Warrior Run High School junior Hannah Rabb continues to celebrate her recent golf victory as she visits colleges and balances a heavy course load.
Rabb won the PIAA Class 2A girls golf championship Oct. 18, scoring 144 in the two-day state championship.
Warrior Run girls golf coach Rodney Keiser said this wasn’t the first time Rabb received a medal at the state level.
“Hannah is a three-time medalist at states,” Keiser said. “She was the state champion this year and was second place her freshman year.”
Rabb said she started golfing at a young age.
“I’ve been playing golf since I was five. My grandpa and dad both played a lot,” she said. “They took me to an LPGA tournament in New Jersey, and afterward I asked to start lessons. I started playing in tournaments when I was nine or ten.”
Rabb’s dedication on the golf course, her academic achievements — including a 3.9 GPA — and her commitment to bettering the community are why she was selected as The Daily Item’s Scholar-Athlete of the Week, sponsored by SUN Orthopedics of Evangelical, as well as PPL Electric Utilities.
The award honors local student-athletes who thrive in the classroom, in the community and on Valley playing fields.
Rabb stays dedicated to a sport that isn’t always easy, her coach said.
“Golf is a funny sport. One day it works, and the next day it doesn’t, but Hannah stays focused and works hard,” Keiser said.
Keiser said Rabb is not only a great athlete, but also a devoted leader on the team.
“I’d take a whole team of Hannah’s,” he said. “She’s a great leader on the team, she’s enthusiastic and encourages her teammates. She gives inspirational speeches before we head out.”
Rabb’s commitment to success does not stop on the golf course but continues in the classroom as well. Rabb said her schedule this year is packed with honors courses, but she has been able to maintain her high GPA.
Rabb is a member of Warrior Run’s chapter of the National Honor Society and of the student council. She is also the vice president of DECA, which she said is a business club.
Despite her already busy schedule, Rabb finds time to get involved in the community. She and her family volunteer with Operation Christmas Child.
“My family and I go to Baltimore and stuff shoe boxes with toys and clothing for kids in our country and others,” she said. “We spend about eight hours packing boxes.”
Rabb said that she and her other golf friends raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.
“My golf friends and I raised money for 2 months for the Alzheimer’s Association,” she said. “We do it as a competition and then have a tournament where we play against each other. Then, we have a ceremony with those in charge of the association and we present them with a check.”
The experience has been rewarding, Rabb said. “We raised $200,000 among just the 12 of us. It feels good because the people are always grateful, and they tell us about the impact it will have on people.”
As she continues her junior year, Rabb is looking at her options for after graduation.
“I’m not sure what I want to major in, but I’m looking at different schools. I’m visiting the University of Delaware, James Madison University and others,” she said. “I really hope to play golf in college, so I’ve been talking to coaches.”
Keiser said Rabb’s success will only continue.
“Hannah’s already had a lot of success in life, but what impresses me the most is how humble she is,” he said. “She stays focused and works hard. She makes me look bad on the golf course.”