Isaac McKneely and Isaac Traudt Named Gatorade Players of the Year

Traudt was named the Player of the Year in Nebraska while McKneely won the award in West Virginia for the second year in a row

Two incoming Virginia men's basketball commits were recognized as the Gatorade Boys Basketball Players of the Year in their respective states. Isaac Traudt was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Nebraska, while Isaac McKneely was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in West Virginia. 

This is the 37th year that Gatorade has been presenting the annual awards to each state's best high school athletes in various sports. The award "recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court." 

In his senior season at Grand Island Senior High School, Isaac Traudt averaged 23.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game and led his team to the district semifinals. Traudt is the third player from Grand Island to be selected as the Gatorade Nebraska Boys basketball Player of the Year. 

You can read the full press release for Traudt's selection here: Isaac Traudt Named Gatorade Nebraska Boys Basketball Player of the Year

This is the second year in a row that Isaac McKneely has been named the Gatorade West Virginia Boys Basketball Player of the Year. McKneely is averaging 20.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game this season and has led his team to a 23-1 record and a bid to the AA State Tournament. 

You can read the full press release for McKneely's selection here: Isaac McKneely Named Gatorade West Virginia Boys Basketball Player of the Year

Both Traudt and McKneely are now finalists for the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award, which will be announced later in March. In the Tony Bennett era, the Virginia men's basketball program has had 10 commits named Gatorade Players of the Year. 

Traudt and McKneely join fellow four-star commits Leon Bond and Ryan Dunn in UVA's recruiting class of 2022, set to arrive on Grounds this fall. 

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