Tristan White Of Riverton Repeats As Boys Soccer Gatorade Player 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 Tristan White of Riverton High School as its 2014-15 Gatorade Wyoming Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

White is the second Gatorade Wyoming Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Riverton 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 field, distinguishes White as Wyoming’s best high school boys soccer player.

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced in May, White joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Alexi Lalas (1987-88, Cranbrook HS, Mich.), Heather O’Reilly (2001-02, East Brunswick HS, N.J.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior midfielder had led the Wolverines to a 12-2 record at the time of his selection.

The state’s returning Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year, White scored 12 goals and passed for three assists through 14 games.

A two-time First Team All-State honoree, he’s also been selected First Team All-Conference three times.

White has maintained a 3.79 GPA in the classroom.

Also a football and hockey standout, he is a member of the National Honor Society and has volunteered locally on behalf of youth soccer and hockey camps.

“White is super-athletic and he’s got great skill,” said Bryan Chadderdon, head coach at Kelly Walsh High. “He’s always dangerous and can get a shot off at a moment’s notice. He’s asked to do a lot for that team and he does it.”

White will attend Laramie County Community College this fall, where he will play soccer.

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.

Two-time winner White joins Gatorade Wyoming Boys Soccer Players of the Year Will Horstmann (2012-13, Jackson Hole High School), Vitor Nazareth (2011-12, Laramie High School), Kasey Esponda (2010–11, Buffalo High School), Kevin Cox (2009-10, Cheyenne Central High School), Ben Borin (2008–09, Cheyenne East High School), Zach Johnson (2007-08, Kelly Walsh), and Sam Hayden (2006-07, Jackson Hole High School) among the state’s list of former award winners.