Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1023533
33 Editor's Note: On Aug. 31, the National Iowa Varsity Club welcomed seven members into its 30th Hall of Fame class at the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. e inductees were introduced at halime of the Northern Illinois-Iowa football game Sept. 1 inside Kinnick Stadium. Stadium jumping was Alexis Maday's first love. Her parents met at the stables at West Point, where her dad was on the riding team and her mom had a horse. "e first six years of my life revolved around stables and horses," Maday said. By 6-years-old, she wanted to pursue stadium jumping. Little did she know that would lead to something completely different. "My mom wanted to make sure I had the lower body strength, because you have to stand in the stirrups a majority of the time," Maday said. "So she put me in gymnastics to build my strength and coordination." Maday started to dream of the Olympics soon aer and made the United States National Team in 1995 and 1997. But a series of back and ankle injuries ended that quest. She didn't follow a traditional path from Frederick, Maryland, to the University of Iowa, either. But that didn't stop her from becoming one of the greatest gymnasts in program history. She was a three-time All-American from 2002-04, a six-time Big Ten champion, and the conference's Gymnast of the Year in 2004. Maday still holds numerous Iowa records. Maday was eager to dive into college gymnastics and turn the page on her injury-dashed Olympic goals. "With gymnastics, your peak time for the sport is usually high school-age," she said. "When I hit that peak point, my body started to break down and I was competing at the highest level. Unfortunately, that's when recruiting starts. By my senior year, I had a couple stress fractures in my back and I had surgery on both ankles. It's amazing anyone wanted me at that point." She had already made her five official campus visits: Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, Penn State, and West Virginia when Iowa coach Mike Lorenzen reached out. Maday decided to make an unofficial visit. "It was the first place I truly felt wanted," Maday said. "e girls on the team welcomed me from the get-go. I loved the city, everything was within walking distance. It was a good fit, coming from a small town." Maday made an immediate impact. She was Big Ten champion in both the all-around and floor exercise in 2001. She was named All-Big Ten and was voted the league's Freshman of the Year. She went on to be named All-Big Ten four straight seasons. Maday won Big Ten titles in floor exercise in 2002 and 2004, uneven bars in 2003, and vault in 2004. In addition to being named the Big Ten's top gymnast as a senior, she was a first-team All- American at the NCAA Championships in the uneven bars in 2002 and 2003 and floor exercise in 2004.