Freshman Feature: Alondra Maldonado

AMES, Iowa – Alondra Maldonado joins the Cyclones as an incoming freshman for the 2020 season. Her gymnastics career has led her away from her home country, into the continental United States and finally from the sunny skies of Florida to the unpredictable Iowa weather.

After spending the bulk of her childhood in her home country Puerto Rico, Maldonado moved to Orlando to train following Hurricane Maria. The hurricane did not directly affect her family, but still she embraced the new start and new training in Orlando.

"Hurricane Maria passed, and everything was fine, but I took it as an opportunity to move away," Maldonado said. "Gymnastics is not as big in Puerto Rico, it is not as serious, so I decided to take that leap and go to a higher level in my gymnastics."

The changes in training were difficult for her in the early going. Her schedule became more structured and her coaches continually pushed her to be the best she could be.

"The biggest difference was that it was so much more serious," Maldonado noted. "I went to a pretty big gym, so they took it pretty seriously. It was hard, but I got used to it and they were welcoming and supportive."

Maldonado joined her sister, Andrea Maldonado, in Ames at the start of the fall semester. Andrea joined the Cyclones first, and then back in April, Alondra swept all four apparatuses and the all-around at the 2019 Region 8 competition, drawing the eyes of the Iowa State coaching staff. Even with her success at the club level, she ended her career at level nine, usually not high enough to earn a spot at the Division I level. She continued to work to add new skills towards the end of her club career, eventually securing a spot with the Cyclones.

"I was actually surprised that I ended up here," Maldonado expressed. "At my old gym, my coaches really pushed me to get new skills that I needed and get more confident and consistent with my skills. It was a hard transition [to college], but the people made it a little bit easier. When I came to Iowa State, the coaches were like 'you are here for a reason, so don't doubt yourself; just do it.'"

Even without gymnastics being a certainty, Maldonado knew she wanted to come to Iowa State once she visited the beautiful campus and saw the wide variety of program options offered at the college. She has handled the weather thus far and noted that she is continually learning about herself, academics and gymnastics as her first college semester wraps up.

"I have learned a lot," Maldonado stated. "Getting new skills that I thought I would never do has helped me a lot with my confidence. As a student, it has been hard, but college is very different and I am still getting adjusted. As a person, I am more aware of myself, and since I usually am more aware of other people, I think that is important."

As the semester comes to close, Maldonado is awaiting the start of the season to experience collegiate gymnastics to its highest degree.

"I am very excited to travel with the team if I get the opportunity, which I am working for," Maldonado exclaimed. "I just want to be in that environment and see what it is all about."

Maldonado and the Cyclones kick off the season in Arizona on Jan. 11. She will get her first taste of gymnastics at Hilton Coliseum when Iowa State takes on West Virginia on Jan. 17.

Iowa State University Athletics

Freshman Feature: Alondra Maldonado

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