CHICAGO (June 9, 2023) — In its 38th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Kaitlyn Terry of Greenway High School is the 2022-23 Gatorade Arizona Softball Player of the Year. Terry is the second Gatorade Arizona Softball Player of the Year to be chosen from Greenway High School.

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 Terry as Arizona’s best high school softball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year award to be announced in June, Terry joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including Jordyn Bahl (2020-21, Papillion-La Vista High School, Neb.), Megan Faraimo (2017-18, Cathedral Catholic High School, Calif.), Rachel Garcia (2014-15, Highland High School, Calif.) and Cat Osterman (2000-01, Cypress Springs High School, Texas).

The state’s 2020-21 Gatorade Player of the Year, this 5-foot-6 senior left-handed pitcher and infielder compiled a 25-3 record with a 0.21 earned run average in the circle this past season, leading the Demons (29-4) to the Conference 4A state championship game. Terry struck out 406 batters in 169.1 innings while allowing just 35 hits and 13 walks. At the plate, the two-time Conference 4A Player of the Year batted .706 with 23 home runs, 76 runs scored and 68 RBI. She drew 55 walks and swiped 28 bases while posting a .844 on-base percentage and a 2.029 slugging percentage.

Terry has volunteered locally as a peer math tutor for special education students. She has also donated her time as a youth softball coach. “Kaitlyn is the biggest threat I have seen in 22 years of coaching on both sides of the ball,” said Kim Dennis, head coach of Coconino High School. “Her pitching numbers speak for themselves, and I think that’s what gets her the headlines, but her bat is very impressive.”

Terry has maintained a 3.60 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball on scholarship at UCLA 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.

Two-time winner Terry joins recent Gatorade Arizona Softball Players of the Year Jocelyn Erickson (2021-22, Sandra Day O'Connor High School), Rylee Holtorf (2019-20, Sandra Day O'Connor High School), and Carlie Scupin (2018- 19, Tucson Magnet School), among the state’s list of former award winners.

Being a Gatorade Player of the Year means paying it forward for the next generation. Through Gatorade’s Play it Forward initiative, every Player of the Year receives a grant to give to one of Gatorade’s social impact partners, supporting Gatorade’s ambition to fuel the future of sport. To date, Gatorade Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $3.5 million across more than 1,300 organizations.

For nearly 40 years, Gatorade has honored high school athletes at the top of their game as teammates, supporting their communities and achieving academic success. From CEOs and coaches to star athletes and community leaders, Gatorade Player of the Year winners showcase the power of sport.

To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate studentathletes, 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.