2010 Pioneer Gymnastics Season in Review
Season High for Pioneers at Regionals
Denver recorded season-highs on bars (49.125) and on floor (49.200) to finish with a 196.175 at NCAA Regionals. The Pioneers finished the meet in third place, while No. 4 Florida and No. 10 Utah earned berths to the NCAA National Championship with scores of 197.675 and 196.900, respectively. No. 19 Boise State finished in fourth place (195.950), followed by No. 23 Washington (195.075) and No. 16 Auburn (194.925). DU's stellar performance earned the Pioneers the No. 15 ranking in the country, the highest post-season ranking for Denver since 2008.
Final National Rankings
Denver finished the regular season ranked No. 22 in the nation, holding a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 195.525. The RQS is a combination of team's top three away scores, top three other scores (home or away) with the high tossed out and the remaining five scores averaged. To determine the post-season national rankings, the RQS is added to the team's regional score, giving the Pioneers a National Qualifying Score of 391.700 and a ranking of No. 15.
On individual events, Denver finished the season tied for 17th on beam (48.945), 23rd on bars (48.910), tied for 24th on beam (48.975), and 25th on floor (48.985). In the individual rankings, Brianna Artemev (Arvada, Colo.) finished the regular season ranked 31st in the all-around with an RQS of 39.200 and tied for 42nd on bars (9.850). Kelley Hennigan (The Woodlands, Texas) was tied for 67th on vault (9.840). She and Taylor Sanford (Omaha, Neb.) were also tied for 76th on beam (9.810). Kristina Coccia (Bethlehem, Pa.) wrapped up 2010 tied for 43rd on floor with a 9.865 RQS.
Hennigan and Artemev Represent DU at NCAA Nationals
Senior Kelley Hennigan and sophomore Brianna Artemev represented the Pioneers at the NCAA National Championships as individual all-around qualifiers. The duo became Denver's 13th and 14th individual NCAA qualifiers since the program turned Division I in 1984. Artemev recorded a 39.175 in the all-around to finish in 11th place in Session II, while Hennigan finished in 20th place with a 38.575 in the all-around. Meanwhile, UCLA won the team competition to claim its sixth NCAA National Championship title.
Sensational Seniors
Three Pioneers concluded their collegiate gymnastic careers in 2010. Fifth-year senior Lauren Garan (Cos Cob, Conn.) competed on beam in 12 meets and on vault in 10 meets. She was fourth on the team with a 9.660 beam average and won three event titles this season, including two on beam and one on vault. Kelley Hennigan competed in the all-around in all regular season 13 meets, counting 51 of her 56 routines. She won nine individual titles and finished the regular season tied for 67th in the country on vault and tied for 76th on beam. Hennigan set career-highs on bars (9.875), beam (9.875) and in the all-around (39.300). Ellen McCarthy (Aurora, Ontario) specialized in beam this season, competing in 12-of-13 meets on the apparatus. She won the beam event title at Minnesota started the season off winning the event title at Minnesota with a 9.850.
Junior Class
Kristina Coccia provided consistency on floor, counting all 14 of her routines, winning five event titles and leading the Pioneers with a 9.788 average. Coccia also counted six-of 10 scores on beam, averaging a 9.520, and competed on vault twice. After missing the first two meets with an injury, Amanda Johanson (Park City, Utah) competed on vault, bars and floor. She won the bars title on Apr. 22 against Air Force and averaged 9.700 on vault, 9.584 on bars and 9.675 on floor. Annamari Maaranen (Tampere, Finland) led the team with a 92.31 counted scores percentage as a bars specialist. She recorded a career-high 9.875 at regionals and was third on the team with a 9.692 bars average. Taylor Sanford competed in all 14 meets on vault and beam, counting 11-of-13 scores on vault and 13-of-13 scores on beam. She led the team on beam this season, recording a 9.780 average and winning three event titles on the apparatus. She also claimed one vault title as she set career marks on both events with a 9.850 on vault and a 9.875 on beam.
