South Carolina’s best: Westwood senior standout named Gatorade Track Athlete of Year
For the second straight year, a Westwood athlete has been named the Gatorade South Carolina Girls Track and Field athlete of the year.
Redhawks senior Ticora Gaskin won the honor on Wednesday, a year after teammate Brianna Rodriguez earned the award. It is the fifth straight year a Midlands athlete has won the award. Airport’s Jayla Jamison won three straight from 2019-2021 and is now at the University of South Carolina.
“I am incredibly grateful for this moment and being selected as the Gatorade player of the year,” Gaskin told The State. “It felt great to accomplish goals that I set out to achieve for myself along with my coaches and family. It makes me proud that achieving help put me in position for a prestigious recognition such as this.”
Gaskin, a Campbell University signee, won the Class 4A long jump championship at the state meet. A week before that, she set a state record with her jump of 20-feet, 3-inches in the state qualifying meet. The jump was the 12th-best in the nation.
Gaskin broke the record held by former Fort Dorchester standout and 2020 Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.
Gaskin also finished second in the 200 meter race in helping the Redhawks to a tie for first with Ridge View in the state. It was the first team championship in Westwood school history.
“It was special to set the new record of 20-3 because 20 feet was a number that was talked about a lot since my first year jumping and that was my overall goal,” Gaskin said. “When I found out that I jumped the record, it felt surreal. It showed me that the sky’s the limit and gave me a confidence booster going into the state meet.
“It truly feels special to be part of the team that brought Westwood their first team championship ever. We needed every single point that was earned from each teammate to accomplish this goal. I knew what it felt like to be an individual champion from the 2022 track season, but that didn’t compare to the feeling of having a team championship and being able to celebrate it with my teammates.”
Outside of track, Gaskin holds a 3.37 GPA and has been an active member of her local church, including singing in youth and teen choirs and performing with the liturgical dance ministry. She has also volunteered with a soup kitchen in addition to serving as a teen usher, youth assistant teacher and Vacation Bible School.
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.
2023: Ticora Gaskin, Westwood
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 28, 2023 at 6:34 PM.
