Gatorade has named Dragon runner Caden Leonard as the 2024 Boys Cross-Country Player of the Year.
Recognizing the top high school athletes across the nation, Gatorade’s Player of the Year program represents the very best in high school football, basketball, soccer, volleyball and cross-country. As the top sophomore runner in the nation, Caden led the Dragons to the team title with a time of 15:00.1 in the state meet and finished 21st at the Woodbridge Classic and the Nike Cross Nationals.
“Caden Leonard lifted his team to a bronze medal at the Nice Cross Nationals final with a third team All-American performance on the heels of taking the individual bronze at the NXN South National,” PrepCalTrack editor Rich Gonzalez says via media release. “His state title-winning run was the jewel of the Dragons’ team championship.”
Caden joins recent Players of the Year Kevin Sanchez (2022-23, Vandegrift High School), Emmanuel Sgouros (2021-22, St. John’s School), Judson Greer (2020-21, Melissa High School) and Ryan Schoppe (2019-20, La Porte High School). Players of the Year are also awarded a grant to donate towards a cause, with previous grants totaling more than $4.9 million across 1,600 organizations.