Will Gipson runs the state – and takes the annual sweep of the BLITZ awards with Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors coming after the fall season in which he also won XC Runner of the Year. He won a pair of state titles at add to his resume this spring, and for that is wins also the top BLITZ honors.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

2x State Titles – 1600, 3200
2x Region Titles – 1600, 3200
1600 PR: 4:30.04
3200 PR: 10:03.79

Will Gipson excelled on the biggest stages. He won the 1600 and 3200 both at region and state, and has a 1600-best time of 4:30, and had a 3200 PR of 10:03 as well.

VOTING RESULTS

1. Will Gipson – 92.5 pts (17 1st-place votes)
2. Tucker Davis – 50.5 pts (2)
3. Ryan Anderson – 48.25 pts (2)
4. Jaylen Glover – 35 pts
5. Witt Windham – 14.5 pts
6. Holden Payne – 10.5 pts
7. Eli Hamil – 6 pts

Voting included our 21-person panel made up of sports reporters, writers, video producers, former coaches, players, GHSA officials, and sports experts. The voting is Heisman-style, with the following points system:
1st place votes: 5 pts; 2nd: 3 pts; 3rd: 2 pts; 4th: 1 pts; 5th-6th: 0.5 pts; 7th-8th 0.25 pts

Gipson won by a landslide with 17 of the 21 1st-place votes. Tucker Davis and Ryan Anderson each had a pair of top tallies as well.

HISTORY OF TRACK & FIELD AOY

• 2026 – Will Gipson – Franklin County SR
• 2025 – Michael Roberts – Jefferson SR
• 2024 – Wyatt Windham – Lumpkin County JR
• 2023 – Sean Hughes – White County SR
• 2022 – Matthew Schroeder – Jefferson SR
• 2021 – Malaki Starks – Jefferson JR
• 2020 – Shannon Segars – Commerce SR
• 2019 – Eli Morris – Jefferson SR
• 2018 – Guy Gober – Rabun County JR
• 2017 – Zatrick Pearce – Tallulah Falls SR
• 2016 – Jay Acker – Commerce SR
• 2015 – Austin Pierce – Lumpkin County JR
• 2014 – Charlie Woerner – Rabun County SO
• 2013 – DiKerrio Ramsey – Commerce SR
• 2012 – Jocquise Lloyd – Hayesville SR
• 2011 – Taylor Guthrie – Lumpkin County SR
• 2010 – Andrew Seay – Habersham Central SR

Gipson is the first from Franklin County to win the hardware, and is only the fourth distance runner to claim it.

WHO WILL WIN IT NEXT YEAR?

---