Hawk Item
- Two-time All-American
- One of four multi-time All-Americans in program history
- NCAA runner-up on beam in 2022
- Tied the school record on beam with a 9.975 in 2021… also has the second-best score on beam in school history at 9.950.
2022
- Finished as the NCAA runner-up on beam at NCAA Championships (4/14) with a 9.950… it was the highest beam score by a Hawkeye at the NCAA Championships in program history… runner-up finish is the highest by a Hawkeye all-time
- Is the sixth All-American in school history at NCAA Championships and second on beam… finished second to Olympic Gold medalist Suni Lee (9.965)
- Advanced to NCAA Championships after scoring a 9.950 at NCAA Regionals, becoming the first Hawkeye to qualify for NCAAs since 2017
- Missed four meets because of injury
- Won four event titles and posted eight top-three finishes during regular season
- Scored 9.900 or higher on beam in nine of 10 competitions
- Won beam (9.925) against Eastern Michigan (1/8), vault (9.850) and all-around (38.800) against Texas Woman’s University (1/14) and beam (9.900) at Iowa State (3/4)
- Placed fourth on beam (9.900) at Big Ten Championships (3/19)
- Tied for second on beam (9.950) and tied for fifth on vault (9.900) at NCAA Regionals (3/31)
- Posted three 9.900s at NCAA Regional Final (4/2), tying for third on beam (9.900), tying for fourth on bars (9.900) and tying for eighth on floor (9.900)
- Posted career bests on vault (9.850 at Minnesota/UCLA, 1/17), bars (9.900 at NCAA Regionals) and floor (9.900 at NCAA Regionals).
2022 Honors
- First-team All-American at NCAA Championships
- Second-Team All-Big Ten selection
- Recipient of the “Best Play” Golden Herky Award
- I-SAAS April Student-Athlete of the Month
- Academic All-Big Ten.
2021
- Competed in all 11 meets, twice performing in the all-around
- Competed on bars in every meet
- Tied a school record on beam, last set in 2002, scoring a 9.975 at Nebraska on March 14
- Received a 10.000 from one judge en route to her career-best score
- Won her first career event title on rings with a 9.875 against Ohio State (1/23)
- Won the beam title in the road win at Illinois (1/31)
- Won the beam (9.950) title in the road win at Nebraska (2/20)
- Won on beam (9.925) and tied for second on vault (9.825) and bars (9.875) in the home finale against Illinois (3/6)
- Won the all-around (her first all-around of her career) with a career-best 39.500 and finished first on beam (9.975) in the road win at Nebraska (3/14)
- Placed fifth in all-around (39.325) at the Big Ten Championships (3/26)
- Tied a career-high on vault (9.850), bars (9.900) and floor (9.875) at NCAA Regionals (4/2)
- Bar performance helped the team to the third-best team score in school history.
2021 Honors
- WCGA second-team All-American, becoming first freshman to earn All-America distinction
- Big Ten Freshman of the Year – the fourth Hawkeye to earn the distinction and first since 2001
- First-team All-Big Ten selection
- Four-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree (Jan. 25, Feb. 8, March 1, March 15).
High School
- Named to the Junior U.S. National Team in 2017, leading the team to a gold medal
- Finished fourth in the all-around
- Won the all-around at the KPAC National Elite qualifier in 2016 with a 54.600
- Placed in the top 10 in the all-around at the P&G Championships and was second on balance beam
- Was also fourth out of 33 gymnasts on the bars
- Qualified for P&G Championships in 2014, placing 27th overall and 18th on balance beam in junior division
- Finished ninth in all-around and fifth on balance beam at the 2013 Region 4 Championships
- Qualified to Level 9 Western Nationals, finishing seventh on beam and fifth on floor
- Qualified to HOPES pre-elite and won gold medals on uneven bars, beam, floor, and all-around at the 2013 U.S. Challenge
- Placed seventh in all-around, third on uneven bars, and second on balance beam at the 2012 state championships
- Qualified for regional championships where she was first on balance beam, floor, and all-around
- Placed first on the balance beam and second in all-around at 2011 state championships
- Made the Diamond TOPs National team in 2009 and the “A” TOPs National Team in 2010 and 2011
- Received the Social Studies Medal of Honor in 2020
- Trained at the Iowa Gym-Nest under Paige Roth and Mary Wise.
Personal
- Born Aug. 3, 2002, in Guanxi, China
- Daughter of Sara Sanders and JR Kenlin
- Has three younger siblings, Kjirstin, Josephine, and Soren
- Mother is the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at University of Iowa
- Aunt was a collegiate gymnast at Auburn
- Majoring in sport and recreation management.
Career Bests
| Event | Score | Opponent | Date |
| Vault | 9.850 | 6X, last at Minnesota/vs. UCLA | 1/17/22 |
| Bars | 9.900 | 5X, last at NCAA Regional Final | 4/2/22 |
| Beam | 9.975 | at Nebraska | 3/14/21 |
| Floor | 9.900 | 2X, last at NCAA Regional Final | 4/2/22 |
| All-Around | 39.500 | at Nebraska | 3/14/21 |