Madi Lee state champion and recordholder for Texas reflects on her success

Canyon High School senior Madigan “Madi” Lee, like many other seniors, is excited to start her college journey, but Lee leaves the Canyon program as its first state champion powerlifter.

Not only was she state champion this year, but she also set the women’s powerlifting state record for her weight class, squatting 445 pounds and totaling 980 pounds, including bench and deadlift.

In high school powerlifting, the competition includes bench press, squat, and deadlift, with three chances on each lift to lift as much as possible. The total weight of the top lift in each of those three types of lifts is combined with the highest total winning. When Lee set the record, she was on her final lift after two failed attempts at the squat lift.

“It felt so great to set the record, especially doing it unequipped, which is how I am most comfortable,” Lee said. “I am proud of my accomplishment, and I am happy to be able to continue my journey in college.”

Lee has lifted weights since she was 10 years old, training with her mom, who is also a weightlifter. During her sophomore year, Lee found out about the school’s powerlifting team and was asked by then-coach Billy Rushing about joining the team. Lee was a longtime softball player, playing first base, but after placing eighth in the state championships as a sophomore, she focused on powerlifting.

“Coach Rushing told me to come and work out and see how it is, and after making the state championships my first year, I was like, this is my thing,” Lee said. “I was stoked and realized that I was meant to be a powerlifter, so I gave up softball to do this. I played until I earned my scholarship, but this year was all about being a better powerlifter. I really loved playing softball, but I knew I would never be the best, and as a powerlifter, I knew I could compete with the best after my sophomore year.”

She said that after receiving her scholarship, she spoke with her mom and decided it was not worth the risk of injury to continue playing softball. She did still help manage the team.

“It was kind of heartbreaking when I had to tell the coach I did not want to play this year, but everybody understood,” Lee added.

In her junior year, Lee finished fifth at the state championships, with some lifting being raw and some equipped. "Equipped" means having additional equipment to protect the body, while "raw" means using no protective equipment. Lee says she is more comfortable lifting raw without the extra cumbersome equipment she is not used to.

“I have been progressing each year, working to get stronger, and these years of working out with my mom have really helped me,” Lee said. “I was stoked to find out that Texas added unequipped lifting this year. Putting up 445 pounds unequipped is a lot on your back, and lifting raw shows true strength."

Lee stressed that she loves powerlifting due to the mental aspect of the sport.

“I love so much about lifting weights; you have to push yourself mentally and physically,” she said. “I love having people push me like my coaches Lovorn, Rushing and my mom. Their support has really helped me get better.”

With her lifting, Lee will now go to college at Midland University in Nebraska, where she will major in nursing.

“I was very nervous about if I would get accepted into the school, because I was told I would have to be accepted into the school and nursing program before I was to be offered a scholarship,” Lee said. “This was nerve wracking, but once I was accepted, coach Anderson from Midland called me and offered me a scholarship, so I am really stoked to go to the next level."

When asked how far she would like to take powerlifting, Lee says her ambition is to go to nationals at the college level. Lee also had turned down offers to try to compete as an Olympic weightlifter.

“I have been asked to go compete Olympically, but I said no because they do not do squat, bench and deadlift,” Lee said. “They do clean and jerk and other types of lifting. With that, you do not touch the bar or any weight for about six months to a year, and I really do not think I can do that. That is really not my thing.”

Weightlifting coach Matt Lovorn, who was in his first year of coaching at Canyon, emphasized that Lee’s contributions to the team went well above her powerlifting performance.

“Right off the bat she impressed me with her ability to recruit other girls to the team that led to a successful team year,” Lovorn said. “She was always leading the pack to get teammates to the 5:30 a.m. workouts every week during the season. She is a competitor, but her character and personality really stand out. She is incredibly fun to be around and a great teammate.”

Lovorn says that Lee is still reaching her potential and that her work ethic and dedication will help her succeed in college.

“She is a really good powerlifter because of her competitiveness; you can tell that right off the bat,” he said. “She is so coachable and likable. During competitions, many of her opponents are drawn to her. Madi has done such an excellent job for us here, setting a standard for the school with our first state powerlifting title.”

With powerlifting, Lee says that it is important not to overwork muscles and to get proper rest for recovery.

Lee brimmed with excitement talking about going to Midland University to study nursing and further her powerlifting career.

“Nursing runs in my family; my mom and grandmother were nurses. I love caring for people,” she said. “I have a big heart for people and want to help them get better. I knew this was for me when I interned at the hospital.”

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Powerlifting state champion Madi Lee reflects on her success