Penn State football running back commit Nicholas Singleton has been named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

The award is presented annually by Gatorade to recognize “student-athletes not only for outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character.” Earlier this month, Singleton was named Gatorade’s Player of the Year in the state of Pennsylvania and a finalist for the national award.

Singleton joins an impressive list of previous winners that includes Emmitt Smith, Peyton Manning, and Kyler Murray. He is the first future Nittany Lion to ever earn the national award.

Giants running back and Penn State legend Saquon Barkley surprised Singleton with the news during a private Zoom call, early Tuesday morning.

Barkley commended Singleton’s football accomplishments, but stressed the impact was not exclusive to the gridiron.

“It’s the way you attack the classroom. It’s the way you’re active in your community,” Barkley said to Singleton. “I know personally going to Penn State, that’s something that is also going to be instilled in you from Coach Franklin down on.”

The five-star recruit was surrounded also by his Governor Mifflin teammates and family, who he was quick to thank after the award’s presentation.

Receiving the award is a fitting conclusion to a dominant season of football for Singleton. The soon-to-be Nittany Lion rushed for 2,043 yards and scored 44 total touchdowns, with an unbelievable average of 12.4 yards per attempt.

Earlier this season, Singleton even posted a performance characterized by 330 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on only 15 carries. His record-breaking season saw him take Berks County’s career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns crown.

Singleton is one of Penn State’s top-ranked recruits in the Class of 2022. He’s earned the position of 247Sports’ highest ranked running back prospect in the country.

The running back is expected to officially sign his National Letter of Intent to play for Penn State at 3 p.m. this Wednesday.