Six-time Gatorade POY Brooklyn Biancamano commits to Arkansas
LONG BEACH, Miss. (BVM) 鈥� Mississippi has seen its fair share of running stars. Brooklyn Biancamano has proven to be one of them, and she鈥檚 aiming to continue her dominance at the University of Arkansas.
Since the seventh grade, Biancamano has been running for the Long Beach Bearcats. She started as a soccer player, but coaches saw her speed and suggested she take up cross country and track. It was a career-altering move for Brooklyn and since then, her dominance has been on full display.聽
Standing at 5-foot-4, Biancamano has won six combined (four in cross country, two in track and field) Gatorade running awards. That ties Olympian Cory McGee for Mississippi鈥檚 record for most decorated Gatorade Player of the Year honoree.
鈥淐ory is from one town over,鈥� Brooklyn鈥檚 mother and coach Erin Biancamano said. 鈥淐ory has offered a lot of advice to Brooklyn as her career progresses. She has been so kind to Brooklyn.鈥澛�
Along with keeping her title as Gatorade Arkansas Cross Country Player of the Year, Brooklyn helped lead the Long Beach Bearcats to a fourth-place finish at the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A State XC championships. During the competition, Brooklyn set a course record, running a time of 18:03.6.聽
鈥淣ow a six-time Gatorade winner, Brooklyn has matched the record for Mississippi鈥檚 most decorated Gatorade Player of the Year honoree,鈥� Erik Boal from runnperspace.com said in a Gatorade . 鈥淭he last person not named Brooklyn Biancamano to win a 5A title in the state did so in 2016. Let鈥檚 just, I鈥檓 looking forward to her out track campaign.鈥�
The five-time state champion also ran Mississippi鈥檚 best time (18:00.38) at the Jesse Owens Classic in 2021. Following these accomplishments, Brooklyn was also named the 2021 Clarion-Ledger Athlete of the Year for all-girls sports.聽
鈥淪he is always out in front when she races in Mississippi,鈥� Erin said. 鈥淗aving her race in those national races presents her with new challenges and exposure she doesn鈥檛 get at the local level.鈥�
Brooklyn could have broken McGee鈥檚 record already, but due to COVID-19, she couldn鈥檛 participate in her sophomore season of track and field. Any athlete could let that defeat them, but not Brooklyn. She persevered and continued to compete and push forward. Her accomplishments this season have proved that.
Even with her spectacular athletic accomplishments, Brooklyn has also done well in the classroom. She鈥檚 maintained a 5.48 weighted GPA which puts her at the No. 1 spot in her class.聽
With Brooklyn accomplishing so much in her prep career, she has a lot to look forward to at the next level. The Mississippi standout has committed to the University of Arkansas and will set foot on campus this fall.聽
鈥淪he is motivated,鈥� Erin said. 鈥淪he aims to run in college and hopefully can have a running career post-college.鈥�
Brooklyn has a long and successful career ahead of her, and she can do anything she sets her mind to. And as the track and field season approaches, Brooklyn will be eyeing McGee鈥檚 record. It will be a special occasion if Brooklyn breaks that record. But the best is yet to come for her.聽
