Posted: Mar 20, 2013

Mavunga Named Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year

CHICAGO (March 14, 2013) — In its 28th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Stephanie Mavunga of Brownsburg High School as its 2012-13 Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Mavunga is the first Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Brownsburg 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 court, distinguishes Mavunga as Indiana's best high school girls' basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award announced in March, Mavunga joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award winners, including Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.), Rashanda McCants (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie (1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.).

The returning Gatorade Player of the Year, the 6-foot-4 senior forward averaged 23.0 points, 13.4 rebounds, 4.0 blocks, 1.5 steals and 1.0 assists per game this past season, leading the Bulldogs (20-4) to the Class 4A regional semifinals. A McDonald's All-American Game selection and a WBCA All-American Game honoree, Mavunga has twice received Indiana Basketball Coaches Association All-State recognition. She concluded her prep basketball career with 1,739 points and 984 rebounds.

Mavunga has maintained a 3.40 GPA in the classroom. A member of the Brownsburg High student government, she has volunteered locally as a church aide and as a youth basketball coach and mentor. "Stephanie Mavunga is a real force and can truly dominate a game," said Jeff Knoy, head coach of McCutcheon High. "We had no answer for her and no way of guarding her. She is the best player in the state." Mavunga has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on an athletic scholarship at the University of North Carolina 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 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.

Two time winner Mavunga joins Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Players of the Year Bria Goss (2010-11, Ben Davis High School), Courtney Moses (2009-10, Oak Hill), Skylar Diggins (2008-09 & 2007-08, Washington), and Ta'Shia Phillips (2006–07, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School) among the state's list of former award winners.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit www.gatorade.com/poy.