Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
PROVO — Stop us if you've heard this one before: a BYU signee and the top-rated athlete in his sport was named the best player in the country by Gatorade.
For BYU track and field and cross country, it doesn't get old.
Charlie Vause from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, received the Gatorade boys cross country national player of the year Tuesday from Olympic medalist, world record holder and Park City resident Grant Fisher at a surprise unveiling in his hometown followed by a professional photo shoot by world-class photographer Joe Creer.
"I thought I was coming up to help with the high jump pit, or whatever," said Vause, who has excelled in cross country since he started distance running in seventh grade. "But I saw people with cameras, and then Mr. Fisher — and I kind of lost my mind for a second.
"My coach had to catch me; I almost fell down the stairs. It was incredible."
The 6-foot-1, 147-pound senior won the Nike Cross Nationals championship this past season, breaking the tape in in 15 minutes, 28.1 seconds — nearly 2.5 seconds ahead of his next-closest competitor. He also the NXR southwest regional meet in a personal-best time of 14:30.2 en route to back-to-back New Mexico boys cross country player of the year honors.
Vause, who also has a 4.17 GPA in the classroom, has signed with BYU, where he will run with several athletes sponsored by Run Elite Program, the professional distance running organization that sponsors Fisher and a number of former BYU stars like Conner Mantz and Clayton Young.
It's the third straight year Gatorade has honored a BYU commit with its top honor in boys' cross country after former American Fork star Daniel Simmons won the award in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Simmons is currently serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Atlanta, Georgia.
