BROPHY COLLEGE PREPARATORY STANDOUT NAMED GATORADE ARIZONA BOYS TRACK & FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
CHICAGO (June 21, 2012) — In its 27th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Devon Allen of Brophy College Preparatory as its 2011-12 Gatorade Arizona Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Allen is the first Gatorade Arizona Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Brophy College Preparatory.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track, distinguishes Allen as Arizona’s best high school boys track & field athlete. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year award to be announced in June, Allen joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Meb Keflezighi (1993-94, San Diego HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.) and Lolo Jones (1997-98, Roosevelt HS, Ia.).
The 6-foot, 180-pound junior hurdler won the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.58 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles in 36.94 at the Division I state meet, leading the Broncos to second place as a team. Also the Athlete of the Year as named by The Arizona Republic and East Valley Tribune, Allen captured second place in both the 100-meter dash (10.49) and 200 (20.75). Allen’s state-record 110 hurdles time of 13.52 seconds and state-record 300 hurdles time of 36.39 at the Arcadia Invitational, as well as his 200 time at the state meet, all ranked as the nation’s No. 4 performance among prep competitors in 2012 at the time of his selection.
An accomplished pianist and saxophonist, Allen has maintained a 3.24 GPA in the classroom and serves on his school’s Black Student Union and Red and White Club. In addition to donating his time as a youth football and soccer coach, he has volunteered locally on behalf of New Horizon Youth Homes, Far West Pop Warner Football, St. Gregory Parish, St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, the Valley of the Sun YMCA and American Youth Football.
“When you look at Devon’s performances, it is clear that he is very talented,” said Brophy College Prep head coach Bill Kalkman. “What you don’t see is his humble spirited character, consistent team leadership and relentless maximum effort in workouts. Devon loves to compete, and he is not satisfied with his marks so far. He is pressing on with a training regimen to race faster in national competition this summer.”
Allen will begin his senior year of high school 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 ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
Allen joins recent Gatorade Arizona Boys Track & Field Athletes of the Year Billy Orman (2010-11, Tuba City High School), Brian Shrader (2009-10, Sinagua SH), Bryce Lamb (2008-09, Chandler), and Allante Battle (2007-08, Desert Vista) among the state’s list of former award winners.
