Press release
KEAGAN ROTHROCK NAMED 2021-22 GATORADE NATIONAL SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
INDIANAPOLIS, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 37th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Keagan
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[{"type":"text","content":"INDIANAPOLIS, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 37th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Keagan Rothrock of Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, In. is the 2021-22 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year. Rothrock won the prestigious award for her accomplishments on and off the field, joining an impressive group of former Gatorade National Softball Players of the Year who have combined for 17 gold medals and five National Championships.\nRothrock was surprised with the trophy by her family, coaches and teammates at school. Check out a video of the announcement here. \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 Rothrock as the nation's best high school softball player. The Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others to evaluate candidates, selected Rothrock from nearly half a million other student-athletes who play softball nationwide. \nCompetition for the national award was fierce. Rothrock topped the list of state winners in softball who collectively boast an incredible list of accomplishments, including 36 who volunteer with 2+ organizations, 9 returning state Gatorade Players of the Year and 23 with a GPA of 4.0 and above.\n\"There is 'dominating,' and then there's what Keagan does—and she's been that way her entire career,\" says Brentt Eads, executive editor of Extra Inning Softball. \"Keagan has been nicknamed 'the Lebron James of Softball' because of her physical talents and her success at leading teams to championships. She's a fiery competitor between the lines, but she's humble and hard-working off the field. She isn't merely the top hurler in her class. She's one of the best pre-college pitchers in any age group or any graduation year. She is an excellent power hitter as well, and her work ethic is unmatched for her age level.\" \nAt the time of her selection, the 5-foot-10 junior right-handed pitcher had led the Royals to a perfect 32-0 record and a berth in the Class 4A state championship game. The state's returning Gatorade Softball Player of the Year, Rothrock owned a 27-0 record with a 0.73 ERA entering the state final, having fanned ...