WHS's Prestridge Named Gatorade Oklahoma Girls Basketball Player of the Year

 

WESTMOORE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-ATHLETE NAMED GATORADE OKLAHOMA GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

 

CHICAGO (March 13, 2026) — In its 41st year celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Kyiah Prestridge of Westmoore High School is the 2025-26 Gatorade Oklahoma Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

 

Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. The award recognizes Prestridge as Oklahoma’s best high school girls basketball player, and she joins an elite legacy that spans professional athletes and coaches to CEOs, such as Candace Parker (2002-03 & 2003-04, Naperville Central High School, IL) Paige Bueckers (2020-21, Hopkins High School, MN) and Aaliyah Chavez (2024-25, Monterey High School, TX).

 

At the time of her selection, the 6-foot-1 senior guard/forward had led the Jaguars to a 22-5 record this season and a berth in the 6A state tournament. Prestridge averaged 21.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.9 assists through 27 games. She also averaged 1.7 blocks and shot 54.6 percent from the floor through the Area round of the postseason.

 

Prestridge has volunteered locally at a food bank, as a youth basketball coach and as a youth referee in the Moore Public Schools district. She has also donated her time to the Moore Love Campaign to promote community outreach and unity. “Kyiah is a tough matchup because she’s a true three-level scorer with a strong build that allows her to play through contact,” said Kennedi Simien, head coach at Putnam City West High School. “She plays the game with a lot of confidence, which makes her very dangerous when the ball is in her hands. On top of that, she’s a competitor who’s willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

 

Prestridge has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a written letter of athletic aid to play basketball at the University of Arkansas this fall.

 

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. 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 winners in each sport.

 

As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.

 

To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade, Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY and X(Twitter) at x.com/Gatorade.