Sophomore Class
One of the most consistent Pioneers this season, Brianna Artemev won a team-high 21 individual titles this season. She counted 51 of her 56 scores and was a perfect 14-for-14 on vault and bars. She set career-highs on vault (9.925), bars (9.900), beam (9.900), floor (9.875) and in the all-around (39.325) en route to her first appearance at NCAA Nationals. Fellow sophomore Louise Mercer (Nottingham, England) competed in every meet on vault, bars and floor. She set a career mark of 9.875 on floor, which she tied at the NCAA Regional Championships. She also scored a career-high 9.875 on bars at the meet. Mercer is third on the team with a 9.739 vault average.
Fresh Faces
DU's freshmen made a big contribution this season. Simona Castro Lazo (Santiago, Chile) competed on vault in every meet this season and made five all-around appearances. She earned career higsh of 9.850 on vault, 9.775 on bars, 9.850 on beam and floor, and 39.250 in the all-around. She averaged a 9.721 on both beam and floor, ranking her second on the team in both events. She also led the team with a 39.075 all-around average as she won four event titles this season. Jaleesa Wilson (Cary, N.C.) competed in 13 meets on floor and in seven meets on bars. She set career marks of 9.800 on bars and 9.825 on floor. Elizabeth Ames (Wethersfield, Conn.) competed in exhibition only this season on vault, beam and floor.
Career-High Scores
Denver gymnasts earned career-high scores in 42 events this season, led by Simona Castro Lazo , who posted career highs on every event this season: 9.850 on vault, 9.775 on bars, 9.850 on beam, 9.850 on floor and 39.250 in the all-around. Brianna Artemev recorded eight career marks, while Kristina Coccia added five. Kelley Hennigan, Louise Mercer and Jaleesa Wilson each had three career bests and Annamari Maaranen and Taylor Sanford each posted two.
Home Sweet Home
The Pioneers were a perfect 11-0 in Hamilton Gymnasium this season, recording a regular season high score of 196.075 on March 13 against Illinois-Chicago. DU averaged a score of 194.9875 at home while averaging 1,418 fans at six home meets. On Jan. 23, 2,000 people crowded into Hamilton Gymnasium to watch then-No. 14 Denver compete against BYU and Central Michigan at the Mile High Gymfest.
On the Road Again
DU recorded its highest road score of the regular season on March 22, when the Pioneers defeated Air Force 195.700-193.300. Denver eclipsed this score at the NCAA Regional Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah as the Pioneers recorded season-highs on bars (49.125) and floor (49.200) to end the season with a 196.175.
Team Leaders
Brianna Artemev led the team in vault average (9.807) with Kelley Hennigan close behind (9.803). Artemev also led on bars with an average of 9.818. Taylor Sanford was the team leader on beam (9.780), while Kristina Coccia led on floor (9.788). Simona Castro Lazo led with a 39.075 average in the all-around with Artemev just behind with a 39.023 average.
Quality Competition
The Pioneers faced 14 top-25 opponents in 2010, including three teams ranked in the top 10. Denver went 8-6 against ranked opponents. Ten of DU's opponents concluded the season ranked in the top 25, including three of the top 10 teams in the nation (No. 5 Florida, No. 6 Utah and No. 7 Nebraska).
Success Continues for López
This spring, former Pioneer Jessica López was honored as the 2009 Colorado Sportswoman of the Year for Gymnastics and was inducted into the Colorado Sportswomen Hall of Fame. The five-time All-American also won five gold medals and one bronze at the 16th annual Bolivian Games, which were held in Sucre, Bolivia Nov. 16-21, 2009.
Gymnastics Earns Gold Vest
This season, the gymnastics team earned the Gold Vest Award, the highest honor bestowed by the DU athletic department. The Pioneers qualified for their 12th-consecutive NCAA Regional Championship this season, while posting a team GPA of 3.255 in the classroom. To go along with their performance in the gym, the Pioneers were also very active in the community, helping with 9News Cares, the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Wells Fargo Walk MS.
Academic Achievement
The Pioneers were recognized for their exceptional work in the classroom, earning an NCAA Public Recognition Award. Each year, these awards are given to teams scoring in the top 10 percent of their sport according to their Academic Progress Rate, which tracks the progress of each student-athlete during the school year and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. The DU men's golf team and the volleyball team each earned an NCAA Public Recognition Award.
