Long before the 2026 Olympic games, dedicated athlete Sarah Warren was leaving behind her legacy at Hinsdale South. As a hardworking student and talented athlete, she balanced athletics and academics in a way that made her an irreplaceable member of the South community. Her time here not only shaped her success as an athlete, but set up the foundation for her many other accomplishments.
Sports at South
Warren ran indoor and outdoor track for most of her high school career and played varsity soccer during her senior year. When reflecting on her best sports experience at Hinsdale South, what stood out to Warren most was the sense of team culture and the closeness she experienced.
“I would have to say, making it to state for soccer,” Warren said. “It was so cool… We won the games we needed to win. [The team] was super close and so it was just a really, really fun experience”
“I had so much fun and ended up scoring in the state game. So that was unbelievable too, because I’m a defender [and] that usually doesn’t happen,” Warren said.
Her soccer career didn’t end there as she played on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Women’s Soccer Team for 5 years.
Beyond soccer, track was a major part of Warren’s high school experience. She still holds South’s record for the fastest girls’ 4x400m time and qualified for the state meet as a freshman. Warren credited Dr Bonner for helping her achieve successes in both track and in the classroom.
“It was funny because you see [Dr Bonner] as a teacher in physics, and then how into track he got and how much he made us believe in ourselves. Our 4 by 4 team was great because of Dr. Bonner,” Warren said.
Dr. Bonner remembered her as both a fierce competitor and a joyful presence on the team.
“When I heard she was going to the Olympics, I was just so proud of her,” Bonner said. “She was an absolutely tenacious worker toward her goals, and even more so a ferocious competitor. She definitely deserves and has earned every accomplishment that she has.”
Despite track not being her primary sport, Warren made an immediate impact.
“It was such a privilege to work with her,” Bonner said. “Track wasn’t her primary sport, or even her secondary sport, and she still broke two school records. It just speaks to how much of a student athlete she was.”
Beyond the times and records, Bonner recalled Warren’s personality as something that lifted up the entire team.
“She was always laughing, fun-loving, kind of a goofball,” he said. “But when it came time to work hard and compete, a switch happened.”
Academics and Influential Teachers
Despite the long hours she spent training for her various athletic commitments, Warren was a strong student academically. Her former World Studies teacher, Mr. Moretti recalled her discipline and commitment in the classroom.
“She obviously had to miss lots of time due to her training for the sport,” Moretti said. “…She maintained A’s in my class. I mean she was relentless about making sure she got her work done.”
He added that her discipline and work ethic were what stood out to him most. “She knew that there would be extra pressure to do the work outside of school, because of the sport, and she always got it done. It’s amazing actually.”
Bonner conveyed a similar message. “She was brilliant in the classroom,” he said. “You could see that from the degrees she’s gone on to pursue. She was the real deal.”
The teachers at South played an important role in Warren’s experience here, supporting her as she balanced her athletic goals without sacrificing her academics.
Clubs and Activities
Outside of sports Warren was actively involved in the South community in other ways. She participated in the Latin Club and also worked as a student athletic trainer.
“It’s awesome,” Warren said about the experience. “I’ve always been really interested in medicine and it was perfect because [of] how many injuries I had in the future, I knew kind of what to do.”
Warren has a complex history of ankle and knee surgeries, which we’ll dive into in “Sarah Warren: Start on the Ice”. But her first knee surgery is special because it’s what made her sports career possible and it’s what inspired her interest in medicine. Around age ten, Warren had horrible knee pain and was unable to run or play sports. Her parents were persistent in finding a way for their daughter to be able to play competitive sports and went to Dr. Brian Cole, the Bulls’ orthopedic surgeon, who was able to successfully perform a surgery that allowed Warren to get back into sports .
“I love sports. I love competing. It is part of my fabric and that almost was taken away at such a young age, which would completely have changed my life. So what Dr. Cole truly made my life better,” Warren said.
In addition to fixing her knee, Dr. Cole sparked Warren’s interest in bioengineering and medicine.
“I was like ‘I’m going to be just like him’ and ended up interning for him when I was in high school, so that was awesome,” said Warren. In college, Warren majored in Bioengineering at UIUC and went on to earn a master’s degree at Johns Hopkins.
From the start, Warren has been a hard worker in all aspects of her life and the South community is so excited to watch her succeed at the Olympics this Saturday!
