Lauren Hinton named Gatorade Connecticut Girls Player of the Year

CHICAGO (June 18, 2018) — In its 33rd year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, today announced Lauren Hinton of Loomis Chaffee School as its 2017-18 Gatorade Connecticut Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Hinton is the fourth Gatorade Connecticut Girls Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Loomis Chaffee 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 Hinton as Connecticut’s best high school girls soccer player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced in June, Hinton joins an elite alumni association of past state soccer award-winners, including Alexi Lalas (1987-88, Cranbrook HS, Mich.), Steve Cherundolo (1996-97, Mt. Carmel HS, Calif.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Heather O’Reilly (2001-02, 2002-03, East Brunswick HS, N.J.), Matt Besler (2004-05, Blue Valley West HS, Kans.), Jack Harrison (2013-14, Berkshire HS, Mass.) and Mallory Pugh (2014-15, Mountain Vista HS, Colo.).

The 5-foot-6 senior defender led the Pelicans to a 16-3-1 record and a second-straight New England Prep School Athletic Council Class A Tournament title this past season. Hinton anchored a defense that recorded 14 shutouts and allowed just 10 goals. She chipped in offensively with two goals and one assist. A two-time Connecticut State Player of the Year as named by the state coaches association, she has twice earned United Soccer Coaches All-American honors.
An editor of the LC Log, a Loomis Chaffee journalistic publication, she is a trombone player in her school’s concert band. “Lauren saved Loomis many times in our game in crucial situations,” said Rob Madden, head coach of the Taft School. “The fact that she can take over a game, especially as a defender, and still stand out is impressive for a team that still has a lot of offensive firepower.”

Hinton has maintained an A average in the classroom. She has made a verbal commitment to attend Brown University, where she will play soccer, beginning 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 the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, 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.

Hinton joins recent Gatorade Connecticut Girls Soccer Players of the Year Danielle Brinckman (2016-17, Glastonbury High School), Jenna Bike (2015-16 & 2014-15, St. Joseph High School), Sarah McCauley (2013-14 & 2012-13, Chase Collegiate School), Paula Hagopian (2011-12, Kingswood Oxford School), Riley Houle (2010–11, Windham High School), Kate McCarthy (2009-10, The Loomis Chaffee School), Jessica Schloth (2008–09, St. Joseph High School), Alex Uscilla (2007-08, St. Joseph High School), and Bianca D’Agostino (2006-07, Loomis Chaffee School) among the state’s list of former award winners.
As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Hinton will be able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program. Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support. 12 spotlight grants – one for each sport – will be announced throughout the year.