Eaton’s Sadie Ross Named Gatorade Softball Player of the Year for Colorado

AURORA — Sadie Ross, a senior at Eaton, has been named Colorado’s Gatorade Softball Player of the Year, it was announced on Friday.

Ross is the first Gatorade Colorado Softball Player of the Year to be chosen from Eaton.

The award, which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community, distinguishes Ross as Colorado’s best high school softball player. From CEOs and coaches to star athletes, Gatorade Player of the Year winners showcase the power of sport, touting an all-star group of alumni that includes Amanda Freed (1997-98, Pacifica High School, Calif.), Cat Osterman (2000-01, Cypress Springs High School, Texas), Rachel Garcia (2014-15 & 2012-13, Highland High School, Calif.) and Ava Brown (2022-23 & 2021-22, Lake Creek High School, Texas).
 
The 5-foot-6 senior right-handed pitcher and third baseman led the Reds (28-1) to the Class 3A state championship, hitting a home run in each of Eaton’s first three tournament games and throwing a no-hitter in the title game. The 3A Player of the Year, Ross compiled a record of 11-1 with a 0.55 ERA and 119 strikeouts over 64 innings. She also batted .535 with 13 home runs and 52 RBI.
 
A member of the Future Farmers of America, Ross has volunteered locally with the Weld County Food Bank. She also has served as a softball coach with Eaton Youth Recreation Softball. “I had the privilege to coach her in an end-of-year All-Star game and not only did she dominate against other players, she immediately led us in the dugout as well,” said Brooke Polenz, head coach at Sterling High School. “She dominated in the circle and hit well against the best in our tough conference. She’s an amazing athlete and is willing to go wherever she needs to go to help her team.”
 
Ross has maintained a 3.97 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball on scholarship at Baylor University 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 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.
 
Ross joins recent Gatorade Colorado Softball Players of the Year Hailey Maestretti (2022-23, Lutheran High School), Nikki McGaffin (2021-22, Fossil Ridge High School), Katie Dack-Howell (2020-21, Rock Canyon High School) and Laurin Krings (2019-20, Loveland High School), among the state’s list of former award winners.