Six-time Gatorade POY Brooklyn Biancamano commits to Arkansas
LONG BEACH, Miss. (BVM) — Mississippi has seen its fair share of running stars. Brooklyn Biancamano has proven to be one of them, and she’s aiming to continue her dominance at the University of Arkansas.
Since the seventh grade, Biancamano has been running for the Long Beach Bearcats. She started as a soccer player, but coaches saw her speed and suggested she take up cross country and track. It was a career-altering move for Brooklyn and since then, her dominance has been on full display.
Standing at 5-foot-4, Biancamano has won six combined (four in cross country, two in track and field) Gatorade running awards. That ties Olympian Cory McGee for Mississippi’s record for most decorated Gatorade Player of the Year honoree.
“Cory is from one town over,” Brooklyn’s mother and coach Erin Biancamano said. “Cory has offered a lot of advice to Brooklyn as her career progresses. She has been so kind to Brooklyn.”
Along with keeping her title as Gatorade Arkansas Cross Country Player of the Year, Brooklyn helped lead the Long Beach Bearcats to a fourth-place finish at the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A State XC championships. During the competition, Brooklyn set a course record, running a time of 18:03.6.
“Now a six-time Gatorade winner, Brooklyn has matched the record for Mississippi’s most decorated Gatorade Player of the Year honoree,” Erik Boal from runnperspace.com said in a Gatorade press release. “The last person not named Brooklyn Biancamano to win a 5A title in the state did so in 2016. Let’s just, I’m looking forward to her out track campaign.”
The five-time state champion also ran Mississippi’s best time (18:00.38) at the Jesse Owens Classic in 2021. Following these accomplishments, Brooklyn was also named the 2021 Clarion-Ledger Athlete of the Year for all-girls sports.
“She is always out in front when she races in Mississippi,” Erin said. “Having her race in those national races presents her with new challenges and exposure she doesn’t get at the local level.”
Brooklyn could have broken McGee’s record already, but due to COVID-19, she couldn’t participate in her sophomore season of track and field. Any athlete could let that defeat them, but not Brooklyn. She persevered and continued to compete and push forward. Her accomplishments this season have proved that.
Even with her spectacular athletic accomplishments, Brooklyn has also done well in the classroom. She’s maintained a 5.48 weighted GPA which puts her at the No. 1 spot in her class.
With Brooklyn accomplishing so much in her prep career, she has a lot to look forward to at the next level. The Mississippi standout has committed to the University of Arkansas and will set foot on campus this fall.
“She is motivated,” Erin said. “She aims to run in college and hopefully can have a running career post-college.”
Brooklyn has a long and successful career ahead of her, and she can do anything she sets her mind to. And as the track and field season approaches, Brooklyn will be eyeing McGee’s record. It will be a special occasion if Brooklyn breaks that record. But the best is yet to come for her.
