Siblings Ruby and Wil Ihmels Award BIO Girls Grants Through Gatorade Partnership

Standout sibling student-athletes from Bismarck, N.D., have each awarded $1,000 Gatorade Player of the Year grants to BIO Girls, a regional nonprofit dedicated to improving adolescent girls' mental health through evidence-based empowerment programming.

All 610 Gatorade State Player of the Year recipients nationwide are awarded a grant to donate to a non-profit social impact partner of their choosing. To date, Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $5.6 million across more than 2,000 organizations. 

“The Gatorade Player of the Year award highlights student-athletes who set an example both on and off the field,” said Josh Lytel, Associate Marketing Manager for Gatorade Player of the Year. “The grants give these athletes a chance to donate to organizations like, BIO Girls, that positively impacts the youth in their own communities.”

BIO Girls delivers a 12-week program that blends physical activity, character development, and mentorship, helping girls in grades 2–6 build self-confidence and emotional resilience. BIO Girls now reaches more than 3,000 participants annually through over 120 program sites in the Midwest, providing girls with accessible, research-backed tools to support their emotional and mental well-being.

“We are incredibly grateful to Ruby and Wil for selecting BIO Girls as the recipient of their Gatorade Player of the Year grants. Their support reinforces the importance of investing in the next generation and highlights the power of youth uplifting youth. This generous gift will help us continue providing girls with the tools they need to grow in confidence, resilience, and self-worth.” – Missy Heilman, BIO Girls Founder & CEO

Ruby and Wil, siblings and students at Century High School, were named the 2025 Gatorade North Dakota Girls and Boys Cross Country Players of the Year, respectively. The prestigious Gatorade Player of the Year award honors not only athletic excellence, but also academic achievement and exemplary character. Each recipient is given the opportunity to direct a grant to a nonprofit of their choice—both Ruby and Wil chose BIO Girls.

This choice highlights the widespread impact of the BIO Girls’ mission, inspiring youth of all backgrounds who are committed to fostering confident, resilient communities. Wil, a senior, will continue his running career this fall at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Ruby Ihmels, a sophomore and the North Dakota Girls Cross Country Gatorade Player of the Year, has been a visible advocate for BIO Girls and its mission. “I chose BIO Girls for my Gatorade XC Player of the Year Grant because I wanted to donate to a local charity that is making a difference for young girls in the Midwest,” said Ruby Ihmels. “I love the values BIO Girls is built on and the commitment to empowering girls through leadership opportunities. The lessons of gratitude, perspective, mental wellness and more are helping form a strong new generation of girls, and I’m grateful to be a part of inspiring the next strong group of women.”

With the addition of these two grants, BIO Girls has now received a total of seven Gatorade Player of the Year grants—a testament to the organization’s growing impact and reputation for cultivating self-worth and leadership in young girls across the Midwest.