7 hours ago 3

Abby Mecklenburg tabbed Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year

When it comes to the long jump in Iowa high school track and field for girls, nobody - ever - has done it better than Abby Mecklenburg.

The Linn-Mar senior-to-be was honored as the 2024-25 Iowa Gatorade Girls Track and Field Player of the Year, which was announced recently.

Mecklenburg became the first Iowa high school girl to ever eclipse 20 feet in the long jump when she went 20-8.5 at a meet hosted by Dubuque Hempstead during the regular season.

She followed that up by winning the Class 4A state track and field championships long jump title, along with the 200-meter dash. At the recent Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon, Mecklenburg placed third overall in the long jump.

"I only saw Abby a handful of times this year, and she has always been a joy to watch," Iowa City Libert head track and field coach Tashina Steggall said. "Multiple jumps over 20 feet as a junior in high school is pretty spectacular. And she looks effortless doing it."

Mecklenburg carries a 3.82 GPA in the classroom entering her senior season at Linn-Mar.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states across 12 different high school sports – 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 leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.