Hatboro-Horsham’s Brian DiCola named 2022-23 Gatorade Pa. Boys Track & Field Player of the Year

Hatboro-Horsham senior Brian DiCola did a lot of winning this spring. He won at the league level, he won at the district level and he won at the state level.

Last week, he received one of the top honors in the state for all of his winning.

Gatorade announced on June 29 that DiCola is the 2022-23 Gatorade Pennsylvania Boys Track & Field Player of the Year.

DiCola is the first Gatorade Pennsylvania Boys Track & Field Player of the Year to be chosen from Hatboro-Horsham High School.

The Penn State University commit had a record-breaking performance at the PIAA-3A state championships. He set a PIAA record when he won the 3200-meter in 8:47.39 on May 27 at Shippensburg University. He also took fourth place in the 1600-meter on May 26.

DiCola won two gold medals in the District 1-3A championships at Coatesville Area Senior High School. He won the 3200-meter in 9:09.03 and the 1600-meter in 4:14.78.

At the Suburban One League Liberty Division Championships at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School on May 13, DiCola finished first in the 1600-meter (4:22.60) and 3200-meter (9:45.41). He earned first team All-League honors for those two distances.

The 5-foot-10 145-pound DiCola took gold at the historic Penn Relays at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field. He won the mile in 4:11.23 on April 29.

DiCola returned to Franklin Field on June 18 for New Balance Nationals. He won the 5000-meter in 14:26.72 while finishing fourth in two events – the 1500-meter (3:50.76) and the mile (4:07.66).

Other notable performances this spring include his 4:06.58 1600-meter at the Jim Kelly Invitational on April 6 and his 4:04.14 mile at the HOKA Festival of Miles on June 1. Both times rank among the nation’s top 15 prep performances. The mile was the second-fastest time in history by a Pennsylvania prep.

The Gatorade award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field. DiCola maintained a weighted 4.75 GPA and volunteered locally as part of multiple community service initiatives through his school’s Key Club and National Honor Society. He has also donated his time to a pen pal program in association with a local elementary school.