ST. LEON, Ind. — East Central High School running back Josh Ringer was named Wednesday as the 2023-24 Gatorade Indiana Football Player of the Year.
The award, which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community, distinguishes Ringer as Indiana’s best high school football player, according to a Gatorade news release.
Ringer graduated from East Central in December and is starting at Miami University at the end of January.
The statewide award arrives just a few weeks after the Miami University signee was named Indiana Mr. Football. He is the second player to win Indiana Mr. Football in East Central's 50-year football history.
Ringer, who is 6 feet 2 and 200 pounds, helped to lead East Central (15-0) to an undefeated season this year as the Trojans won their second straight Class 4A state title in late November. East Central became the first Indiana public school to repeat in 4A.
Ringer had 34 carries for 251 yards and three touchdowns in the Trojans' 42-14 win over NorthWood in the state final Nov. 25 at Lucas Oil Stadium. It marked the fourth state football title for East Central, which also won championships in 2022, 2017 and 1994.
Ringer rushed for 2,880 yards (10.3 yards per carry) and 55 touchdowns this season. He also had 13 receptions for 278 yards and five touchdowns.
“Josh Ringer is every coach’s dream," East Central coach Jake Meiners said in December. "He is not only the best football player that I have ever coached but also one of the best young men I have ever coached. On the field, he puts team success before any of his achievements."
Ringer is 14th all-time in Indiana in rushing yards (6,640 yards). He is ninth in state history with 708 points.
He is the school's all-time and single-season rushing yards leader. He's also the all-time program scoring leader and is No. 1 in career rushing yards, career touchdowns (118), season touchdowns (60), single-game touchdowns (7) and career points (70).
A volunteer at youth football camps and middle school football camps, Ringer has given speeches to youth teams about the sport. He is an announcer for East Central junior varsity and freshman football games.
He's been on the honor roll every semester of his high school career and is a National Honor Society member among other accolades.
"He has represented East Central High School on and off the field with high integrity and is more humble than one can even imagine," East Central athletic director Kevin Moore said. "He has set the bar high, but his success and the path it took to achieve what he did is something that we can use to push other athletes to get the most out of them. I'm truly proud of him and can't wait to see what his future holds."
