For a list of the other Gatorade State Girls Track & Field Athletes of the Year, click here

THE WINNER: Zola Golden

THE BASICS

School: Arlington (LaGrangeville, N.Y.)
Grade: Junior
Event: Sprints
Height: 5-foot-7

Athletic achievement: She won the 400-meter run at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor championships this spring with a time of 53.22 seconds. Golden captured the Div. 1 state championship in the event with a time of 55.02, and also won the New York Federation 400 title in 54.00. Golden’s season-best clocking of 52.82 ranked as the nation’s No. 2 time among prep competitors in 2014 at the time of her selection.

Academic excellence: Golden has maintained a B-plus average.

Exemplary character: She has volunteered locally on behalf of Meals on Wheels and youth arts programs.

THE PRAISE

“Zola is a coach’s dream,” said Arlington coach Steve Arnett. “Her prodigious talent is exceeded only by her work ethic. She’s the complete package athletically, as a teammate and in the classroom.”

THE FUTURE: Golden will be a senior this fall.