Women’s gymnastics aims to build on all-time season start at Utah State dual

Air Force at Utah State
Friday, Jan. 26 | 7:00 p.m. MT
Dee Glen Smith Spectrum | Logan, Utah
Watch/Live Scoring: Mountain West Network
Air Force | Utah State
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After opening its season on a benchmark finish in Boise, the Air Force women's gymnastics team is back on the road for the second leg of its three-meet road trip, heading to Logan, Utah for a dual meet with Utah State. Competition is set for 7 p.m. MT at the Aggies' Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

For Air Force, the bar is set high in week two of the 2024 season as the Falcons aim to surpass the 194.975 mark set in their season debut. A potential sign of things to come - in four of its last five seasons, Air Force has improved its final team score in the second week of competition from the first.

Last Time Out:
The Falcons opened the 2024 season in resounding fashion, finishing with their highest-ever score in a season opener with a 194.975 in Boise State's ExtraMile Arena.

Air Force's showing in its first-ever meet as a newly-minted member of Mountain West women's gymnastics was highlighted by freshman Maggie Slife's 39.275 all-around performance to earn the all-around title in her collegiate debut. Fellow newcomer Clara Wallace closed the evening third in the all-around with a 38.750.

Slife's 39.275 showing in her collegiate debut minted the freshman Mountain West Gymnast of the Week and Co-Freshman of the Week accolades.

The Falcons opened their showcase on balance beam, where a 48.875-point showing earned them second place as a team. Coming off of shoulder surgery this year, sophomore Kylee Greene did not miss a beat on Friday, earning a third-place finish in the event to lead Air Force, notching a 9.875 to lock in a new career best. Slife's 9.800 was second-best among the Falcons.

Air Force moved on to floor exercise where the Falcons finished with an even 49.000, finding their way back into a 49-plus finish in the event for the first time since the 2022 season. Scoring was led by freshman Clara Wallace, who opened her collegiate career in the event tying for sixth with a 9.850, topping the Falcons' 2023 individual high score in the event by .025. Gianna Martyna took a big step forward in her sophomore debut, crushing her previous career best in the event, earning a 9.825, while junior Velandra Brochi earned the same mark, tying the individual-best score in the event from 2023.

On vault, the Falcons finished with a 48.925, led off by Slife's 9.800 – a score good for fourth place, and one which would have landed in the top-three of event finishes for Air Force during the 2023 season. Wallace followed up with a 9.725, good for an eighth-place finish.

To complete the night, Air Force was on uneven bars, where the Falcons finished second place with a 48.575 led off by Slife's second-place, 9.925 performance. 9.925 ties the second-best all-time individual score on bars, and is the highest-ever showing by a freshman in the event.

Utah State:
The Aggies earned a season-best 195.375 at a tri which included host No. 26 Southern and No. 24 Arizona State, finishing in second on Jan. 19. Utah State earned a 48.775 on bars, followed by season-highs of 48.750 on beam, 48.950 on floor and 48.900 on vault.

Follow Along:
Live video/scoring will be available for no charge via the Mountain West Network.

Up Next:
Air Force heads to the West Coast to compete in the Provident Credit Union Event Center against San Jose State on Feb. 4, before making its home debut in the Cadet Gym on Feb. 9.

Women’s gymnastics aims to build on all-time season start at Utah State dual

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Players Mentioned

Velandra Brochi

Kylee Greene

Gianna Martyna

Maggie Slife

Clara Wallace

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