ALAMOGORDO’S SYDNEY LESSENTINE NAMED GATORADE NEW MEXICO SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
In its 39th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Sydney Lessentine of Alamogordo High School is the 2023-24 Gatorade New Mexico Softball Player of the Year. Lessentine is the first Gatorade New Mexico Softball Player of the Year to be chosen from Alamogordo 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 Lessentine as New Mexico’s best high school softball player. From CEOs and coaches to star athletes, Gatorade Player of the Year winners showcase the power of sport, touting an all-star group of alumni that includes Amanda Freed (1997-98, Pacifica High School, Calif.), Cat Osterman (2000-01, Cypress Springs High School, Texas), Rachel Garcia (2014-15 & 2012-13, Highland High School, Calif.) and Ava Brown (2022-23 & 2021-22, Lake Creek High School, Texas).
The 5-foot-9 senior right-handed pitcher and second baseman led the Lady Tigers to a 27-5 record and a berth in the Class 5A state championship this past season. Lessentine compiled a 22-2 record in the circle with a 1.89 ERA in 152 innings. She struck out 259 batters against just 19 walks on her way to recording a 0.763 WHIP. She also batted .396 with seven home runs, 49 RBI and a 1.172 OPS. A four-time All-District selection, she made the 2024 New Mexico High School Coaches Association Senior All-Star Team at the end of the season.
Lessentine has volunteered locally with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and also provides pitching lessons to youth athletes. In addition, she’s donated her time at a community thrift store. “She’s hands-down the best pitcher in the state,” said Mike Lopez, head coach at Silver High School. “Her delivery is effortless. She has a complete arsenal of pitches.”
Lessentine has maintained a 3.93 weighted GPA in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball on scholarship at Texas A&M this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.
Lessentine joins recent Gatorade New Mexico Softball Players of the Year Faith Aragon (2022-23 & 2021-22, Carlsbad High School), RyLee Crandall (2020-21, Artesia High School) and Brianna Gallegos (2019-20, Rio Rancho High School), among the state’s list of former award winners.
