South Carolina’s best: Westwood junior named Gatorade Track Athlete of Year
Brianna Rodriguez was honored for her record-breaking year for the Westwood High School track and field team.
The junior was named the girls Gatorade Track and Field Player of the Year on Thursday. She is the first Westwood athlete to win a Gatorade award in school history and the sixth Midlands athlete to win it in any sport.
Airport’s Jayla Jamison won it the previous three years and completed her freshman year at South Carolina.
“This means more than enough to me because this shows I am recognized in the track community all around, Rodriguez said. “Winning the Gatorade award not only builds my confidence but also continues to motivate me at the right times.”
Rodriguez won four events at the Class 4A state meet this season, leading the Redhawks to a third-place finish as a team. She won the 100 and 400 hurdles, the 200 meters and was anchor leg of Westwood’s 4x400 meter relay team.
Rodriguez’s gold medal state-meet 400 hurdles time of 1:00.81 ranked No. 7 nationally among prep competitors in 2022 at the time of her selection.
Rodriguez has a 3.33 GPA, volunteered locally as a youth track coach and donated her time to multiple community service initiatives through her church.
Midlands SC Gatorade Players of Year
A list of Midlands girls track and field athletes who have won S.C. Gatorade Player of the Year since the award has been handed out in 1986
2022: Brianna Rodriguez, Westwood
2019-2021: Jayla Jamison, Airport
2005-06: Kate Niehaus, Spring Valley
1998-99: Curtrell Frye, Irmo
1997: Andrea Hallmon, Lower Richland
1992-94: Monique Hennagan, Spring Valley
This story was originally published June 30, 2022 at 9:40 AM.
