Oklahoma's Maile'ana Kanewa is embracing a new role in the Oklahoma women's gymnastics program for the 2016-2017 season. This year, instead of being a gymnast, she will be a student coach.

Kanewa is a fifth-year senior, and sat out all of last season due to injury. Unfortunately, as a result of that injury, she will not return to the competition floor this season, but she still will be a big contributor in her new role.



Kanewa has battled injuries throughout her journey at Oklahoma. She sat out half of her freshman season after wrist surgery, and came back strong to earn Big 12 Specialist and Newcomer of the Week honors. 

In her sophomore year, Kanewa continued the momentum and reached some incredible career high scores on each event. She shined on vault and floor, where she boasts career highs of 9.975 and 9.95, respectively. She was the 2014 NCAA Nationals floor runner-up and a first-team All-American on floor and vault.



In 2015, she suffered a late pre-season tweak, and made it back into a couple lineups before enduring a season-ending knee injury on a vault landing in warm-ups on February 20. She hasn't competed since, but her support of the team hasn't wavered.

Injuries are a painful reality in gymnastics, but Kanewa will continue to stay involved and support her team with a positive attitude and bright smile.