Watauga High School senior Kate Sears has been named the Gatorade North Carolina Player in the Year for the 2024-2025 girls basketball season.

Sears stands at 5-foot-9 and played point guard for Watauga. She led the team in scoring with 27.2 points per game, and nearly averaged a triple-double with 13.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game.

In 28 games this season, Sears recorded 13 triple-doubles. She had one 50-point performance, and in another game shre posted 43 points, 21 rebounds, and 15 assists.

Watauga posted a 22-6 overall record and made it to the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A quarterfinals in the state playoffs.

Sears has been named the Northwestern Conference Player of the Year all four years she’s been in high school, and is a three-time selection to the HighSchoolOT All-State Team. The 2024-2025 all-state team has not yet been released.

Earlier this week, Sears was named to the N.C. Basketball Coaches Association all-district team, where she was named the district’s player of the year as well. She was also selected to represent North Carolina in the Carolinas Classic All-Star Game later this month.

Sears wrapped up her high school career with 2,613 points scored.

After graduating this summer, Sears will attend Virginia Tech where she will play college basketball.

Outside of basketball, Sears holds a 4.54 weighted grade point average. She is a member of the Watauga Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and has volunteered as a math tutor and a youth basketball coach.