Abree Winfrey, Canyon cross country, Jr.
On the course: It was a stellar weekend for Winfrey and her Lady Eagles team at the Lubbock ISD XC Invite last Saturday at Mae Simmons Park.
In more of a showcased regional preview, Winfrey held off Lexi Maul of Pampa to win the individual Class 4A race clocking a 2-mile course time of 11:50.8. Thanks to the juniors effort, and three of her teammates finishing in the top 10, Canyon won the Lubbock Invite as a team (27 points).
Winfrey is looking to punch her ticket back to the University Class 4A state cross country meet for a third straight year in November after third place finishes at state as a freshman and sophomore. Last May, Winfrey highlighted the UIL Class 4A state track and field meet winning gold in the 800 meter run and 300 meter hurdles.
Coach Ray Baca: “It’s a regional preview meet type meet, so it’s nice to see where you stack up. Overall the competition was good, and Abree ran a smart race. She finished strong which I liked to see. Her training is going really well and Saturday did a great job helping her confidence, and helping her build. We’re just happy with everything that she’s been doing. She has such a tremendous work ethic. I like to go back and average meets from the previous year. She’s 15 to 18 seconds faster than last year.”
Winfrey: “It was a great meet for my team and myself. I thought we really had a good mindset and we were ready for the challenge. I definitely thought it was one of the better races I’ve had. Lexi Maul from Pampa is such a great runner, and pushed me. I thought that was big for me. Our team has been making some improvements, and our goal is just to continue to improve and get better.”
About Winfrey
Favorite band or musician: Taylor Swift
Favorite social media platform: TikTok
Favorite athlete: Kenadee Winfrey
Bet you didn’t know: Abree and her family have four dogs, two horses, a cow, and 15 chickens.
Parents: Todd and Jennifer Winfrey
