University of Connecticut Athletics
Brooke Strauss Named Connecticut Girls Track and Field Player of the Year
6/30/2025 9:02:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
STORRS, Conn.- Incoming UConn freshman Brooke Strauss (Glastonbury, Conn.) has been named Gatorade's Connecticut Outdoor Girls Track and Field Player of the Year, announced in a release on Monday.
At the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia, Strauss finished 8th in the nation in the women's championship 1600 meters with a time of 4:22.46. Strauss continued to shatter Connecticut records in the outdoor season, setting a new mark in the 1500 at the State Open earlier this month in New Britain with a time of 4:40.62. The performance took seven seconds off the previous mark. Strauss won the 800 meter run at the Open as well, taking the top spot in the state with a time of 2:09.47.
Strauss caps off a historic senior year at Glastonbury High School, a year that saw the future Husky win the mile at the New Balance Indoor Track and Field national championships, winning the title with a time of 4:39.53. In the indoor season, Strauss set a New England meet record in the 1000m (2:46.05), winning the event at the indoor State Open and Class LL meets.
In January, Strauss was selected as the 2024 Gatorade Connecticut Girls Cross Country Player of the Year after winning the Class LL state meet with a time of 18:13 and winning the cross country State Open with a time of 18:19. Strauss took 22nd at Foot Loker Nationals and finished third at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional, earning First Team All-Region honors.
Strauss has volunteered locally with Camp Sunrise, which serves children with special needs. She has also donated her time to multiple community services initiatives through her church congregation. Strauss has maintained a weighted GPA of 4.52 in the classroom as well.
The Gatorade State Player of the Year was established in 1985 to recognize the nation's most elite high school student athletes for their athletic excellence, academic achievement, and exemplary character.
