Maggie Waddington’s record-setting UNK career began with belief

Maggie Waddington is one of the most accomplished swimmers in UNK history. She holds five individual school records and contributed to four relay records, more than any other athlete who’s worn a Loper cap. (Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

By TYLER ELLYSON

UNK Communications

KEARNEY – You can do anything you put your mind to.

We’ve all heard this motivational phrase – from parents at the kitchen table, teachers in the classroom, coaches on the sideline and classmates in graduation speeches.

Maggie Waddington doesn’t just repeat these words. She truly believes in them.

“As cheesy as it sounds, I genuinely believe that if you put your mind to something you can do it,” she said.

Over the past four years at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, she proved it.

Waddington will leave UNK as one of the most accomplished swimmers in program history, adding her name to a list of Loper greats like Yohara Salinas, April Vaverka and Claire Nash. She holds five individual school records and contributed to four relay records, more than any other athlete who’s worn a Loper cap.

The Norfolk native wrapped up her collegiate career earlier this month at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Championships in Grand Junction, Colorado, and will graduate in May.

She calls it a “pretty successful career,” though that assessment comes with nuance.

“I don’t define my success solely by records,” Waddington said. “Yes, those records are a good quantitative measurement of my success, but I’d say it’s much greater than that. My personal improvement is also a big part of it.”

In a sport known for plateaus, she never hit one.

Still peaking as a senior, Waddington posted numerous personal bests this season, including three individual records and three relay records set during her final meet.

“The records are a big deal to me, but those two things combined are the biggest success in my eyes,” she said of her continuous improvement.

Maggie Waddington is one of the most accomplished swimmers in UNK history. She holds five individual school records and contributed to four relay records, more than any other athlete who’s worn a Loper cap. (Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

BUILT TO COMPETE

A four-time Class A state qualifier in high school, Waddington’s collegiate career has been powered by equal parts belief and competitiveness.

“I’m extremely motivated by competition,” she said with a smile. “I like to win, and I don’t like to lose. Winning isn’t everything, but it’s a lot.”

“Anything that I do, I want to do it to the best of my ability,” she added. “I’m kind of a perfectionist in that way. I’m not going to do something if I’m not here to give it my all.”

UNK head coach Kyle Trelka saw that edge the moment he arrived on campus.

“She’s really competitive,” said Trelka, who’s led the Lopers since January 2024. “You can train her well and you can do all these things, but she gets into a race and all of a sudden she’s like, ‘Game time.’”

Trelka believes Waddington elevated herself – and the program – during her time in Kearney.

“She came in as a talented athlete. She was solid in high school,” he said. “But she’s risen to another level. I think she’s the highest-caliber athlete who has ever come through the program.”

When Trelka arrived, he challenged the team to build a culture capable of producing top-five finishes in the RMAC within four to five years. Waddington was all in from the start.

“The training really paid off for her, and she bought into the vision,” Trelka said. “It was really clear that Maggie’s job on the team was performance – advancing the program and scoring points.”

Waddington is quick to redirect credit.

“I don’t know if I would have been able to do this without Kyle,” she said. “He’s been a huge part of my success. The training regimen he implemented last year was a lot tougher and he really pushed us to test our limits.”

Just as important, she said, was the support of her teammates.

“I really don’t think I could have done it without them either,” Waddington said. “Success doesn’t mean anything when you have no one to share it with, and their support really meant everything to me.”

Maggie Waddington will graduate from UNK this spring, earning a bachelor’s degree in studio art with minors in art history and graphic design. (Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

BEYOND THE BLOCKS

The appreciation she felt for her teammates showed up in her actions. After each race – good or bad – Waddington was on the deck cheering for the next UNK swimmer in the water.

Trelka called her maturation as a person one of the most impressive parts of her career.

“She’s just grown so much,” he said. “It’s important to do well if you’re a college swimmer, but there’s a lot more to life than just performing in sports, and I feel like she found a really good balance of that this season.”

That balance showed up beyond the pool, too.

Waddington earned Academic All-District and Academic All-RMAC honors while majoring in studio art with minors in art history and graphic design. She also served on the executive board for Circle K, a community service organization, and was part of the UNK Art and Design student advisory board. After graduation, she plans to return to Norfolk and hopes to work in a museum or art center.

As she shifts her focus to life after swimming, she knows some things won’t be easy to leave behind.

“I’m going to miss the competitive environment for sure, and also the community with my teammates,” Waddington said. “There’s nothing like celebrating a win surrounded by your team.”

Looking ahead, Trelka believes she helped put UNK swimming on the map for future recruits by showing them what’s possible in Kearney.

“She had a really big impact on those people on the outside looking in,” he said. “She’s a stud swimmer, but also a great young lady.”

Like that motivational phrase suggests, she’s an example of what can happen when determination meets hard work.

Maggie Waddington will graduate from UNK this spring, earning a bachelor’s degree in studio art with minors in art history and graphic design. (Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications) 

Maggie Waddington – In the Record Books

Individual

50 Freestyle (23.47)

100 Freestyle (52.3)

200 Freestyle (1:54.81)

100 Backstroke (57.68)

200 Backstroke (2:10.98)

Relays

200 Freestyle (1:37.86)