In its 30th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Quinn Breidenbach of Enumclaw High School as its 2014-15 Gatorade Washington Softball Player of the Year. Breidenbach is the first Gatorade Washington Softball Player of the Year to be chosen from Enumclaw 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 Breidenbach as Washington’s best high school softball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year award announced in June, Breidenbach joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Alicia Hollowell (2000-01, Fairfield HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.), Angela Tincher (2002-03, James River HS, Va.) and Kenzie Fowler (2006-07, Canyon del Oro HS, Ariz.).

The 5-foot-7 junior right-hander posted a 15-3 record along with a 0.74 ERA this past season, leading the Hornets (23- 3) to the Class 3A state tournament. Breidenbach struck out 187 batters in 104 innings pitched, allowing just 46 hits and tossing two shutouts, including one perfect game. The News Tribune’s 2015 All-Area Player of the Year, she batted .507 with eight doubles, six triples, 27 RBI and a .789 slugging percentage.

Breidenbach has maintained a 3.92 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally with City on a Hill, which provides food and fellowship to the homeless, in addition to serving as a as a youth softball coach and mentor.

“Quinn most certainly drives the Hornets’ success both in the circle and at the plate,” said Mike Hawkins, head coach of Lakes High. “She always wants to be the one with the ball in the circle.”

Breidenbach has made a verbal commitment to play softball on an athletic scholarship at the University of Massachusetts beginning in the fall of 2016.

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 high school sports leadership team in partnership with

USA TODAY High School Sports, 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.

Breidenbach joins recent Gatorade Washington Softball Players of the Year Kayla Andrews (2013-14, Richland High School), Ashley Thompson (2012-13, Connell High School), Madi Schreyer (2011-12, Woodinville High School), Alyson Ambler (2010-11, Walla Walla High School), Hope Klicker (2009-10, Walla Walla), Amanda Fitzsimmons (2008-09, Auburn Riverside), and Sam Skillingstad (2007-08 & 2006–07, Shadle Park) among the state’s list of former award

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