Allyson Felix presents Gatorade’s top high school sports awards at 2026 ESPYs

Allyson Felix returned to the ESPY stage on July 15, 2026 to present Gatorade’s top high school sports awards in New York City.

What happened at the 2026 ESPYs?

Grady Emerson and Maddie DiMaria were named Gatorade’s 2025-26 Best Male and Best Female Players of the Year. The honors were handed out live at the 2026 ESPY Awards in New York City. Former winners Jayson Tatum and Allyson Felix took the stage to present the trophies.

Emerson, a standout shortstop from Fort Worth Christian High School in Texas, was selected second overall in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft this week. DiMaria, a two-time Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year from Cor Jesu Academy in Missouri, will play at the University of North Carolina next spring.

Why Allyson Felix was center stage again

It marked Felix’s second time presenting Gatorade’s top award at the ESPYs. The nine-time Olympic medalist joined Tatum to celebrate the next wave of American talent. The ceremony capped a multi-day Gatorade Player of the Year experience in New York City.

For more than 20 years, Gatorade has handed out the Best Male and Best Female Player of the Year Award to the nation’s top high school athletes. Past winners include Paige Bueckers, Bobby Witt Jr., Morgan Brian, Cooper Flagg and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

What the winners bring to their sports

Emerson signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at the University of Texas this fall. He led his high school team while posting gaudy offensive numbers and earning All-State honors. Scouts pegged him as a potential cornerstone for the Longhorns’ lineup.

DiMaria claimed her second Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award in 2025. She led her team to a state championship while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. The Tar Heels secured her commitment early, locking in one of the most coveted recruits in the 2027 class.

What comes next for the Gatorade legacy

Jennifer Schmit, Gatorade’s Senior Director of Brand Marketing, called Emerson and DiMaria “the next generation of leaders who will pave the future of sport.” The brand flew the dozen 2025-26 Gatorade National Players of the Year to New York for an exclusive multi-day celebration.

Emerson and DiMaria join an alumni group that has produced dozens of Division I athletes and professional draft picks. Their trophies now sit beside those of past winners who have gone on to star in college and the pros.