COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Two new faces shook up the weekly Mountain West gymnastics honors, as Air Force freshman Maggie Slife and San José State freshman Mia Nelson claimed a pair of awards each for Week 3 of the 2024 season.

GYMNAST OF THE WEEK / CO-FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
MAGGIE SLIFE, AIR FORCE
Fr., Oconomowoc, Wisconsin / Arrowhead HS
• Scored a 39.275 for the top all-around score in the MW this week in her collegiate debut, helping Air Force to a third-place finish in a quad-meet with Boise State, San José State and West Chester with a 194.975.
• Scored a 9.925 on bars to finish second and match the highest score on any event among freshmen in the MW this week.
• The 194.975 is the highest-ever score in a season opener for the Falcons.
• Slife is the first Falcon to earn a weekly award this season.

CO-VAULT SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
COURTNEY BLACKSON, BOISE STATE
Sr., Elk Grove, California / Pleasant Grove HS
• Scored a 9.900 on vault to share the individual title with San José State’s Jaudai Lopes.
• Helped Boise State capture the victory in the Broncos’ 195.800 win over San José State, Air Force and West Chester.
• The weekly award is Blackson’s second this season.

CO-VAULT SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
JAUDAI LOPES, SAN JOSÉ STATE
Sr., Fairfield, California / Buckingham Charter Magnet HS
• Scored a 9.900 on vault to share the individual title with Boise State’s Courtney Blackson.
• Helped the Spartans to a second-place finish with a 195.625 in a quad meet at Boise State.
• The award marks the second straight Vault Specialist of the Week accolade for Lopes.

BARS SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK/CO-BEAM SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
EMILY LOPEZ, BOISE STATE
Sr., Mission Viejo, California / Trabuco Hills HS
• Scored a 9.950 on bars to win the event.
• Scored a 9.925 on beam to share the individual title with teammate Emma Loyim.
• Helped Boise State capture the victory in the Broncos’ 195.800 win over San José State, Air Force and West Chester.
• Earned her third straight MW Bars Specialist of the Week honor.

CO-BEAM SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
EMMA LOYIM, BOISE STATE
Jr., Mountain Lakes, New Jersey / Mountain Lakes HS
• Scored a 9.925 on beam to share the individual title with teammate Emily Lopez.
• Helped Boise State capture the victory in the Broncos’ 195.800 win over San José State, Air Force and West Chester.
• The award is Loyim’s second of the season after earning MW Floor Specialist of the Week last week.

FLOOR SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK / CO-FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
MIA NELSON, SAN JOSÉ STATE
Fr., Los Alamitos, California / Los Alamitos HS
• Scored a 9.925 on floor to capture the event title at Boise State and tie the highest mark by a freshman on any event in the MW this week.
• Helped the Spartans to a second-place finish with a 195.625 in a quad meet at Boise State.
• Third different gymnast to earn MW Floor Specialist of the Week honors.
• Second Spartan to earn MW Freshman of the Week accolades this season.

Boise State will enjoy a bye week this week, while Utah State hosts Air Force in the Aggies’ 2024 home opener on Friday, Jan. 26. San José State will wrap up the week of competition when the Spartans host Sacramento State inside the Credit Union Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 28.

Gymnast of the Week
Week 1 – Lauren Macpherson, Sr., San José State
Week 2 – Lauren Macpherson, Sr., San José State
Week 3 – Maggie Slife, Fr., Air Force

Vault Specialist of the Week
Week 1 – Madison Kirsch, Sr., San José State
Week 2 – Jaudai Lopes, Sr., San José State
Week 3 – Courtney Blackson, Sr., Boise State / Jaudai Lopes, Sr., San José State

Bars Specialist of the Week
Week 1 – Emily Lopez, Sr., Boise State / Jada Mazury, 5th, San José State
Week 2 – Emily Lopez, Sr., Boise State
Week 3 – Emily Lopez, Sr., Boise State

Beam Specialist of the Week
Week 1 – Lexi Aragon, Gr., Utah State
Week 2 – Lauren Macpherson, Sr., San José State / Katherine Weyhmiller, Jr., San José State
Week 3 – Emily Lopez, Sr., Boise State / Emma Loyim, Jr., Boise State

Floor Specialist of the Week
Week 1 – Courtney Blackson, Sr., Boise State
Week 2 – Emma Loyim, Jr., Boise State
Week 3 – Mia Nelson, Fr., San José State

Freshman of the Week
Week 1 – Marissa Ashton, San José State
Week 2 – Victoria Smirnov, Boise State / Marissa Ashton, San José State
Week 3 – Maggie Slife, Air Force / Mia Nelson, San José State

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