Giuliana Ligor of North Reading High School was recently announced as the 2023-24 Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Track & Field Player of the Year. Ligor is the first Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Track & Field Player of the Year to be chosen from North Reading High School. The award, which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community, distinguishes Ligor as Massachusetts’ best high school girls track & field athlete. 

A rising senior, Ligor was MVP of the North Reading High School Track and Field Team over the past two years and was the Cape Ann League Athlete of the Year and the Massachusetts Track and Field Athlete of the Year.  She holds several school records from 200 meters up to 800 meters including hurdles and multi-events,  is an All American in the Pentathlon and recently set the all time New England Record at the state Meet of Champions for the 400 Meter Hurdles at 58.97 seconds. She ranked No. 8 nationally among competitors this past spring and in addition to winning the 400 hurdles also won the 400-meter dash, leading the Hornets to the state title. 

Ligor was recently named one of the Captains of the team for the 2024-2025 season by Coach Sotirios Pintzopoulos who describes Giuliana as a “determined hard working athlete with a humble yet driven athletic demeanor which her peers and rivals respect.”   Ligor excels in the classroom as well and volunteers her time for several youth based activities.  In commenting on her award, Steve Sawyer of Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School said “ She’s a multi-event athlete who competes at a very high level in so many events.  She’s not afraid to challenge herself and always finishes her races with strength and speed”.

As part of the award, every Gatorade Player of the Year receives a grant to donate to a nonprofit organization of their choice. Ligor selected the TOPSoccer program where she has volunteered as a Buddy over the past several years. TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community based program that provides a constructive and accommodating soccer experience for children and young adults ages 4 to 19, with cognitive and/or physical needs.  Each athlete is partnered with a high school student (Buddy), who comes alongside them and supports them in accessing the game. TOPS provides opportunities for fun, fitness, development, friendships with other athletes and Buddies and building community through soccer.  TOPS has been run through and supported by North Reading Youth Soccer since its inception in 2015.  In the past year North Reading has partnered with Andover to further expand access and programming.  The program currently has over 50 buddies and over 50 players participating.

For Ligor, being named the Gatorade Player of the Year is a great honor, but being able to give back to the community has made it that much more awarding, “I have been a buddy for TOPS over the years, and it makes me so happy to watch the kids faces when they play soccer. For me, it is great to give back to others who may not otherwise have an opportunity to participate.”

“TOPS is incredibly honored that Giuliana selected us for this award.  The Buddies are the anchor of our program. They typically join the program to earn volunteer hours and very quickly realize they have embarked on the experience of a lifetime.  Many long lasting buddy/player friendships are made each season. We are so thankful for Giuliana’s incredible contribution as a Buddy and now as an accomplished athlete, selecting TOPS to receive this grant. Her legacy will live on in our TOPS program, as well as on the track. The program has been focused on accessibility and this donation means we will be able to ensure access for even more children by purchasing much needed equipment including beep soccer balls, visual cuing equipment and adaptive technology for wheelchair users” said Program Director for TOPSoccer Ann Suny.

“This is one of those moments when you realize that the TOPS program is obviously for the participants and their families, yet is for the buddies and the volunteers as well. To have someone think of TOPS which is  a part of North Reading Youth Soccer, as the charity to receive this grant, is really meaningful and is truly a great gift not only for the program but for the entire North Reading soccer community” said Becky Riley, President of the North Reading Youth Soccer Board.