Warren Named Gatorade Player of the Year in Louisiana

Incoming University of Florida women’s basketball freshman Jeriah Warren was tabbed the 2020-21 Gatorade Louisiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year Thursday as Gatorade honored the nation’s best high school athletes for the 36^th year.
 
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 Warren as Louisiana’s best high school girls basketball player.
 
Thursday’s announcement adds to a lengthy list of accolades for Warren, who was also tabbed the Louisiana Sports Writer Association’s Miss Basketball and the MaxPreps Louisiana Player of the Year.

“We are so proud of Jeriah for this achievement. Her success both on and off the court is a direct result of her work ethic and commitment to excellence. We knew early on in the recruiting process that Jeriah was a special student-athlete and she’s just continued to get better and better. We can’t wait to have her on campus soon!,” said Florida head coach Cam Newbauer. 

Warren guided her LaGrange Gators team to a 21-0 record this past season, averaging 19 points, 12 rebounds, six steals and four assists per game. Helping guide the Gators to their second-straight state title, Warren finished her career with more than 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists and 200 blocks.
 
In LaGrange’s matchup with Huntington High in the 2021 state championship, Warren totaled 19 points and 14 rebounds. As a junior, Warren averaged 16.7 points per game and helped lead LaGrange to its first-ever Class 4A State Championship.
 
Academically Warren’s performance has been equally impressive as she has maintained a weighted 3.95 GPA in the classroom and graduated fourth in her class. She has also volunteered locally assisting with Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts and as part of a fundraising campaign to benefit breast cancer research. She has also donated her time as a youth camp counselor.
 
With Thursday’s announcement, Florida’s 2021-22 roster now features two former Gatorade Player of the Year winners as Zipporah Broughton, an incoming transfer from Rutgers, earned the state of Alabama’s designation in 2018. Warren becomes the first UF signee to garner Gatorade Player of the Year honors since Haley Lorenzen collected the accolade out of the state of Iowa in 2014.
 
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 Player of the Year Selection Committee, which works with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com
 
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