by TYLER HATHAWAY
Monroe standout Messiah Hampton was announced as the 2025-26 New York Gatorade Player of the Year, per the NYSSWA.
The University of Oregon commit finished the year with 62 catches for a Section V record 1,224 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns while helping the Red Jackets win their first ever state championship. Hampton caught six passes for 145 yards and a score in the NYS Class B title game this past weekend.
In addition to his receiving stats, Hampton ran the ball 12 times for 289 yards and four touchdowns. On defense, the senior was third on the team in tackles with 87 and brought down two interceptions.
You can read Gatorade’s full press release about Hampton here. Hampton is the first Section V player to win the award since Aquinas quarterback Jake Zembiec in 2015.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. 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 winners in each sport.
Leave a Reply