Albuquerque Academy student athlete Jackson Morris was named the 2016-17 Gatorade New Mexico Boys Track and Field Player of the Year on Thursday, making him the second Academy student athlete to win this award multiple times. Jackson, who won this same award in 2015, joins Julia Foster ’11 (2010 and 2011) as the only Academy student athletes to win this award twice. The 6-foot-5-inch, 230-pound senior thrower won three individual state championships at the Class 5A state meet this past season, helping the Chargers capture the state title as a team. Jackson concluded his prep track career as a three-time state champion in each of his throwing events as well as the state record-holder in the shot, discus, and javelin.
Jackson has maintained a 3.41 GPA in the classroom and has signed a national letter of intent to compete on an athletic scholarship at Colorado State University beginning this fall. As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Jackson will now select a national or local organization to receive a $1,000 grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program.
For more information on the award, click here.
Full list of Albuquerque Academy Gatorade Player of the Year Award Winners:
2017 Jackson Morris – Track & Field
2017 Charles Touche – Soccer
2017 Jordan Lesansee – Cross country
2015 Jackson Morris – Track & Field
2011 Niel Longenbaugh – Cross country
2011 Julia Foster – Cross country and Track & Field
2010 Julia Foster – Cross country and Track & Field
2010 Jenni White – Soccer
2010 Darren McAfee – Soccer
2009 Clara Milne – Cross country
2009 Max Walla – Baseball
2009 Curtis Beach – Track & Field (national recipient)
