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Ransford Gyan’s remarkable journey from Ghana to perennial soccer power St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.) added another impressive accolade to the story this week, with the dynamic midfielder being named 2023-24 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
The surprise announcement came while Gyan competed in a youth soccer tournament in Tennessee, with his coaches and teammates joining in on the impressive achievement. To help add to the trophy celebration, USMNT star Christian Pulisic gave the next-generation talent a congratulatory call.
(Photo: Joe Greer, Courtesy of Gatorade)
It’s back-to-back Player of the Year nods for Gyan, who adds his name again to an impressive list of past winners—an all-star roster that has combined for over 12 National Championships and includes 13 MLS first-round draft picks.
And the selection over the half a million other student-athletes who play high school boys’ soccer, was more than well-deserved.
“Ransford Gyan is one of the most talented players to emerge from the high school soccer arena in the past decade,” noted J.R. Eskilson, National Analyst for PrepSoccer.com in a statement.
“A wizard with the ball at his feet, Gyan has that rare ability to create chances for his team in the blink of an eye. Lightning quick and sublimely skillful, he does things on a soccer pitch comparable to what you see at the professional level. Playing with a target on his back all season as the reigning Gatorade Boys Soccer National Player of the Year, Gyan raised his game and found multiple ways to help his team win even though he was regularly surrounded by a handful of defenders. The left-footed maestro delivered a masterpiece performance in his final high school season.”
Gyan was equally valuable outside the lines. He was involved with everything from volunteering on behalf of Newark’s St. Mary’s Parish Toussaint Food Pantry to coaching young athletes in association with the CSA Newark Roots Program—all while maintaining a 3.68 GPA in the classroom.
It’s that type of overall resume that caught the attention of Gatorade, with Gatorade president and general manager Michael Del Pozzo noting that “Ransford won the top award in high school sports because he is someone who is a leader in all facets of his life.”
What’s next on the journey?
The soccer standout now heads off to Clemson, where he’ll help build on a nationally ranked Tigers squad that won the program’s fifth ACC Championship and a fourth National Championship in 2023.
(Photo: Joe Greer, Courtesy of Gatorade)
Editors note: This article has been updated to show that Clemson won the ACC championship in 2023.