Feb. 16, 2004

Complete Results

USAFA, Colo. - The University of Denver gymnastics team won all four team events and captured the top three individual spots on vault, uneven bars and floor exercise Monday night as the 21st-ranked Pioneers won their second meet in three days with a 197.250 - 190.775 win over Air Force in Cadet Gymnasium. Denver broke its longstanding team record on Saturday and nearly did the same on Monday, registering its second-best score ever and highest road score in school history. The Pioneers improve to 4-8 on the season while Air Force drops to 2-9.

Denver began the meet on uneven bars, where the Pioneers counted all five scores of 9.825 or higher in scoring a 49.200, its second-best score of the season. Leading the way senior Ashley Shible (Palm Harbor, Fla.), who won her third bars title of the season with a 9.875. Fellow senior Rose Kiernan (Aspen, Colo.) finished second with a 9.85 and three Pioneers tied for third, as sophomore Cassidy Willingham (Mountain View, Calif.), and freshmen Heather Huffaker (DeSoto, Texas) and Katie Andrews (Crawfordsville, Ind.) each scored a 9.825.

Denver's second event was the vault, where the Pioneers were again solid in posting a 49.225. Huffaker continued her impressive debut season on the event, winning her fourth title of the season with a 9.9. In a tie for second place was Shible and freshman Casey Dobyns (Woodinville, Wash.), who both posted scores of 9.85. Following the first two events, Denver held a commanding, 98.425 - 94.725 lead.

Floor exercise was Denver's third event, and Denver continued its impressive season on the event, scoring a 49.550 that stands as the team's second-best score this season. Senior Emily Bankhead (Houston, Texas) tied her career-high for the second-time in as many meets with a 9.975, giving her her third floor title of the season. Shible and Fricke both tied for second at 9.925 and Huffaker finished third with a 9.875. Dobyns set a new personal career-best score with a 9.85 to finish fourth.

The final event of the evening for the Pioneers was balance beam, and Denver kept its impressive two-meet performance going with a 49.275, its second-highest score of the season. Bankhead led the team for the seventh time this season and won her fourth title with a 9.925, just edging out Huffaker's 9.9. Air Force's Jessa Liegl finished third with a 9.85 and Kiernan and Willingham finished in a tie for fourth 9.825.

Denver also claimed the top four spots in the all-around, led by Huffaker's 39.500. Shible finished second with a season-high 39.450 and was followed by Willingham (39.025) and Bankhead (38.900).

Denver is next in action this Saturday when it hosts No. 8 Nebraska in the annual Burnsley Invitational in Hamilton Gymnasium at 6 p.m.