Some people may call her crazy. She’s not denying it. But for Mandie Maddux, her craziness is starting to pay off in the form of not one but two WAC multi-event championships in 2016.
After falling just short of a title a year ago, she won both the indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon this season while balancing multiple practices per day, classes, and a job anywhere from three to six days a week at Trophy Cupcakes.
“I would go from work to practice to class back to practice back to class,” Maddux remembers, exhausted even recalling what life looks like for an in-season multi-event track athlete. When asked if she ever slept, she answered “Rarely. I used to say I could sleep when I’m dead or like Russell Wilson says ‘No time to sleep’. I was just taught to always work hard and never give up so I was going to accept the challenge and do it.”
Her hard work as a track athlete started in the sixth grade as a distance runner and high jumper and it wasn’t until her sophomore year of high school when her coach encouraged her to consider multi-event competition due to more scholarship opportunities.
Funny enough, the SU track coaching staff may have another Redhawk head coach to thank for Maddux ultimately deciding to attend Seattle U – head baseball coach Donny Harrel.
“The reason I originally filled out a recruiting questionnaire was the guy I was dating in high school got a recruiting letter from the baseball coaches,” she laughs. “So I filled it out, but then we ended up splitting up after I had decided to come to Seattle U.”
Outside influences and a former Redhawk also played a large factor in Maddux’s decision.
“It came down to Seattle U and going to community college to get my first two years paid for and then transferring out. The girl who was recruiting me [Becca Urbany] actually ran track here, so I told her ‘I’m going to be honest, I’m being recruited by SU at the same time’ and she told me ‘You need to go to SU because Chad’s a good high jump coach’.”
And the rest, as they say, is history.
But not so quick. Her first few years at Seattle U didn’t come so easy.
“I had a hip injury and had to redshirt early on. With my marks in high school, it would’ve made me a good competitor in the conference and I could’ve broken the school record my freshman year with those marks, so to come in and not be able to do that, I was at a really low point. But I never gave up.”
The undying support of those in her community helped carry her through the tough times.
“My best friend is Izzy Geronimo on the softball team – shout out to Izzy – she’s a good one, a great one. Being at a small school, it makes it easier to know everyone and create friendships in both the student-athlete community and in the general community.”
In 2015, Maddux finished just 45 points shy of the WAC indoor pentathlon title. Close but no cigar.
“When I didn’t win and came up short, I told myself I never wanted to feel like that again, like you came up short. Coming up short of what you’re told is your potential or what you’re told you deserve is not a good feeling. I just stuck with it and worked hard and it paid off.”
The encouragement of assistant coach Chad Pharis as well as the words of a special incoming speaker rang true in Maddux’s mind.
“[Spencer Wood] came and talked about hype numbers and confidence and I owe a lot of credit to him because it really spoke to me. The year before, I would get too hyped and I think it would just hold me back because I’d get in my own head. I realized I don’t need to be at a 10 on the hype level, I just need to be calm and relaxed and trust that Chad is going to put me through what I need to go through. I set a lot of high goals for myself and when they don’t show, it’s tough. But you have to trust that everything happens for a reason and there’s a bigger plan out there. If you go out and give it your all, you can’t be upset about it.”
Maddux redeemed her experience from last year’s indoor championships and took the indoor pentathlon title in 2016, breaking a six-year-old indoor school high jump record in the process. Despite a slow start, she quips “It’s all about the finish; it’s not about the start.”
Fast forward nearly three months and Maddux prepared to win her second multi-event title of the year – this time the outdoor heptathlon. For those track novices out there, that’s seven events – 100 meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meter dash, long jump, javelin, and 800 meter run.
So many events that competition for the multi-event title was split between two days but she held the first place spot after day one.
“I was scared. Even though I was winning the events, I was frustrated because I wasn’t hitting any of the marks I wanted to hit. I was scared my legs would be too tired but Chad [Pharis] just kept reminding me ‘It’ll be ok’ and to just go out there, do what I came to do, and give it my all. But I was definitely emotionally all over the place the night between events.”
The next day, not only did she win the heptathlon title, she took first place in five of the seven events in the process.
Following the championship, a series of pictures surfaced at the end of the 800 meter run where Maddux appears to be crying in relief, falling into a hug with Pharis, but she laughs recalling exactly what happened.
“He told me before the 800 meter run that I only needed to hit a certain mark because the person behind me would have to run 30 seconds faster to win the overall title. He told me just to run a comfortable time, around 2:20, and save my legs.”
She explains that oftentimes she starts out too fast and slows down midway through, so she decided to start out at a comfortable pace and take Pharis’ advice. However, when the girl in second place in the standings started to pass her, her competitive nature kicked in.
“I was like ‘No! This cannot happen!’ and I was starting to feel it on the final lap and decided to pick it up and just go for it. I started to chase after the three people ahead of me and as I crossed the finish line, all I could hear was Chad saying ‘2:20, 2:21, 2:22, what happened to jogging it Mandie?!’ and I was like ‘I’m sorry! I felt good!’ We can say I was crying, but that’s what really happened.”
Winning the Bill Fenton Female Athlete of the Year award this year felt like the culmination of years of hard work paying off but she stops to give credit to the others nominated.
“I was just honored to be nominated with those other three ladies who all deserve this award. Like I said in my acceptance speech, if I were in Mean Girls, I would be the one breaking the crown and throwing pieces of it to the other nominees. I’m just blessed and very honored that I could receive this award.”
One may wonder where Maddux can go from here after winning both titles in 2016 but she is still just beginning.
“Next year I want to win not just five but all seven events in the heptathlon. My goal for both is to start out stronger and finish even stronger and hopefully get a few more wins. Now that I’ve done it once I know what it takes. Chad and I have definitely talked about it and planned it out and I just want to break more records.”
Knowing Maddux’s willpower and work ethic, it’s certain she will do just that.