By Louis Fernandez, WRAL Sports

A pair of future Triangle athletes received the highest high school athletics honor in the nation. NC State cross country commit Sadie Engelhardt and Duke basketball’s Cooper Flagg were named the 2023-24 Gatorade Best Female and Male Players of the Year on Thursday night at the 2024 ESPYs. Former Gatorade Best Female Players of the Year Candace Parker and Paige Bueckers, two of the biggest stars in women’s basketball past and future, presented the honors to the duo.

“It’s an honor to take home this award, and having it handed to me by some of the biggest names in basketball makes it even better,” Flagg said. “The list of former Gatorade Best Players of the Year speaks for itself, so it’s special to put my name next to theirs.”

The Duke freshman, who is the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024, was part of the select team invited to work out against the men’s Olympic team during their training camp.

Meanwhile Engelhardt, a rising senior, has already been named the California Gatorade Girls Track & Field Player of the year three times and qualified for this year’s U.S. Olympic Trials.

“I was so excited to win Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Player of the Year, and now to be named Best Female Player of the Year is crazy to me,” Engelhardt said. “All the athletes in this group are amazing, and I’m so honored to be here celebrating our hard work on and off the field.”

She’s set to join a dynasty in women’s cross country at NC State next year. In November 2023, the Wolfpack wrapped up its third-straight NCAA Championship.

Source: wralsportsfan.com