The state’s reigning Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, the 6-foot-4, 165-pound senior broke the tape in the 1,500-meter run at the state meet this past season, leading the Avengers to a third-place finish as a team. Pedersen’s winning time of 3:53.39 ranked No. 3 in the nation among prep competitors in 2018 at the time of his selection. He also ranked No. 16 in the nation in the 3,000-meter run with a personal-best clocking of 8:33.90.
Pedersen has maintained a weighted 4.09 GPA in the classroom and represents one of the state’s top academic candidates in meeting the Gatorade award’s broad criteria. He has signed a national letter of intent to compete on an athletic scholarship at the University of Rhode Island this fall.
The founder and leader of East Greenwich’s 3D Animation Club, Pedersen has volunteered locally cleaning and washing the town’s fire trucks. He has also donated his time at Forgotten Ones, a non-profit thrift store.
