FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lauren Rollins (312-729-3607)
Bishop Eustace Preparatory School Standout Named
GATORADE NJ GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR
CHICAGO (January 12, 2012) — In its 27th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN HS, today announced Holly Bischof of Bishop Eustace Preparatory School as its 2011-12 Gatorade New Jersey Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. Bischof is the first Gatorade New Jersey Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Bishop Eustace Preparatory 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 racecourse, distinguishes Bischof as New Jersey’s best high school girls cross country runner. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Bischof joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, 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.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).
The 5-foot-2 senior raced to the state Meet of Champions individual title this past season with a time of 18:13. Bischof also won the Non-Public A state title, clocking an 18:47, took fourth at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional championships in 18:24.9, and finished 28th at the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships.
Bischof has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. A devoted member of her church community, she has volunteered locally on behalf of Ronald McDonald House Charities and the US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer program.
Holly suffered from shin splint injuries early in the season, but she trained through it, overcame it and put everything together,” said Bishop Eustace coach Chris Threston. “She’s very competitive and incredibly driven. She knows what her strengths are and she takes advantage of them.”
Bischof has verbally committed to an athletic scholarship at Duke University beginning 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 ESPN HS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, 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.
Bischofjoins Gatorade New Jersey Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year Megan Venables (2010-11, Highland Regional High School), Chelsea Ley (2009-10, Kingsway Regional), and Melanie Thompson (2008-09 & 2007-08, Voorhees), as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.
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 playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.
