31 Days Until the State Volleyball Announcement
Gatorade 2022 - 2023: Player of the Year

Boys Cross Country - Missouri

athletes playing Boys Cross Country
The POY Logo
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Connor Burns

Runner
SOUTHERN BOONE HS
ASHLAND, MISSOURI
SENIOR
Height: 6-FOOT-1
Press Release

Peak Performance

1st

State Championship (Individual)

14:27.3

Nike Cross Midwest Regionals

32nd

Nike Cross Nationals
“Not one to rest on his laurels as a sub-4 miler in track, Connor Burns took on all comers this past season with rousing success. A major meet win at the Richard Spring Invite was quickly followed by course record-breaking performances on major venues at Chile Pepper and LaVern Gibson in Indiana. He’s truly a special talent who is just now coming into his own.”
Rich Gonzalez
PrepCalTrack editor
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The state’s returning Gatorade Player of the Year, the 6-foot-1, 140-pound senior raced to the Class 3 state championship this past season, winning by more than a minute to cap an unbeaten regular-season campaign. Burns was also the state’s fastest performer at the Nike Cross Midwest Regionals, clocking a personal-best 14:27.3 to qualify for nationals, where he finished 32nd. He won seven of the nine meets he entered last fall, including the El Caliente race at the prestigious Chile Pepper Festival in Arkansas.

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Burns has maintained a 4.00 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to run on scholarship at the University of Oregon this fall.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

Burns has volunteered locally at a food bank and is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at his school. He also served as class president as a junior.