Cheyenne East’s Brooklyn Lake Named Gatorade Wyoming Softball Player of the Year

For the second consecutive year, Cheyenne East has the Gatorade Wyoming Softball Player of the Year. The latest winner of the award was junior Brooklyn Lake from the Thunderbirds' program. Lake was an all-state performer and led Cheyenne East to its first softball state championship in school history. In its 41st year of celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes, the Gatorade Company announced the honor on Friday.

BROOKLYN LAKE SELECTED AS WYOMING'S TOP SOFTBALL PLAYER BY GATORADE

The 5-foot-8 pitcher and first baseman helped Cheyenne East to a 26-9-1 overall record. In the circle, Lake went 18-3 with one save and had a state-best 3.33 ERA. She struck out a school record 163 batters over 126.1 innings pitched. At the plate, Brooklyn batted .353 with 28 RBIs and 18 runs scored.

In the classroom, Lake has maintained a 3.19 weighted GPA. She has volunteered locally at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo, where she assists with sorting steers, opening gates, and supporting cowboys during events. Brooklyn has also donated her time to Meals on Wheels and Future Farmers of America. She will begin her senior year of high school in the fall.

Cheyenne East head coach Adam Galicia commended Lake’s guidance and work ethic.

“She understands how to be a leader and has been a great example, not only to her peers, but to all our freshmen and sophomore players. She’s a player who puts in countless hours outside of normal practice to become one of, if not the best, pitchers in the state.”

Read More Wyoming High School Softball News from WyoPreps

All-State Softball Honors 2026

All-Conference Softball Awards 2026

WyoPreps Final Softball Standings 2026

WyoPreps State Championship Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Regional Softball Scoreboard 2026

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Lake becomes a finalist for the Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year Award, which will be announced later this month. She joins Rylee Stephenson (2024-25) of Cheyenne East, Avery Gray (2022-23 and 2023-24) from Campbell County, and Brogan Allen (2021-22) of Cheyenne Central as the only Gatorade Wyoming Softball Player of the Year award winners in state history. No award was given in the first year of high school softball in Wyoming in 2021.

As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.

*Information from a press release from The Gatorade Company was used in this story.