Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year: Hinsdale Central’s Catie McCabe capped record-setting career with two seconds at state

Before senior Catie McCabe began rewriting Hinsdale Central girls track and field records, she improved her racing focus using black Sharpies.

Toward the end of her sophomore season, her distance coach and father, Mark McCabe, suggested the Red Devils write motivational and tactical reminders on their arms.

“It kind of takes your mind off the race,” Catie McCabe said. “I’d write little mantras to just glance at during the race, before the race, about what we should be thinking. It only took like five minutes.”

With two Class 3A All-State performances May 20 at Eastern Illinois University, McCabe is the 2023 Suburban Life Newspapers Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

In the state finals, McCabe was a close second in the 1,600-meter run (4:53.32) by just .18 and anchored the second-place 4x400 relay with seniors Elyssa Chandler and Sarah Skora and freshman Lily Hodneland (season-best 3:56.75). An Indiana recruit, McCabe was second in the 800 in 2022 (2:14.21) at state and fourth in the 1,600 as a sophomore (4:52.23).

“I think the main thing [I’ve learned from track] is that you can always push yourself a little bit more,” McCabe said. “You just have to control your mind and put positive thoughts in there.”

Owning the outdoor and all-time school records for the 800 (2:12.03) and 1,600 (4:52.23) and both indoor records, McCabe probably is the greatest middle-distance runner in the program’s storied history. She’s run the No. 13 and No. 21 fastest 3A 1,600s at the girls state meet.

“Catie is first and foremost a gamer, a racer,” Mark McCabe said. “She’s what a college coach wants to see, the three things most important. Range. What she can do from the 400 up to a 5K. Consistency. Who brings it all of the time? And then [excelling] when it matters. She always brings it when it matters most.”

Of her three second-place state finishes, Catie McCabe twice was behind nationally rated Normal junior Ali Ince, who won the 800 in 2022 (2:10.22) and anchored this year’s 4x400 relay champions (3:53.83). In her final 1,600, McCabe was edged by Hersey senior Anna Harden (4:53.14).

“I know that I gave it all I had. Walking off the track, I could feel my best about what I had done,” McCabe said. “I’m definitely more than happy with a second place. Not that many people are getting firsts at the state meet.”

McCabe’s 800 record May 5 also broke the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet record. Her winning 800 at the indoor Silver Meet on March 17 proved quite memorable.

McCabe’s 2:13.90 broke the 2:14.04 indoor school record of older sister Grace, a 2018 graduate who ran at Iowa.

“We’d talk about that [record]. I called her before and after the race, so pretty soon we got in touch,” Catie McCabe said.

With Mark McCabe also her head coach in cross country, Catie McCabe was a three-time all-stater who helped the Red Devils achieve third-place trophies in 2019 and 2021. Yet she never ran the 3,200 in track.

“I’ve always liked the middle distances. I’ll probably try different events when I go to college,” McCabe said.

With no 2020 state track meet because of the pandemic, McCabe debuted impressively in 2021. After a lengthy thunderstorm delay, the 1,600 was held about 9:45 p.m. but with optimal racing conditions. McCabe was fourth with her school-record 4:52.23 behind the three fastest state times ever run. The personal breakthrough remains her proudest race.

“Not only was it her performance but with the three-hour delay doing everything to put herself at her best. And then running the time,” Mark McCabe said.

Numerous phrases on Catie McCabe’s arms based on coach McCabe’s Quotes of the Week became more prevalent. Some changed but two remained constant – Take a Risk and Heart on Fire.

“Those are two of his more favorite quotes,” McCabe said. “It would take a while to scrub it off when I got home.”

On Indiana’s team, McCabe will reunite with 2022 graduate Erin Milligan but faces some adjustments. She no longer will be coached by her parent as she has since middle school nor permitted to write on her arms for races.

“I really liked all of the [Indiana] coaches,” McCabe said. “Definitely it was something important to know that the athletes and coaches have good relationships.”