Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year: Lukas Verzbicas

February 6th, 2010

Chicago, February 6, 2010 -- In its 25th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, has announced Lukas Verzbicas of Carl Sandburg High School (Orland Park, Ill.) as its 2009-10 Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Verzbicas, who becomes just the second high school sophomore (of 213 honorees) to win Gatorade National Player of the Year honors in any sport, was surprised with the news during his fifth period class at Carl Sandburg High School by the first-ever Gatorade National Player of the Year and former NFL quarterback, Jeff George.

"Being named the first-ever Gatorade National Player of the Year was a really significant moment for me, so it felt great to surprise Lukas with the news and invite him into one of the most prestigious legacy programs in high school sports," said former NFL quarterback Jeff George, a 14-year veteran of the league who threw for more than 27,000 yards during his career. "Gatorade has been on the sidelines fueling athletic performance for years, so to be recognized by a brand that understands the game and truly helps athletes perform is a huge honor for these kids."

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 Verzbicas as the nation's best high school boys cross country runner. A national advisory panel comprised of sportswriters and sport-specific experts from around the country helped select Verzbicas from more than 231,000 high school boys cross country runners nationwide. Verzbicas is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special afternoon ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

The 5-foot-11 sophomore raced to the national title at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships this past season with a time of 15:07.8, breaking the tape 15 seconds ahead of the next-closest competitor to become the youngest champion in the event's 31-year history. The 2009 Junior Duathlon World Champion, Verzbicas won the 2009 Class AAA state cross country championship in 14:07. The Eagles' standout also took first at the Foot Locker Midwest Regional championships with a time of 15:34. As a freshman, Verzbicas set a national high school indoor record in the 5K with a time of 14:18.42 at the 2009 Nike Indoor Nationals. Verzbicas also owns national freshman class indoor records in the mile (4:15.43) and 3,000 meters (8:29.15) as well as the freshman outdoor record in the two-mile run (8:53.98).

A native of Lithuania who came to the United States at age nine, Verzbicas has maintained a 3.32 GPA in the classroom. He is a devoted parishioner of the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Lithuanian Catholic Mission community and has volunteered locally mentoring youth triathletes and runners on behalf of the Multisport Madness Triathlon Club.