CANCN, Mexico Sophomore Amanda Johanson (Park City, Utah) started off the 2009 season with a bang Friday night, capturing the floor exercise title for her first career event title, helping the No. 14-ranked University of Denver gymnastics team to a third place finish in Session II and a fourth-place finish overall with a team score of 193.825 at the Cancun Classic. Fifth-ranked Stanford won the meet with a team score of 195.600 and was followed by No. 9 Oregon State (194.575). BYU finished fourth in Session II with a score of 189.125. In the earlier session, No. 7 LSU won the meet with a score of 194.900 followed by Boise State (193.700), No. 8 Michigan (192.700, and North Carolina (190.325).
The score was DU's highest in a season-opening meet since 2006.
Johanson scored an impressive 9.85 on floor, finishing in front of Oregon State’s Mandy Rodriguez and Stanford’s Dani Ikoma, who both scored a 9.8 to finish tied for second. DU scored a 48.675 on the event.
DU’s best event was the uneven bars, where the Pioneers turned in a team score of 48.800. Freshman Briana Springer (Arvada, Colo.) was the most impressive Pioneer, turning in a score of 9.875 to finish tied for second. Stanford’s Carly Janiga won with a 9.9.
Springer had a very good first meet for the Pioneers, competing in all four events and turning in an all-around score of 38.125. Junior Kelley Hennigan (The Woodlands, Texas) also competed all-around for the Pioneers, scoring a 38.975.
Freshman Louise Mercer (Nottingham, England) led DU with a 9.8 on vault in her first collegiate meet and junior Ellen McCarthy (Aurora, Ontario) paced the Pioneers with a 9.8 on balance beam.
Denver was competing without the services of senior All-American Jessica Lpez (Caracas, Venezuela), who sat the meet with an injured elbow.
The Pioneers are next in action Saturday, Jan. 10 when DU hosts No. 11 Nebraska and 2008 Olympic All-Around gold medalist Nastia Liukin in the Pioneer Alumni Classic at 6 p.m. in Hamilton Gymnasium. Tickets for the meet can be purchased by calling the DU Ticket Office at 303-871-2336. Tickets are also available on-line at www.DenverPioneers.com. Group tickets are available for those wishing to purchase 20 or more by calling Group Sales Manager Adam Sizemore at 303-871-2389.
