Colleeen Stegmann competes at the 2019 UIL State Cross Country meet
Gatorade Press Release
CHICAGO (January 27, 2020) - In its 35th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade
Company today announced Colleen Stegmann of Reedy High School as its 2019-20 Gatorade Texas Girls Cross
Country Runner of the Year. Stegmann is the first Gatorade Texas Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year to be
chosen from Reedy 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 Stegmann as Texas's best
high school girls cross country runner. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country
Runner of the Year award to be announced in February, Stegmann joins an elite alumni association of past state
award-winners in 12 sports, including Lukas Verzbicas (2010-11, 2009-10 Carl Sandburg High School, Orland Park,
Ill.), Megan Goethals (2009-10, Rochester High School, Rochester Hills, Mich.), Jordan Hasay (2008-09, Mission
College Preparatory Catholic High School, San Luis Obispo, Calif.) and Chris Derrick (2007-08, Neuqua Valley
High School, Naperville, Ill.).
The 5-foot-3 junior raced to the Class 5A individual state championship this past season with a time of 17:17.1.
Stegmann also broke the tape at the Region 2 championships and the District 9 championships, while placing second
at the McNeil Invitational and the Southlake Carroll Invitational. She took second at the Nike Cross Nationals South
Regional championships and was 37th nationally at the Nike Cross Nationals Finals.
Stegmann has volunteered locally on behalf of Best Buddies International, the National Charity League and the
Fellowship of Christian Athletes. "Colleen has waited patiently for her moment and this year it all came together,"
said Reedy coach Lauren Watts. "Everything that she has accomplished has been through hard work and her passion
for the sport."
Stegmann has maintained a 3.97 GPA in the classroom. She will begin her senior year of high school this fall.
Recent Girls Gatorade Cross Country Player's Of The Year
2019 - London Culbreath - McKinney North
2018 - London Culbreath - McKinney North
2017 - London Culbreath - McKinney North
2016 - Abby Gray - San Anonio Alamo Heights
2015 - Paige Hofstad - New Braunfels