COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A trio of gymnasts each took home a share of MW Bars Specialist of the Week honors as San Jose State’s Lauren Macpherson shared the award with Utah State’s Brianna Brooks and Dani Kirstine as the Mountain West announced weekly award winners for Week 5 of the 2024 gymnastics season.

GYMNAST OF THE WEEK / CO-BARS SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
LAUREN MACPHERSON, SAN JOSÉ STATE
Sr., Gilbert, Arizona / Perry HS
• Scored a 39.375 in the all-around to help San José State to a 195.725-193.500 victory at home over Air Force.
• Captured individual titles on bars and beam, including a 9.900 on bars to share Bars Specialist of the Week honors.
• Macpherson has earned a total of five weekly awards this season.

VAULT SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
MADISON KIRSCH, SAN JOSÉ STATE
Sr., Scottsdale, Arizona / Chapparral HS
• Scored a 9.875 on vault to finish first on the event and help SJSU to a 195.725-193.500 victory over Air Force.
• Kirsch earned her second Vault Specialist of the Week honor after winning the award in Week 1.
• A gymnast from San José State has been named Vault Specialist of the Week each week this season.

CO-BARS SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
BRIANNA BROOKS, UTAH STATE
Sr., Las Vegas, Nevada / West Career & Technical Academy
• Scored a 9.900 on bars to tie for second on the event with teammate Dani Kirstine.
• Also competed on vault (9.800) and beam (9.900) as the Aggies scored a season-high 196.275 at home against Southern Utah.
• The award is Brooks’ first weekly accolade this season.

CO-BARS SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
DANI KIRSTINE, UTAH STATE
Jr., Las Vegas, Nevada / Odyssey Charter HS
• Scored a 9.900 on bars to tie for second on the event with teammate Brianna Brooks.
• Also competed on beam (9.875) as the Aggies scored a season-high 196.275 at home against Southern Utah.
• The award is Kirstine’s first weekly accolade this season.

BEAM SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
LEXI ARAGON, UTAH STATE
Gr., Salt Lake City, Utah / West HS
• Scored a 9.925 on beam as Utah State scored a season-high 196.275 at home against Southern Utah.
• Aragon also competed on bars during the meet, scoring a 9.700.
• The award is Aragon’s second of the season after capturing Beam Specialist of the Week honors in Week 1.

FLOOR SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
COURTNEY BLACKSON, BOISE STATE
Sr., Elk Grove, California / Pleasant Grove HS
• Scored a 9.950 on floor to tie the program record and help Boise State to a 196.525-195.550 victory over No. 19 Iowa State.
• Also competed on vault (9.750) and bars (9.825) during the meet.
• Blackson earned her third weekly honor, including her second MW Floor Specialist of the Week accolade.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
NYLA MORABITO, UTAH STATE
Fr., Welland, Ontario, Canada / Notre Dame College School
• Scored a 9.925 on floor, the highest mark by any freshman on any event this week, to earn her first MW Freshman of the Week accolade.
• Also competed on vault, scoring a 9.850, as Utah State recorded a season-high 196.275 at home against Southern Utah.

Teams return to action on Friday, Feb. 9, with San José State hosting UC Davis, while Air Force will host Southeast Missouri and Sacramento State. Boise State and Utah State will take to the road on Friday night with the Broncos facing Southern Utah and the Aggies taking part in a quad meet at Oklahoma, including the host Sooners, BYU and Texas Woman’s.

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
Week 4 – Maggie Slife, Fr., Air Force
Week 5 – Lauren Macpherson, Sr., San José State

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
Week 4 – Jaudai Lopes, Sr. San José State / Nyla Morabito, Fr., Utah State
Week 5 – Madison Kirsch, Sr., San José State

Bars Specialists 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
Week 4 – Katherine Weyhmiller, Jr., San José State
Week 5 – Lauren Macpherson, Sr., San José State / Brianna Brooks, Sr., Utah State / Dani Kirstine, Jr., Utah 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
Week 4 – Maggie Slife, Fr., Air Force / Katherine Weyhmiller, Jr. San José State
Week 5 – Lexi Aragon, Gr., Utah 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
Week 4 – Jada Mazury, 5th, San José State
Week 5 – Courtney Blackson, Sr., Boise State

Freshman of the Week
Week 1 – Marissa Ashton, San José State
Week 2 – Marissa Ashton, San José State / Victoria Smirnov, Boise State
Week 3 – Mia Nelson, San José State / Maggie Slife, Air Force
Week 4 – Maggie Slife, Air Force
Week 5 – Nyla Morabito, Utah State

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