exactly when to speed up play or when to slow it down. It was that skillset that earned him West Co-MVP honors at the High School All-American Game last December.\"\nThe 5-foot-7, 133-pound senior forward led the Owls to a 20-1 record and the Class 6A state championship this past season. Munoz tallied 36 goals and 19 assists, including a goal and assist in the team's 2-1 win over Blue Valley West High in the state final. Named the Most Valuable Player of the High School All-American Game in December, Munoz is a former member of the U.S. Soccer Under-16 Men's National Team. Ranked as the No. 135 recruit in the Class of 2020 by TopDraw...