Kristin Schatzlein Named Gatorade Connecticut Player of the Year

Tolland High School senior Kristin Schatzlein has been selected as the Gatorade Connecticut Girls Basketball Player of the Year, a first for the school.

The award honors athletic excellence, as well as academic performance and outstanding character, according to the Gatorade press release.

"She's a great basketball player and a great kid," said girls basketball coach Rocco Sansone. "I've watched her grow over the course of four years, and we all knew that she was going to be the best player to ever come out of Tolland."

Schatzlein has had a remarkable high school basketball career. She has been selected for All-Conference four times and named to All-State her junior year by both the New Haven Register and Hartford Courant, according to the release.

Currently, she's averaging 18.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 4.2 steals and 1.7 blocked shots, Sansone said.

However, he added that despite her sucess, Schatzlein is very much focused on playing as a part of a team.

"She's a team player, through and through," he said.

Schatzlein also maintains a B average, volunteers at youth basketball programs and has participated in diabetes research fundraisers.

She will be playing at Fairfield University this fall. 

The Eagles will play against Ellington in the Class M semifinals, Friday, March 9 at 7 p.m. at East Catholic High School in Manchester.