Matthew Shelly Named Gatorade Arkansas T&F POY

Matthew Shelly of Bentonville High School has been named the 2025 Gatorade Arkansas Boys Track and Field Player of the Year. The prestigious honor recognizes student-athletes not only for outstanding athletic achievements but also for academic excellence and exemplary character.

Shelly dominated the Arkansas 6A State Championships this spring, winning the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m, highlighted by strong marks of 4:13 and 9:14 in the latter two events. He capped off his season with standout performances at the RunningLane Track Championships, where he posted personal bests of 4:04.12 in the mile and 8:47.12 in the 3200m-earning a U.S. No. 7 national ranking in the latter.

Off the track, Shelly graduated with a 3.97 GPA on a weighted scale and is active in his community, volunteering as a youth track coach and participating in multiple service initiatives through his church.

The Arkansas state honor qualifies Shelly as a finalist for the Gatorade National Player of the Year award, which will be announced in the coming weeks. He will continue his academic and athletic career at Iowa State University this fall.

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