FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ashley Ginascol (312-729-3622)
CHICAGO (March 8, 2012) — In its 27th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced
Stephanie Mavunga of
Brownsburg (Brownsburg, Ind.) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Mavunga is the first Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Brownsburg 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 court, distinguishes Mavunga as Indiana's best high school girls basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award announced in March, Mavunga joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award-winners, including Candace Parker (2003-04, 2002-03, & 2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.), Rashanda McCants (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie (1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.).
The 6-foot-3 junior forward averaged 21.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.1 blocks, 2.4 steals and 1.5 assists per game this past season, leading the Bulldogs (18-3) to the Class 4A state tournament. A member of the USA Basketball U16 National Team that won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championships in July, 2011, Mavunga was a 2011 Associated Press Third Team All-State selection and a member of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association All-State Underclassmen team. She has scored 1,188 points in her prep basketball career.
Mavunga has maintained a 3.48 GPA in the classroom. The vice president of the Brownsburg High House of Representatives, she has volunteered locally as a church aide and with Family Career and Community Leaders of America.
"Stephanie Mavunga really has to do things that are out of her skill set and comfort level just to give her team a chance to win," said David Cupp, head coach at Avon High. "She has to handle the ball, get every rebound, block shots and score out of double- and triple-teams on a consistent basis."
Mavunga will begin her 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.
Mavunga joins recent Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Players of the Year Bria Goss (2010-11, Ben Davis High School), Courtney Moses (2009-10, Oak Hill), Skylar Diggins (2008-09 & 2007-08, Washington), Ta'Shia Phillips (2006 – 07, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School), Janese Banks (2003-04, Ben Davis), and Katie Geralds (2002-03, Beech Grove) among the state's list of former award winners.
To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.
