Check out these list below of previous winners:
Former Gatorade Player of the Year Awards
2024 - Jada Richard - Lafayette Christian Academy
2023 - Mikaylah Williams - Parkway
2022 - Mikaylah Williams - Parkway
2021 - Jeriah Warren - LaGrange
2020 - Jerkaila Jordan - John Curtis
2019 - Tiara Young - Walker
2018 - Kourtney Weber - Ursuline Academy
2017 - Cara Ursin - Destrehan
2016 - Cara Ursin - Destrehan
2015 - Cara Ursin - Destrehan
2014 - Kalani Brown - Salmen
2013 - Kaitlyn Pratt - McDonough 35
2012 - Kuaneshia Baker - Helen Cox
2011 - Brandi Jeffrey - St. James
2010 - Theresa Plaisance - Vandebilt Catholic
2009 - Theresa Plaisance - Vandebilt Catholic
2008 - Kristi Bellock - John Curtis
2007 - Adrienne Johnson - Franklin
2006 - Whitney Jones - West Monroe
2005 - Whitney Jones - West Monroe
2004 - JoHannan McKnight - John Curtis
2003 - Katie Antony - Anacoco
2002 - Simone Augustus - Capitol
2001 - Simone Augustus - Capitol
2000 - Alana Beard - Southwood
1999 - Ashley Anthony - Anacoco
1998 - Takeisha Lewis - Pineview
1997 - Melshika Bowman - Peabody
1996 - Danielle Butler - Captain Shreve
1995 - Christie Sides - Central Private
1994 - Lesli Vollrath - Byrd
1993 - Maquisha Walker - Athens
1992 - Joskeen Garner - Florien
1991 - Racquel Spurlock - Donaldsonville
1990 - Treskessa Syas - St. Louis
1989 Danielle Whitehurst - Southfield
1988 - Shannon Gridley - Redemptorist
1987 - Shantel Hardison - Natchitoches Central
1986 - Derunzia Johnson - Caldwell Parish
LAFAYETTE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY STUDENT-ATHLETE NAMED GATORADE LOUISIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CHICAGO (March 14, 2024) — In its 39th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Jada Richard of Lafayette Christian Academy is the 2023-24 Gatorade Louisiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Richard is the first Gatorade Louisiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Lafayette Christian Academy.
The award, which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the court, in the classroom and in the community, distinguishes Richard as Louisiana’s best high school girls basketball player. From CEOs and coaches to star athletes, Gatorade Player of the Year winners showcase the power of sport, touting an all-star group of alumni that includes Candace Parker (2003-04, 2002-03 & 2001-02, Naperville Central High School, Ill.), Paige Bueckers (2017-18, Hopkins High School, Minn.) and Juju Watkins (2022-23 & 2021-22, Sierra Canyon School, Calif.).
The 5-foot-7 senior point guard led the Knights to a 32-2 record and the Select Division II state championship this past season, their fourth straight state title. Richard averaged 26.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.7 steals and scored 18 points in LCA’s 43-38 win over Madison Prep in the state final. The 2023 Class 4A Player of the Year and a two-time state championship game MVP, Richard is ranked as the nation’s No. 97 recruit in the Class of 2024 by espnW. She concluded her prep basketball career with 2,896 points.
Richard founded and runs the Jada Richard Basketball Camp. She has volunteered locally at the Marcus Onezime Elite 48/24 basketball camp and she has donated her time to multiple community service initiatives through her church. “Jada is the real deal—her all-around game is outstanding,” said Darnell Thomas, head coach of Westgate High School. “Her ability to create shots and knock them down is next-level. She’s also unselfish by creating shots for others.”
Richard has maintained a weighted 4.08 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball on scholarship at Louisiana State University this fall.
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 leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.
Richard joins recent Gatorade Louisiana Girls Basketball Players of the Year Mikaylah Williams (2022-23 & 2021-22, Parkway High School), Jeriah Warren (2020-21, LaGrange High School) and JerKaila Jordan (2019-20, John Curtis Christian School), among the state’s list of former award winners.
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, Gatorade Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $4.9 million across more than 1,600 organizations.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student- athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY, Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade and Twitter at twitter.com/Gatorade.