Loyola Blakefield's Dan Klink named Gatorade National Soccer Player of the Year
Dons' senior star was treated to surprise announcement on Friday morning
Loyola Blakefield senior soccer player Dan Klink, who is headed to the University of North Carolina in the fall, received quite a surprise Friday morning when he arrived on Loyola's Towson campus for what he believed was a retirement celebration for the school's longtime chaplain. To Klink's shock and joy, there was much more to celebrate.
With representives of Gatorade on hand, along with his parents, coaches, teammates and many other supporters, Klink learned he had been named the 2024-25 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
Nearly 30 minutes later, he was still struggling to articulate his reaction.
"Loss for words," Klink said in an exclusive video interview with High School On SI. "I am still having trouble processing it all being thrown at (me). It's an amazing - speechless. Can't ask for more.
“I walked through the back gates and, you know, seeing my dad there at the trophy, and then reading the trophy and seeing those guys start cheering," he added. "Processing it all with people clapping (was) an amazing feeling and it’s so surreal.”
Klink is no stranger to recognition from Gatorade. He won the 2023-24 and the 2024-25 Maryland Boys Soccer Player of the Year honors from the famous sports performance drink company, but Friday's honor takes things to an even higher level.
With Klink as the team's center-piece, Loyola has won 28 games over the last two seasons and back-to-back MIAA A Conference soccer championships. In addition to All-MIAA, All-Metro and All-State honors in each of the last two years, Klink is a two-time Maryland Association of Soccer Coaches Player of the Year and the 2024-25 United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Year.