About Community Grant
Winners
National Winners
State Winners
Winner Access Nominate
mobile navigation - click to open mobile navigation - click to close
Gatorade 2021 - 2022: Player of the Year

Softball - New York

athletes playing Softball
The POY Logo
SOFTBALL

Atalyia Rijo

Shortstop
CORNING-PAINTED POST HS
CORNING, NEW YORK
SENIOR
Height: 5-FOOT-7
Press Release

Peak Performance

.585

Batting Average

5

Triples

7

Home Runs

21

RBI
“I have never seen a player, boy or girl, with the skill set of Atalyia Rijo. She has a cannon for an arm and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched her make a play that I thought was impossible. She also has one of the most impressive offensive games in the country. She has speed, good hand-eye control and hits for both average and power.”
Gordon Begent
Head Coach head coach at Ithaca High
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The 5-foot-7 senior shortstop led the Hawks (18-2) to the Section IV Class AA postseason final this past season. Rijo batted .585 with five triples, seven home runs, 21 RBI and 43 runs scored, amassing an OPS of 1.860. A three-time First Team All-State honoree, she was selected for the PGF Futures All-American Game and was invited to play for the Dominican Republic National Team. She’s ranked as the nation’s No. 8 prospect in the Class of 2022 by Extra Inning Softball.

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Rijo has maintained an A average in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball on scholarship at the University of Arkansas this fall.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

Rijo is a member of her school’s Student Council and has volunteered locally on behalf of a food bank and elementary school reading initiatives.