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22 Days Until the State Boys Cross Country Announcement
Gatorade 2025 - 2026: Player of the Year

Girls Cross Country - South Carolina

Gatorade Player of the year

Ella Nighbor

Runner
CLOVER HS
CLOVER, SOUTH CAROLINA
SENIOR
Height: 5-FOOT-6
Press Release

Peak Performance

1st - 17:37.78

Class AAAAA

9th

Hare & Hounds Invitational

17th

Brooks Cross Country South Regional Championships

20th

Great American XC Festival
“Ella Nighbor ran a good slate of competitive races on courses with a challenging degree of difficulty. She led her team to the state title and was the state’s fastest finisher at Brooks South. My vote for Gatorade Player of the Year would be for her.”
John Olson
editor - MileSplit SC

Athletic Excellence

The 5-foot-6 senior broke the tape at the Class AAAAA state meet with a time of 17:37.78, leading the Blue Eagles to the team title. Nighbor was the state’s top finisher at the Hare & Hounds Invitational (9th), the Brooks XC South Regional Championships (17th) and the Great American XC Festival (20th). Her winning time at the Bob Jenkins York County Championships came in a personal-best 17:26.2.

Academic Achievement

Nighbor has maintained a weighted 5.52 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a written letter of athletic aid to run at the University of South Carolina this fall.

Exemplary Character

A Student Ambassador and a peer tutor at her school, Nighbor has volunteered locally on behalf of the Imagine Church Youth Group, Operation Christmas Child and the Salvation Army. In addition, she’s participated in the AMC Math Competition and qualified for the National Association of Teachers Regional as a singer. Nighbor has also donated her time to the Lake Wylie Athletic Association.