21 Days Until the State Boys Cross Country Announcement
Gatorade 2021 - 2022: Player of the Year

Girls Track & Field - Texas

athletes playing Girls Track & Field
The POY Logo
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD

Natalie Cook

Distance
FLOWER MOUND HS
FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS
SENIOR
Height: 5-FOOT-5
Press Release

Peak Performance

1st - 9:48.25

Class 6A state meet - 3200m

1st - 4:40.29

Class 6A state meet - 1600m
“Natalie Cook is an exceptional athlete and competitor who developed into as good of a runner as anyone I’ve ever seen. Every race was essentially her competing against the clock and against the record books. She was a good teammate, competed with character, and won with humility.”
William Grundy
Texas MileSplit Editor
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The 5-foot-5 senior broke her own state record in the 3200-meter run this past season, clocking a time of 9:48.25 at the Class 6A state meet, which ranked as the nation’s No. 1 performance among prep girls competitors in 2022, which also ranked No. 2 in U.S. girls prep history at the time of her selection. The 2021-22 Gatorade National Player of the Year in girls cross country, Cook also won the 1600-meter state title in 4:40.29. She set a national record of 15:25.93 in the outdoor 5000 at the Stanford Invitational, and her season-best effort of 4:36.96 in the 1600 ranked No. 3 nationally among prep girls in 2022.

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Cook has maintained a weighted 3.63 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete on an athletic scholarship at Oklahoma State University this fall.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

Cook has volunteered extensively on behalf of local middle school cross country programs in addition to coaching and instructing youth track athletes every summer.