For a list of the other Gatorade State Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Tai Dinger
THE BASICS
School: St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.)
Grade: Junior
Height: 5-foot-9
Athletic achievement: He finished 11th at the Nike
Cross Nationals Southeast Regional championships this past season, with a
time of 15:35.8. Dinger tied for first at the Interstate Athletic
Conference championships and finished second at the Maryland/D.C.
Private School championships. He also earned a victory at the
Mercersburg Invitational.
Academic excellence: Dinger has maintained an A-minus average in the classroom.
Exemplary character: Also a talented singer and an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, he has volunteered as a peer tutor.
THE PRAISE
"Tai combines an outstanding work ethic with fearlessness in competition," said St. Albans coach Jim Ehrenhaft. "He extracts the most from every workout and competition, and leads by example."
THE FUTURE: Dinger will begin his senior year of high school this fall.