Air Force junior gymnast Maggie Slife was named the 2026 Most Valuable Gymnast by College Gym News, according to an announcement made on April 27 in the platform’s annual end-of-season awards.
Slife, who is a two-time Mountain West Gymnast of the Year, was also nominated for the Gymnast of the Year award. That honor went to Kailin Chio from Louisiana State University. Slife finished her junior season by representing the Air Force Academy as an individual qualifier at the 2026 National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships. She became the first gymnast from Air Force to advance into a national championship event. Throughout the season, she maintained top-10 national rankings on uneven bars and as an all-around competitor.
Mountain West Coach of the Year Jennifer Green and assistant coach Sharon Kelly were also recognized as nominees for College Gym News’ Coaching Staff of the Year after Air Force’s notable season. The Falcons participated in their first NCAA regional since 2002 during this period.
College Gym News was founded in 2015 and has grown into a central source for college gymnastics news. The site provides recruiting analysis and coverage of NCAA national championships with contributions from more than thirty writers.
The recognition highlights both individual and team achievements within Air Force women’s gymnastics during a milestone year.
