There’s no coasting, no settling for Western Dubuque’s Audrey Biermann

EPWORTH — From a competition standpoint, this has been a “dead week” for the Western Dubuque High School girls’ track and field program.

From a training standpoint, it has been anything but.

“We don’t have any meets until next week, so we’re doing our most intense workouts right now,” said senior Audrey Biermann, the Bobcats’ sprinting ace.

Of course, Biermann isn’t one to coast. Or to settle.

Western Dubuque students are required to take one trimester of strength and conditioning per school year. Biermann takes three. And that doesn’t account for her time on the treadmill at home.

“That makes a big difference,” Western Dubuque Coach Josie Limmex said. “She doesn’t need to lift during practice, because she has already done it during the day.”

Biermann’s physical — and mental — strength was evident at last year’s state meet, where she won three Class 3A individual championships (100, 200, 400) and anchored the Bobcats’ winning sprint medley relay.

In the 400, she ran down Carlisle star Ainsley Erzen — who has since signed with the University of Arkansas — and won it in 55.80 seconds.

“(Erzen) is an amazing runner,” Biermann said. “My adrenaline really hit as I got to the last 100. I was going to give it all I had.”

Limmex said, “Audrey was so happy when she won that 400. She had been second (to Erzen) at Drake. Audrey said, ‘(Erzen) got the flag, but I’m going to get the (state) medal.’”

“Audrey was just so strong. That last 200, she knew it was going to hurt, but she’ll push her body to the limit.”

Biermann won the 100 in 12.37 seconds, the 200 in 25.17.

The 100/200/400/sprint medley is Biermann’s likely state program again.

“I think it would be cool to reclaim all of my titles,” she said. “Coach wants me to try the 800, and I want to try the 400 hurdles once.

“My times are better now than last year, so that’s good news.”

Good news for her. Bad news for those trying to chase her down.

If you don’t follow the sport closely (and maybe if you do), you would think Biermann came out of nowhere last season.

As a freshman, she finished seventh in the 4A 400 in 2019.

“We knew she was going to be special,” Limmex said. “Her freshman year, we were a tiny school in 4A.”

Then came 2020, and a season wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Her sophomore year, Audrey got one indoor meet,” Limmex said. “When we came back from COVID, we were a big 3A school against completely new teams. She was our ace in the hole.”

And that ace had gotten stronger.

“I had a whole year to work on my strength,” Biermann said.

She gets her strength in the weight room. And she gets her endurance base from cross country; Biermann was the Bobcats’ No. 4 runner last fall as they finished fourth in the 3A team standings.

“Cross country is such a mental sport, and in the 400 you need mental toughness, too,” she said.

In the summer, it’s softball. Biermann was the starting left fielder for the Bobcats’ state-title team last year.

Next year, she’ll enroll at the University of Iowa. Her dream school.

“I’ve always been a Hawkeye fan,” she said. “When they reached out to me for track, I was so shocked.

“I needed to go on a visit as soon as possible. That’s the place I had wanted to go for so long.”

In the meantime, it’s a pursuit of more state medals. Senior Sammy Recker and sophomore Brynn Walters also return from that sprint-medley title foursome.

And Biermann is that ace at the end.

“She’s ready to go, and she’s hungry,” Limmex said.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com