Trending
HANOVERTON -- United High School state track champion Kaleb Nastari, the fastest prep half-miler in the country, takes all his success in stride.
Nastari received another award Thursday morning when he was named the 2022-23 Gatorade Ohio Boys Track and Field Player of the Year and is a finalist for the national award that will be announced in July.
United boys coach Jordan Wrask called Nastari as soon as he was informed of the honor.
"In typical Kaleb fashion, it was like, 'Oh thanks,' Wrask said. "Even though he doesn't show it, I think he takes pride in it because he displays it all in his room at home. I think he's run out of room."
The 5-foot-10, 150-pound standout set an all-time state-record repeating in the Division III 800-meter run in 1 minute, 48.31 seconds at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on June 3. He backed that up by winning the Boys Championship 800 meters national title at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Oregon in 1:49.25 on June 17.
"Kaleb Nastari proved to be predictably stellar in what is often the most unpredictable event in the sport," said Rich Gonzalez, editor of PrepCalTrack.com.
Nastari has volunteered locally as part of multiple community service initiatives through Ruritan National, a service club in small towns and rural areas.
"The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Nastari as Ohio's best high school boys track and field athlete," Gatorade said the announcement.
Nastari maintained a 3.88 grade-point average in the classroom. He received an athletic scholarship to Penn State University and will report for freshman orientation on Aug. 15-16.
"He's taking some time off, which is well deserved," Wrask said. "Then college life starts for him. I think he's excited to compete against the best."
Nastari added another win in the Emerging Elite mile at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in a personal-best 4:13.95.
At the state track meet, he also anchored two Golden Eagles relay teams to podium finishes -- fourth in the 1600-meter relay and sixth in the 3200-meter relay.
Nastari is the first United athlete to be honored in the 38 years Gatorade has been honoring high school athletes at the top of their game as teammates, supporting their communities and achieving academic success.
Canfield's two-time Division I state champion Nick Plant, whose state record was broken by Nastari, won the Ohio award last year.
Nastari set the Division III state record in the 800 meters six times and set school records in six different events this season.
"It's crazy for us that we've kind of grown accustomed to it," Wrask said. "We've gotten used to it. At little United, it's crazy."
Nastari is to receive a plaque, a banner and a grant through Gatorade's Play it Forward initiative to give to one of Gatorade's social impact partner.
"A couple of weeks ago the record box was down and getting updated with six records from this past season," Wrask said. "The big hope is when the new school goes up, something will be displayed. It's awesome and it's been fun."
Nastari gave United a season to remember forever. The Golden Eagles will start a new chapter next season.
"It's going to a low-key year, more of a usual year," Wrask said. "The sprints will be the strength next year. Everyone will be back.
"I'm excited to see how Wyatt Medure handles things (taking over for Nastari in the lineup). He sees his future is in track and I've had a couple of schools contact me already. It will be sort of like passing of the torch, although not the same."