Worthington's Hannah McNab is this week's Peak Performer

WORTHINGTON — This week’s Peak Performer is Worthington High School senior Hannah McNab.

McNab is a shortstop for the Trojans and is one of the team’s best hitters. She has a .545 batting average so far this year and hit her first career grand slam in the season opener against Waseca.

McNab played tennis at WHS and is involved in band, choir, swimming and National Honor Society. After high school, she plans to continue her softball career at Minnesota West.

Here are 10 questions to get to know Hannah McNab.

Question: Who introduced you to softball growing up?

Answer: “I got introduced because my sister played softball in her younger career and through her high school career, and my mom also played high school softball, so they just kind of brought me into it as they went along with summer ball teams.”

Q: What about softball appeals to you?

A: “I think something that appeals a lot is the team environment because everyone's just super nice and always there to support you. But then also that it's very competitive, not individually, but that you have to work together as a team.”

Q: How would you describe the type of player you are?

A: “I like to say that I'm aggressive, but I'm also a team player. I work with the girls really well, we all communicate super well. At the plate, I'd say I'm aggressive because I usually swing at the first and second pitch. And then on the field, agile, because I do my best to get to almost every ball I can.”

Q: What have been the biggest improvements in your game?

A: “I'd say teamwork. When I was younger coming up to varsity, it was definitely scary because you're the youngest on the team so I'd say that I didn't work the best with the other girls. But as you grow and get older and know that you have to work together, it's definitely something that's a key part of being a team.”

Q: How do you think your teammates would describe you?

A: “I think they describe me very loud. I'm always screaming in the dugout, always cheering on my teammates and then I also think (they describe me as) pretty funny and a team leader.”

Q: Who is your biggest role model and why?

A: “I think my biggest role model is probably my sister. She taught me mostly everything I know about softball. Obviously, coaches come in and help teach me the techniques, but she was the one who introduced me and always stood out there in the freezing, the rain, just always going out there to help me.”

Q: What was it like hitting your first grand slam?

A: “I guess I didn't know how to react. I hit the ball, and I always sprint to first because I never want to assume that it's going over. So I was running and I hadn't known that it went over ‘til I got to second base. And they're like, ‘Hannah, keep going.’ I'm like, ‘Oh, OK,’ so I guess I was kind of shocked.”

Q: What is the best advice you’ve received?

A: “Just to keep playing, no matter your attitude… Just battle through anything that you're going through.”

Q: Do you have any pregame rituals?

A: “As a team, we always wear a ribbon in our hair, which is I think a superstition for us, if we don't have it, that we don't play well. And something that we started this year, that we also did when I was in tennis, is we have a little prayer circle right before just thanking God that he brought us all here to play together to do our best.”

Q: Why did you decide to go to Minnesota West?

A: “Maddie Petersen goes there and she did quite a bit of convincing. And their coach, Keith Swenson, is a super nice guy and he's always there at our home games, always coming up to you after and talking to you saying how good you did, how much he wants you to be on the team, just always encouraging you. Originally, I didn't want to play in college, but I think all of their opinions toward it just made me decide that I wanted to keep going with it.”

To nominate someone as a potential Peak Performer feature, send an email to [email protected].