Mississippi Cross-Country Stars Shine: Brown & Lee Honored

Gatorade has announced its 2025-26 Mississippi cross-country athletes of the year. Andrew Brown from Tupelo has earned his second consecutive Gatorade Mississippi Boys Cross-Country Player of the Year award. The junior runner won the MHSAA 7A state championship with the fastest all-class time of 15:23.7, also leading his team to the title. He recorded Mississippi's best times at multiple prestigious events and achieved a personal best of 15:04.5.

Alex Lee, a senior from Madison Central, has been selected as the Gatorade Mississippi Girls Cross-Country Player of the Year. Lee clinched the MHSAA 7A title and was the top Mississippi finisher at the Southern Showcase. She set a personal-best time of 17:57.2 at the Watson High School Classic, achieving the fastest 5K among Mississippi girls last fall. Her state-leading performance and championship victory distinguished her for the award.