Ann Wingeleth of Lyman Named 2015 Wyoming Girls Track and Field Gatorade Athlete Of The Year

In its 30th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, announced Ann Wingeleth of Lyman High School as its 2014-15 Gatorade Wyoming Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

Wingeleth is the first Gatorade Wyoming Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Lyman 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 Wingeleth as Wyoming’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, Wingeleth 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-11 senior jumper and sprinter captured four individual state championships this spring and led the Lady Eagles to a second-place finish as a team at the Class 2A state meet.

Wingeleth set a state record in the high jump with a clearance of five feet, 8.25 inches as well as the long jump, soaring 19 feet, nine inches.

The 10-time individual state champion in her prep career, she also broke the tape in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.28 seconds and added a state-meet record leap in the triple jump at 37 feet-10.25.

Wingeleth has maintained a 3.96 GPA in the classroom.

A devoted member of her church community, she has served as the president and vice president of her graduating class and has volunteered locally on behalf of the Family Career and Community Leaders of America in addition to donating her time as a youth track & field coach.

“Ann Wingeleth is not only an outstanding athlete and competitor, she also carries herself with great character,” said Kirk McLaughlin, head coach at Big Horn High. “I have seen her compete at a level higher than anyone else in the state and she still always cheers on her teammates and congratulate her opponents.”

Wingeleth has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on an athletic scholarship at the University of Utah 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.

Wingeleth joins recent Gatorade Wyoming Girls Track &; Field Athletes of the Year Jerayah Davis (2013-14, 2012-13 & 2011-12, Kelly Walsh High School, Paula Andrie (2010–11, Campbell County High School, Baillie Gibson (2009-10, Natrona County), Emily Moore (2008–09 & 2007-08, Campbell County, and Amber Henry (2006-07, Mountain View) among the state’s list of former award winners.