The Times Athlete of the Week: Drive for lower times, Taylor Swift, wings from Chix fuel Streator’s Abby Pierce

With 149 of 319 total votes cast, Streator girls track and field’s Abby Pierce is The Times Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Northern Insurance Group, LTD; Jim Boes Services; and Christian Reynolds American Family Insurance.

Also on the ballot were runner-up Aiden Mucci (Ottawa baseball), Taylor Cuchra (Marquette softball) and Hunter Pavia (Sandwich baseball).

Pierce pocketed a pair of victories at a five-team outdoor meet hosted by Ottawa, finishing first in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, then went the opposite direction on Route 23 a few days later and scored four individual wins in a meet at Pontiac.

Here is a Q&A with this week’s winner:

You’ve excelled in the hurdles, the sprints and the 400. What is your favorite event to compete in, and why?

Pierce: My favorite event is probably the 300-meter hurdles. I love running this event, because it is a mix of a longer sprint race and a hurdle race. It is a fun and competitive event because you have time to beat someone out at the end if it is a close race because of the final 100-meter stretch.

What have been some of your favorite track and field facilities to compete in during your high school career (outdoor or indoor)?

Pierce: Outdoor, I have loved competing at Geneseo. Their track is a very updated facility with good equipment. Indoor, I like competing at Illinois Wesleyan University because I am familiar with the facility because I run club track there.

What was it like competing last month in the Illinois Top Times Meet, commonly considered Illinois’ indoor state meet?

Pierce: It was really exciting to compete because I was able to see how my times have improved compared to last year’s times. I was nervous, but I was able to see a lot of my friends from club track, so it was very fun to compete as well.

How did you first get into track and field?

Pierce: I started sprinting in eighth grade because I wanted to give it a try. I continued track and field my freshman year of high. school.

What is your favorite local restaurant and your favorite meal to order there?

Pierce: I like Chix. I order the boneless wing snack with hot sauce and a breadstick.

What are a few songs you put on to get amped up before a big meet?

Pierce: Anything Taylor Swift.

Is there a fact about you that might surprise people who only know you through sports?

Pierce: Probably that I focus on school a lot, because they never see me during school or working on school work.

What goals do you have for yourself this season, both as a team and individually?

Pierce: I have goals to run the qualifying state time for both the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles and make it back to the state meet. As a team, I hope we are able to continue improving and competing hard at the upcoming meets.

Do you have any college plans yet? If so, do they involve sports?

Pierce: Yes, I am going to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and I am running track and field at this school. I plan to major in kinesiology.