MORGANTOWN – University High School sophomore Micah Gainer was named the 2025-2026 Gatorade West Virginia Boys Cross Country Player of the Year last week.
Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics, and community. The award recognizes Gainer as West Virginia’s best high school boys cross country athlete, and he joins an elite legacy that spans professional athletes and coaches to CEOs, such as Lukas Verzbicas (2009-10 & 2010-11, Carl Sandburg High School, IL) Edward Cheserek (2012-13, Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School, NJ) and Charlie Vause (2024-25, Rio Rancho High School, NM).
It’s the seventh time a member of the Hawks boys cross country team has earned the honor, with Gainer being the fourth name on the list (Josh Edwards ‘20, ‘21, ‘22; Seth Edwards ‘15, ‘16; Philip White ‘17).
“I was thrilled hearing the news of the award,” Gainer said. “I knew I had the chance to win the award, but wasn’t entirely certain if I would be chosen. It holds immense significance for me because only one person is selected from each state annually.”
The 5-foot-11, 135-pound sophomore won the Class AAAA state meet this past season, leading the Hawks to their seventh team championship in a row. Gainer also broke the tape at the season-opening meet hosted by UHS, clocking a personal-best time of 15:31.2. He earned Class AAAA all-state honors as well.
Gainer has also maintained a weighted 4.17 GPA in the classroom.
“My success this season was largely in part due to the mileage I maintained throughout the summer,” Gainer said. “It allowed me to gain an additional couple of months to prepare and get in shape before the season started.”
As a result, Micah says he entered the season fully prepared and felt that he was ready to perform at his best.
As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.
Gainer has volunteered extensively for his local church community. He has also donated his time as a meet assistant for middle school track meets and for a community road race that benefits the Special Olympics.
Now preparing for his second year on the track for the Hawks, Gainer says the Gatorade POTY award will serve as a motivator for him.
“It helps me focus on my goals and push myself to run at my best,” he said. “While this award wasn’t one of the main goals I focused on during the season, I knew that if I reached the goals I had set for myself, I would have a strong chance of being in contention.”
