Jan. 9, 2004
Complete Results
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The 18th-ranked University of Denver gymnastics team opened its 2004 season Friday night with a team score of 193.600 and finished in sixth place at the annual Super Six Challenge in front of 9,817 fans at Coleman Coliseum on the campus of the University of Alabama. The Pioneers finished behind five teams ranked ahead of them in the preseason GymInfo national poll; the hosts and second-ranked Alabama posted its best season-opening score ever with a 196.725 followed by No. 7 Florida (195.95), No. 2 Georgia (195.55), No. 13 Oklahoma (195.275), and No. 11 Oregon State (193.775).
Denver began the evening on floor exercise and scored a 48.950, its best score on an event in the meet. Senior Ashley Shible (Palm Harbor, Fla.) scored a 9.8 and newcomer Meredith Fricke (Midlothian, Texas), in her first meet for the Pioneers, scored a 9.85. Senior Emily Bankhead (Houston, Texas) recorded the Pioneers' best score on the event as she tied for seventh in the meet with a 9.875.
The second event for the Pioneers was the vault, where the Pioneers scored a 48.650. Sophomore Cassidy Willingham (Mountain View, Calif.) opened up the event for the Pioneers with a 9.625 and was followed by freshman Casey Dobyns' (Woodinville, Wash.) 9.65. Freshman Heather Huffaker (DeSoto, Texas), in her first collegiate competition, recorded Denver's best score to finish tied for sixth with a 9.85. Following the first two events for the six teams, Denver was in third place with a team score of 97.60, trailing only Georgia (98.10) and Alabama (97.75).
Following its first team bye, the Pioneers then were on the uneven bars, where Denver was forced to count a 9.0 and scored just a 47.775, its lowest event score of the night. Bankhead and freshman Katie Andrews (Crawfordsville, Ind.) posted high scores for the Pioneers with a pair of 9.725s and Shible scored a 9.7 to lead Denver.
The fourth and final event of the evening for Denver was the balance beam, where the Pioneers turned in a score of 48.225. Denver's seniors led the way, as Bankhead recorded Denver's best score with a 9.8 and was followed by Shible's 9.725 and Rose Kiernan's (Aspen, Colo.) 9.675.
Bankhead posted Denver's best all-around score with a 39.175 and was followed by Shible (38.975), Huffaker (37.85) and Andrews (37.05).
Denver is next in action next Saturday, Jan. 17 when it takes on Maryland in the Alumni Challenge presented by Star Market at 6 p.m. in Hamilton Gymnasium.
