MIA BARELA OF LAS CRUCES NAMED THE GATORADE NEW MEXICO GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Gatorade announced Mia Barela of Las Cruces High School is the 2024-25 Gatorade New Mexico Girls Soccer 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 success on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The award distinguishes Barela as New Mexico’s best high school girls soccer player, and she joins an impressive group of alumni that spans CEOs, coaches and star athletes such as Morgan Gautrat (2010-11, Frederica Academy, Ga.), Mallory Swanson (2014-15, Mountain Vista High School, Colo.), Kennedy Fuller (2022-23 & 2021-22, Southlake Carroll High School, Texas).
The 5-foot-2 senior midfielder and forward led the Bulldawgs to a 19-3 record and the Class 5A state final this past season. Barela scored 31 goals and passed for 12 assists. She was involved in over half of her team’s goals this past season. A two-time District Player of the Year, she was the state’s sole United Soccer Coaches All-American selection. Barela has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics. She has also donated her time to her school’s food pantry. “Mia is a generational talent, a great student and an even better teammate and person,” said Santiago Mesa, head coach of Mayfield High School. “Coaching against her has been a privilege and a pain considering what she does on the field. What impresses me most about her is her work ethic, her dedication to her craft, her resilience and, most importantly, her humility through it all.” Barela has maintained a 4.04 weighted GPA in the classroom. She has signed a written letter of athletic aid to play soccer at the University of New Mexico this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states across 12 different high school sports – football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field – and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. 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 state 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 $5.6 million in grants to winners across more than 2,000 organizations.
