IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center—or the “Rec Center” as it’s known—was electric. Packed with athletes and fans, the facility hosted competitors representing 35 schools across Iowa for a crucial two-day meet. This was the championship event, the culmination of year-long training, and the ultimate test of dedication.
Twenty minutes down the road from the familiar quiet of her hometown, Solon Junior Madelyn Elkins was one of a small handful of athletes carrying the unique banner of a co-op program, showing her gift under the intense stadium lights.
Elkins competes under the uniform of Iowa City High, a partnership that has become a lifeline for Solon swimmers and divers seeking a high-level competitive program. While she wears the orange and black hawk, the program has become a melting pot of talent from different schools, all united by their shared commitment to the pool. For Elkins, the co-op dynamic has been seamless, fostering the kind of environment that breeds success and enjoyment.
“Everybody is really chill and happy,” Madelyn says with a genuine smile as her Iowa City High teammates watch in the distance. She adds, “I like meeting new people and… everybody’s just super nice.” This sense of collective joy and belonging was recently highlighted as her favorite memory so far: “Probably this year we had like a team on fire and everybody was just really chill and happy. That was great.”
Iowa City High Coach Mandi Kowal confirmed that integrating Solon athletes like Elkins works incredibly well.
“Solon kids generally are really into sport and they know what it means to commit to a sport,” Kowal noted previously. “It’s not really a hard mix in.”
This excitement and spirit proved to be the fuel that drove Elkins to her most significant moment of the season. In the high-pressure environment of the meet on Thursday, the Solon Junior performed her best when it mattered most, setting a personal record (PR) by clocking an outstanding 25.42 in the 50-Yard Freestyle. The PR wasn’t a surprise—it was the payoff of years of effort.
“It’s good to finally achieve that,” Madelyn notes regarding the feat of finishing the 50 Freestyle in record time. She revealed the goal had been set long ago: “Mid-25 has been something my coaches have been telling me to get for a few years, and it’s good to finally achieve that.” The feeling of seeing that time on the board brought an immense rush of accomplishment, validating the countless hours spent in the water. “The whole day has been really fun, like the process of getting here,” she reflected. “And then it just all sort of paid off.”
Elkins’ love for swimming began at a young age, spending her time under water since the age of eight. Today, the joy of the sport is found not just in the finish, but in the intense mental strategy required in the middle of the race, especially as a dedicated sprinter.
“I like the middle of the race,” Elkins explained, detailing the constant negotiation swimmers have with fatigue and pain. “Do I slow down and give myself a break, or do I just keep pushing through?”
She identifies this internal struggle, this pure moment of decision and will, as “the really good part of the race” and what keeps her love for the sport continuous day after day. This mentality is exactly what defines her category.
“I’m definitely a sprinter,” she confessed. “I can’t do the distance, but I like the 50.”
For the coaches, Elkins’ commitment isn’t just measured by time, but by attitude. Reliable was the key word brought up countless times from the coaches regarding Madelyn all year long. Coach Kowal describes the characteristics that make Elkins an anchor for the team in this sprint event.
“She gets off the block quickly and with such power,” Kowal observed, highlighting the explosiveness needed in the 50 Free. “The 50-yard freestyle is no joke,” Kowal noted, emphasizing that the race requires “a lot of technique and focus in such a short span of time.” But when it came to the championship pressure, Kowal had no doubt: “She really pulled through at the end.”
With one season left for the Solon Junior, the goal remains clear and constant: Keep Improving.
“Qualifying for this meet again and improving” is what Madelyn is targeting for her senior year.
But just as important as the numbers is the human connection she’s made across school lines. She added, with a big smile on her face, that she also aims to keep “getting closer to the team,” ensuring that the supportive and electric atmosphere she enjoyed as a junior continues to define her final year. She is already looking forward to the moment when the hard work of training again translates into that singular feeling of accomplishment when she finally hits the wall.