Lukas Verzbicas is the 2010-11 Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year! release, by Larry Eder

Gatorade® National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year:

Lukas Verzbicas

Current American Mile
Record-Holder and Former Gatorade National Athlete of the Year

Alan Webb Surprises Standout with Elite Honor

CHICAGO (Jan. 26, 2011)
– In its 26^th year of honoring the nation’s best high school
athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Lukas Verzbicas of Carl Sandburg High School (Orland Park,
Ill.) as its 2010-11 Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the
Year.  Also the 2009-10 Gatorade
National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, Verzbicas
was surprised with the news this morning by professional distance runner Alan
Webb, the 2005 U.S. National Champion in the 1,500-meter run, who earned
Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors in 2000-01.

“When I received the award in 2001, it
was such a pivotal moment for me as an athlete.  I’m grateful to be a part of this moment for Lukas, who is truly
a phenomenal student-athlete on and off the racecourse,” said Webb, who
shattered one of competitive running’s most storied records by setting the
American prep mark with a 3:53.43 mile as a high school senior, eclipsing the
great Jim Ryun.  “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
sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Verzbicas from nearly
240,000 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 ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

The 6-foot
senior won his second consecutive national Foot Locker Cross Country
Championship with a time of 14:59, and also captured the Nike Cross Nationals
Final title in 15:59.2, becoming the first prep runner to ever win both events
in the same season.  A two-time Class
3A state champion and competitive triathlete, Verzbicas was undefeated this
past cross country season, also earning victories at the NXN Midwest Regional
championships, the Foot Locker Midwest Regional championships, the Southwest
Suburban Conference Championships, the Lockport Sectional Championships and the
Nike Northside-Southside Challenge.

 Verzbicas, who accelerated his academic
course load in order to graduate high school in three years, has maintained a
3.25 GPA in the classroom. Recently voted Alietuvis.com News Media &
Publishing “2010 Best American Lithuanian” by online ballot, 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.

“Lukas undoubtedly moved himself into the ultra-elite class of
prep distance runners with an unbeaten and record-setting season, while heading
up the deepest national class of harriers in memory,” said ESPN RISE/DyestatCal
Editor Rich Gonzalez. “His unprecedented Nike Cross Nationals/Foot Locker
double also establishes him as the sport’s first ever three-time national
champion, and his career championship resume elevates him onto the same
performance tier as two legendary preps, (two-time Gatorade State Track &
Field Athlete of the Year winners) Dathan Ritzenhein and Chris Solinsky, one
who has gone on to become an Olympian in the marathon and the other an American
record-holder at 10,000 meters.”

Verzbicas
remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

“Without question, Lukas  is once again deserving of recognition as the nation’s best
high school boys cross country runner based on his statistics on the racecourse
and the impact his accomplishments have had on Carl Sandburg’s  success,” said Gatorade Senior Vice
President of Sports Marketing Jennifer
Storms.  “But he is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young athletes
of what a leader and a student-athlete should be.  He represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade Runner of
the Year recipient.”

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 ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school
sports leadership team, 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.

Former
notable Gatorade National Players of the Year include:

·      
Super Bowl
Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning

·      
WNBA all-time
leading scorer and rebounder Lisa Leslie

·      
Two-time
Summer Games silver medalist Allyson Felix

·      
Kansas City
Royals Cy Young award-winner Zach Grienke

For
more information on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including
nomination information, a complete list of former winners, and future
announcement dates, visit the Gatorade Player of the Year Web site at http://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com,
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatorade.

ALL-TIME GATORADE
NATIONAL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNERS OF THE YEAR