Small details have led to big results for Maggie Slife. 

After coming up short in qualifying for nationals a year ago, the Air Force gymnast has been focusing on the little details to improve her performance. Her shape for handstands on bars, clean dismounts, and leaps on the floor –nothing was going untouched.

Focusing on the small details rewarded Slife, a junior, who advanced to the National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships as one of four individual all-rounders and the first Falcon to compete at nationals in women’s gymnastics history. 

“Last year I didn’t go in with the goal to make it to nationals because I didn’t think it was possible,” Slife, the Air Force all-around record holder, said. “So, going into this year, I believed I could make it and really wanted it.”

The Wisconsin native earned the bid to nationals by scoring a 39.550 as an all-arounder in the semifinals of the Baton Rouge Regional on April 2, which was the top finish at regionals for gymnasts not on advancing teams.

The Mountain West Gymnast of the Year will compete Thursday in one of two championship semifinal sessions at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. 

“It’s been such an amazing season, so to see all my hard work pay off is absolutely incredible,” Slife said. “This team is really special, we all have the same love for this sport and have really been able to channel that into our competitions, and it’s really paid off.”

Slife will rotate with No. 1 Oklahoma, and as a fan of the sport, she is excited to compete with the best and considers herself a “fangirl” of her competitors. 

“She has no idea there’s a ton of girls who fangirl over Maggie,” Air Force women’s head coach Jennifer Green said. “She puts people on a pedestal, but is competing equally with them as well. I think that shows you who Maggie is. She is a humble person, she does her job, and whatever happens, happens, and wants the best for everyone else.” 

It was a breakout year for the Falcons, who were selected to compete at an NCAA regional for the first time since 2002, and the third time in history. The Air Force women were one of 36 Division I teams selected for a regional berth, but the Falcons fell in the opening round to Nebraska. 

The Falcons’ performance this season also earned Green Mountain West Coach of the Year, the first Air Force gymnastics coach so honored. In addition to conference Gymnast of the Year, Slife was also recognized as vault/bars/beam/floor specialist of the year and earned first-team All-Mountain West honors along with Alyssa Bigler and Kylee Greene. 

“I think they finally believed in themselves and their talent and how well they could do,” Green said of the team. “The belief and also the camaraderie and leadership on the team are incredible. No drama in the gym, didn’t have negative energy at all. Without that, everyone can enjoy themselves and have fun.”

The daughter of two gymnastics coaches, Audra and Justin Slife, the sport was one of the all-arounder’s first loves. Her first gymnastics class was at 18 months. Slife’s parents will be in Texas to watch their daughter live out her dreams, but they also look forward to spending time with Slife outside of gymnastics.

Go-karts at Lone Star Kartpark and frozen yogurt are a must. 

“I just want to have fun and do my best,” Slife said. “There is less pressure because the hard part was getting here, so I want to stay in the moment and really enjoy this. It’s such an honor to represent something so much bigger than myself.”

In her last training session before leaving for nationals, Slife practiced her beam routine over and over again until it was to her satisfaction. Green says this repetition, a training habit since she was little, means she rarely makes a mistake. 

She’s nailed the small details. The biggest stage awaits.

Seven gymnasts from men’s program advance to NCAA Championships

Air Force will be represented at the NCAA National Collegiate Men’s Gymnastics Championships with seven Falcons and one alternate being selected. 

This will be the first time the Falcons have not advanced as a team since 2021. Co-captain Sam Brown looks forward to competing with his “brothers” despite the team falling short at regionals. Brown, a senior, advanced to the NCAA pommel horse finals as a freshman and sophomore, but did not compete last season due to an ACL injury. 

“Getting to train with them, day in and day out, and see their growth has been great,” Brown said of his teammates. “I’m just trying to have a leader’s mindset of lead by example.” 

The championship will begin Friday at State Farm Center on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign with two qualifying sessions. The top three teams, top three all-arounders not on an advancing team, and top three individuals from each event not already qualified on a team or as an all-arounder, will advance to the NCAA Championships on Saturday. 

Air Force men NCAA qualifiers: 

Sam Brown (pommel horse)

Jack Thomas Foltyn (vault, parallel bars) 

Jared Fry (all-around) 

Tai Gopaul (floor exercise, still rings (alternate), parallel bars, high bar) 

Ryan Jacobsen (still rings (alt.))

Isaac Koo (floor exercise (alt.), vault, high bar)

Jack Matlock (pommel horse)

Palmer Wright (parallel bars)