During Madison Burns' career at Northwestern High School, the school didn't have a swimming team. Therefore, Burns swam individually, while devoting her junior year to representing the Tigers in various meets throughout the season.

When she was a senior, Burns didn't swim in the high school ranks, but instead she focused her final season while swimming on her club team, Parkland Area Aquatic Club.

That hasn't derailed Burns, a 2012 graduate of Northwestern High School, from putting together a fine career thus far at the University of North Carolina.

"I think it's a huge difference because I came from a high school without a team and everything," Burns said. "Once I came here, it wasn't all just about me. It made me want to try harder and do well for my team so we could improve our rankings.

"The training is a lot different. Now that I'm at a Division I school, I have a lot of fast people I race against and I train against, which helps push me a lot more to be able to achieve my goals."

Burns, a sophomore that swims the breaststroke and indivudual medley events, has gotten off to a great start this season.

Through five dual meets and the Janis Hape Dowd Nike Cup Championships, Burns has produced the Tar Heels' third-best time in the 200-yard IM (2:01.69) and fifth-best in the 400-yard IM (4:16.43). She also has season-bests of 1:05.00 in the 100-yard breaststroke and 2:19.82 in the 200-yard breaststroke.

"At the beginning of the season, it started off a little rocky," Burns said. "Then I really started getting into training and training with a specific group. Once I started getting into the distance group, I started working on my endurance more than training, which I needed."

Early in her freshman season, Burns made her mark on the team's record books in her best event, the 400-yard IM. In the team's second meet at the SMU Swimming and Diving Classic, she swam a 4:15.81 in the event, the ninth-fastest time in school history.

"It's an honor," Burns said. "It's awesome because I know this school is super fast and is a Division I school. It's really an honor, and I'm proud of it."

Burns holds career bests of 2:00.48 in the 200-yard IM, 4:14.82 in the 400-yard IM, 1:02.47 in the 100-yard breaststroke and 2:16.98 in the 200-yard breaststroke.

Coming into UNC, Burns wanted to first make her mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. She did that in her first season where she finished 12th in the 400-yard IM, 19th in the 200-yard breaststroke and 22nd in the 200-yard IM in the ACC Championships. Now, she wants to focus on her next goal a trip to the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.

Under seventh-year head coach Rich DeSelm, Burns will look to follow his guidance in hopes of achieving that goal and continuing to progress at the collegiate level.

"He's very encouraging and not negative," Burns said. "He always tell me to work on certain things during practice, and that helps a lot to keep me focused.

"It really helps me mentally to prepare for my races because I feel prepared for my races when I get to them. His training helps me out."