Gatorade: Portsmouth’s Sullivan is RI's cross-country runner of year

First PHS athlete to be selected for that sport

Posted 1/29/19

PORTSMOUTH — Elizabeth Sullivan, who won the individual Rhode Island cross-country title and led her Portsmouth High team to a state championship, has earned another honor — the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Gatorade: Portsmouth’s Sullivan is RI's cross-country runner of year

First PHS athlete to be selected for that sport

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — Elizabeth Sullivan, who won the individual Rhode Island cross-country title and led her Portsmouth High team to a state championship, has earned another honor — the 2018-19 Gatorade Rhode Island Girls’ Cross-Country Runner of the Year.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Ms. Sullivan as Rhode Island’s best high school girls cross country runner. It’s the first time a cross-country runner from PHS has been so honored.

She’s now a finalist for the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in February.

The 5-foot-5-inch senior won the state meet with a time of 18:40.79 — nearly 15 seconds ahead of her next-closest competitor — and propelled the Patriots to its second-straight team championship. Ms. Sullivan was the top Rhode Island finisher at both Nike Cross Nationals Northeast Regional championships, where she finished 10th in 19:07.7, and the New England Championships, where she finished ninth.

Sullivan has volunteered locally as part of multiple community service projects through the Portsmouth High Community Service Club. 

“I don’t think I have ever seen Elizabeth race without giving it her best,” said Annmarie Gower, head coach at Barrington High. “She runs with such passion and purpose. Her quiet confidence is such a breath of fresh air.”

Ms. Sullivan, who has maintained a weighted 4.52 GPA in the classroom, remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

In good company

Ms. Sullivan joins Gatorade Rhode Island Girls’ Cross-Country Runners of the Year Ellie Lawler (2017-18, 2016-17 and 2015-16, South Kingstown High School), and Emma McMillan (2014-15 and 2013-14, Barrington High School) as athletes who have won the cross-country award since its inception in 2007.

As a part of Gatorade’s cause marketing platform “Play it Forward,” Ms. Sullivan has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of her choosing. She is also eligible to submit an essay to win one of 12 $10,000 spotlight grants for the organization of choice, which will be announced throughout the year.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. 

For more information about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, visit www.Gatorade.com/POY.

Elizabeth Sullivan, PHS cross-country, Portsmouth High School

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.