Ruby Ihmels, '24-25 Gatorade North Dakota Girls Cross Country Player of the Year
Ruby Ihmels, a sophomore, competing for Bismarck Century High School in Bismarck, ND, has been awarded the Gatorade North Dakota Girls Cross Country Player of the Year 2024-2025 for outstanding performance in cross country.
At BIO Girls, our mission is to build self-esteem in young girls through empowerment, physical activity, and mentorship. We are honored to be the chosen recipient of a $1,000 grant from the Gatorade Player of the Year Community Grant program, awarded by Ruby Ihmels.
Ruby joins a prestigious group of Gatorade Player of the Year recipients who not only excel in their sport but also give back to their communities.
“I chose BIO Girls for my Gatorade XC Player of the Year Grant because I wanted to donate to a local charity that is making a difference for young girls in the Midwest. I love the values BIO Girls is built on and the commitment to empowering girls through leadership opportunities. The lessons of gratitude, perspective, mental wellness and more are helping form a strong new generation of girls, and I’m grateful to be a part of inspiring the next strong group of women!"
Congratulations to Ruby on this recognition and award. BIO Girls is grateful to be selected by her to receive a grant to further programming in our region.
Through this generous grant, BIO Girls will be able to expand our reach, providing more resources and opportunities for young girls to develop confidence and resilience.
BIO Girls, Inc. has now received six Play it Forward grants from Gatorade Player of the Year athletes:
Ruby Ihmels (Bismarck, ND) - Cross Country (2024-2025)
Noah Breker (Plymouth, MN) - Cross Country (2022-2023)
Noah Breker (Plymouth, MN) - Cross Country (2021-2022)
Meghan Ford (Jamestown, ND) - Cross Country (2020-2021)
Meghan Ford (Jamestown, ND) - Cross Country (2019-2020)
Abby Duchsherer (Kindred, ND) - Basketball (2019-2020)
Thank you to these athletes for their generosity in supporting our mission-driven work.
To learn more about the program, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.
