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“Hannah possesses a rare maturity, and has even since she was a freshman,” said Staples High head coach Amanda Parrish. “Her healthy, balanced attitude about training and racing has been inspirational.”
A senior at Staples, DeBalsi is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year Award. The winner will be announced later this month.
The award honors students for their athletic achievements as well as their academic accomplishments and personal character.
DeBalsi recently won her third consecutive New England Championship. Her time was 18:20.9. She also won the State Open with a time of 18:08 and the Class LL state title with 18:14. Additionally, she finished 12th nationally at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships.
Academically, DeBalsi has a 4.16 GPA and has served as a tutor for math and science. She has also volunteered on behalf of the Pequot Library and area road races.
DeBalsi has signed a National Letter of Intent to run at Stanford University this fall on an athletic scholarship.
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