Girls Swimming: Downers Grove South's Madeline Padavic realizes dream with commitment to Miami of Ohio

The coronavirus pandemic has been a nightmare scenario for many high school athletes, with many having their seasons canceled and others curtailed.

But Downers Grove South swimmer Madeline Padavic realized a dream last week when she committed to Miami of Ohio. The senior, who finished 11th in the 100-yard butterfly at last year’s state meet, is the fourth Division I recruit produced by Downers South in as many years.

“I had Miami as my dream school since freshman year and I’m really glad that I got to commit there,” Padavic said. “I didn’t know if I would be able to get to that point.

“I didn’t really have my breakout season until last season. That was when a lot of D-1 coaches reached out to me.”

Padavic, a four-year varsity starter, started posting career-best times during the middle of her junior season last fall, which ended with her becoming only the third swimmer in program history to win three medals at the same state meet.

In addition to her butterfly medal, Padavic teamed with Melaine Scheiblein, Jorie Selig and Audrey Mahoney to finish sixth in the 200 freestyle relay and 12thi n the 200 medley relay.

The 200 free showing was the Mustangs’ best finish ever in a relay. It was also just the second time Downers South has won two relay medals in the same year.

“She’s a perfectionist and she has a hard work ethic,” Downers South coach Paul Krick said of Padavic. “She takes instruction very well from the coaching staff and she translates that into the pool and practice.

“That’s her big thing – she’s always looking to get better.”

How did Padavic suddenly get so much better last year?

“Honestly, I think it was me becoming fully aware of my body,” Padavic said. “I had stopped growing, so it was easy for me to figure out what worked for me and what didn’t.

“I figured out my technique for butterfly. My past technique was bad and I would die so hard on the second 50 and I figured out how not to do that.”

Part of the solution involved getting stronger. The 6-foot-2 Padavic knew she needed to add power to her lanky frame.

“The winter before and the summer leading up to high school season, I did a ton of weight training and I built up muscle mass,” Padavic said. “I literally had no muscle before. It definitely contributed to me figuring out what works for me in the pool.”

While Padavic, who has grown a couple inches since entering high school, believes she is done growing, she is far from a finished product.

“I definitely haven’t filled out my height yet,” Padavic said. “I’m not even close. I’m hoping to set up weight training again after high school season if it's allowed and safe.”

Krick, too, believes the best is yet to come.

“She’s definitely on the rise,” Krick said. “She’s filling into her body.

“She was always tall and now she’s putting the muscles into it, so she should improve. The longer distance will be good in college.”

Krick foresees Padavic swimming the 200 free, 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley in college. Backstroke is also a strong event and Krick believes Padavic would have made the state finals in the 100 back had she not swam all three relays last season.

Padavic will get to swim three, and possibly four, individual events at the sectional meet on Oct. 24 because relays have been prohibited due to COVID-19 concerns. But that will be her final high school performance because there will be no state meet this year.

“It’s really frustrating that we don’t have the huge high school state meet because that is literally the best meet of the entire season and the year,” Padavic said. “Last season really showed for that

“I’m just super grateful that we do have training time and meets even though they look way different than they typically do. I’m just glad we found a safe way to practice and have meets and just be a great team and train together.”