Lake Hamilton cross country star Olivia Pielemeier added another award to her rapidly expanding trophy cabinet when she was recently named the 2021-22 Gatorade Arkansas Girls Cross Country Player of the Year.
Just a junior, Pielemeier captured the Class 5A individual state title in November, and she trimmed her 5K time down to 18:14.95, 16 seconds under her initial goal for the season. Pielemeier joins Josie Carson as the only two Lake Hamilton girls cross country athletes to be awarded Gatorade Player of the Year.
Krishnan Collins spoke with Pielemeier and Lake Hamilton head cross country coach Brandon Smith about the award and what it took for the junior to achieve this level of success as a cross country runner.
