California's Gatorade Player of the Year in Cross Country

Jaelyn Williams of Eastlake High School was named California's 2025-2026 Gatorade Girls Cross Country Player of the Year during her senior season. Williams capped her season with an unforgettable three-week stretch that included a CIF State XC D1 Championship, a bronze at Nike Cross Nationals, and a bronze at the Brooks XC Championships. However, her signature race of the season may have been shattering Sarah Baxter's CIF State XC D1 Meet Record at historic Woodward Park, with an iconic 4:58 final mile.

Conor Lott of Clovis North High School was named California's 2025-2026 Gatorade Boys Cross Country Player of the Year during his senior season. Lott delivered in his senior season, with a target on his back as the reigning D1 CIF State XC champion and CIF State 1600m champion. The Georgetown commit captured his second consecutive D1 CIF State XC championship, then qualified for Nike Cross Nationals and the Brooks XC Championships. He capped off his season with a 7th-place finish at the Brooks XC Championships, earning All-American honors in cross country.

You'll find a list of every California Gatorade Boys and Girls Player of the Year in the graph below. MileSplit announced its 2025 COROS XC Athlete of the Year in December, honoring Natasza Dudek of Ann Arbor Pioneer and Jackson Spencer of Herriman.

Girls 

Boys 

* = Also named the Cross Country Gatorade National Player of the Year 

Schools with the Most Individual Winners 

Individuals with the Most CA Player of the Year Awards

4 - Sarah Baxter

3 - Sadie Engelhardt 

2 - Jordan Hasay, Ammar Moussa, Claudia Lane, Liam Anderson, Colin Sahlman, Evan Noonan