Student-Athlete of the Week: Mary Codevilla

With five individual state championships and a Class 4A record to her name, there isn't much territory left for standout Mary Codevilla to conquer in high school swimming. But she still has lofty goals for her senior season, and not just in the pool.

"Since I've already committed this year, it's just about fun," the fourth-year varsity and Notre Dame-bound swimmer said between events at a recent meet. "It's about being a good leader to the team, and passing down the knowledge that I've gained to the rest of the team so that they can continue the legacy of Niwot swimming."

Luckily for Niwot swimming and its legacy, much of that knowledge is about winning races. Codevilla captured her first state title as a freshman, in the 200-yard individual medley, and narrowly missed another one in the 500-yd freestyle, which she called "her favorite event." As a sophomore, she defended her 200 IM title, and also picked up her first title in the 200-yd freestyle, which she would repeat as a junior. She also picked up a second 500 free title as a junior, breaking the Class 4A record in the process. Along the way, she also picked up dozens of conference and meet titles, and was named Class 4A first team All-State three times.

Luckier still for Niwot swimming, Codevilla's "fun" senior season has continued to include a lot of winning races. At the highly competitive REX Coaches Invite on December 18, she took first overall in the 100 free and 200 IM, beating some of the fastest swimmers in the state. And she hasn't let the holidays or a bout of COVID-19 slow her down. At the recent All St. Vrain City Meet on Jan. 15, Codevilla was again a two-time winner, in the 100 and 200 free events, the latter by just over 11 seconds. She is currently qualified to compete at the 2022 state championships in at least three individual events and two relays, with five regular season events remaining.

"Mary is one of the most well-rounded swimmers you'll ever see," Niwot head coach Kyle Bachrodt said of his star. "You can't pick a strength, and you can't pick a weakness. Obviously, she's going to dominate when she swims freestyle, but as we saw today, and last year at state, she can win any race that she swims."

At the same time, Bachrodt has also been impressed by Codevilla's progress on her out-of-the-pool goals.

"We have really seen Mary come into her own this year," he said. "Not that she wasn't vocal last year, but this year you can really see it. Not only is she confident in the pool, she is confident on the deck, she's confident in practice, she helps us lead workouts, and she's also a true teammate. For a girl who is as talented as Mary, she's one of the most selfless swimmers you'll ever meet."

Codevilla's newfound enthusiasm for her sport stems from her experience during the pandemic, which kept her out of the pool for three months in 2020, and strictly curtailed competition during her junior season. Now that restrictions have been relaxed, it's been difficult to keep her out of the pool, Codevilla admitted.

"The time away from the sport just made me love it more," she said. "I don't like being on dry land, so when I got back into the water, it was the greatest thing ever."

Codevilla is also enjoying the team's new permanent practice facility, the St. Vrain Aquatics Center, which opened at Silver Creek High School earlier this season.

"It's just great to have for my senior season," she said. "I was so excited when I heard it would be ready in time. It was just perfect."

Next year, Codevilla will be taking her talents to the University of Notre Dame, a choice she made as a junior, following a challenging recruitment process. Thanks to the pandemic, she conducted all of her interviews remotely, and did not get a chance to see the facilities until after she accepted the offer, a circumstance that struck her as "weird." Fortunately, she realized early on during that visit that she had made the right choice.

"It was a super fun trip," she said. "There's just this community that's unlike any community I've ever been a part of, and it draws you in. Of course, the team is amazing, too."

Codevilla also pursued opportunities with other NCAA Division I programs Michigan, Cal-State Berkeley, UCLA, and NC State. She doesn't know yet what events she will be competing for the Fighting Irish in, but is ready for wherever the coaches put her. For Bachrodt, that versatility will serve her well at the next level.

"She has such a bright future," he said. "She is so far from peaking. I think her best swims are going to come in college, by far."

When she is not in the pool for Niwot, she is a member of Elevations Athletics' national swim team, and spends several hours per week practicing there. In December, she competed at the 2021 Speedo Winter Junior Championships-West, taking fourth overall in 100-yard breaststroke. She also has plans to attend the international team trials in April, where she could earn a spot on the world junior swim team, a first step towards the Olympics.

"That's a very long shot, though," she said.

In the classroom for Niwot, she is "doubling up on science classes" with IB Exercise and Sports Physiology and AP Biology. At Notre Dame, she plans to pursue a pre-med course, and then go onto a career in physical therapy. In her leisure time, Codevilla enjoys painting, though her perfectionist tendencies sometimes make it a struggle.