Ashlyn Giles dream season has ended with one last big award: the Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Track and Field "Player of the Year" award.
The Schuylkill Valley thrower had a terrific senior campaign that most notably included an all-time Pennsylvania state record in the discus. Giles also captured Class AA state titles in both the shot put and discus at the PIAA State Championships in late May.
Giles' state record of 169 feet, 2 inches in the discus came at the BCIAA Firing Championship Meet, where she broke Colleen Rosensteel's 37-year-old record. She added as throw of 165-4 to win the state title, breaking the PIAA meet record.
It was also a big season in the shot for Giles. She put down a best of 52-11 at a Throws U meet. She threw 49-2.25 to win the state title. Giles was also the winner during the winter at adidas Indoor Nationals. Her best from the indoor season was 49-7.
Giles will attend Wake Forest University in the fall. She was initially committed to the University of Nesbraska, but backed out of that commitment to join the Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem.
Check out the full list of state-by-state Players of the Year here and the press release on Giles from Gatorade here. Watch a video of Giles' state record-setting throw in the discus from the spring below.
