Tatum David is en route to a record-breaking 3200m performance at the 2023 state championship
CHICAGO (June 28, 2023) - In its 38th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, Gatorade today
announced Tatum David of Olney (Richland County) High School is the 2022-23 Gatorade Illinois Girls Track & Field
Player of the Year. David is the first Gatorade Illinois Girls Track & Field Player of the Year to be chosen from
Richland County High School.
The 5-foot-6 senior won Class 2A individual state titles in the 1600 and 3200-meter events this past season and
earned top 10 national rankings in four events. David clocked the nation's fastest 3200 by a prep girl in 2023 at the
Herrin Girls Invite, breaking the tape in 9:48.94 and setting a new state record. She broke another state record, this
time in the mile, with a second-place finish at the Brooks PR Invitational in 4:35.87. Her personal best time of
2:05.29 in the 800 this season ranks No. 2 in state history among prep girls. She also ran the fastest indoor mile in
state history this year, clocking a 4:38.80 to finish second at New Balance Nationals in March.
David has volunteered for the state attorney general's office completing clerical work at her local courthouse. She's
also donated her time with the annual Little Tiger Track Meet in Olney and on behalf of Good Samaritan food
drives, distributing Thanksgiving turkeys to underserved families in association with Meat Artisan. In addition to
collecting and delivering stuffed animals to Masters Hands, Inc., a thrift store, David has served as a member of her
school's UNICEF Club, One Tiger Nation Club, and Pep Club.
David has maintained a 5.09 weighted GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of
Intent to compete on scholarship at the University of Virginia this fall.
David joins recent Gatorade Illinois Girls Track & Field Players of the Year Ali Ince (2021-22, Normal Community
High School), Jayden Ulrich (2020-21, East Alton-Wood River High School), and Katelynne Hart (2019-20 & 2018-
19, Glenbard West High School), among the state's list of former award winners.
