PROVO, Utah -- University of Denver sophomore Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) posted the second-highest all-around score in program history, recording a 39.750 on Friday night. It is a new career best and only .025 off of the program record (39.775 from Nina McGee on February 27, 2016).
"I think everything is coming together," Karr said of her performance. "I feel confident and strong in all of my gymnastics, and it was fun to finally put what I've been doing in training out on the competition floor.
"There's still more to improve on. My bars score was the lowest one, and that is something I'm working really hard on in the gym. It's really close to coming together the way I want it."
Karr led the No. 10-ranked DU Gymnastics team to a 195.975 on the road at BYU in a tri meet with Southern Utah, which is the team's highest away score of the season so far.
"This wasn't our strongest overall performance, but there were some definite highlights," head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. "Maddie had a great night in the all-around, and bars was our best team performance of the year."
Denver began the meet on floor, competing with only five student-athletes again. For the second straight meet, senior Nikole Addison (Fort Myers, Fla.) and Karr led the team with matching 9.925s to tie for second overall. Junior Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Fla.) earned a 9.825 while freshmen Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) and Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) completed the line-up.
DU also had only five competitors on vault, tallying a 49.175 overall. Karr had DU's top individual score from any event this season with a near-perfect 9.975. Addison's 9.875 was second-highest on the team and tied for second overall. DU earned a 9.800 from junior Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, N.C.), and Schou and Sundstrom added a 9.775 and a 9.750, respectively.
In the third rotation, Denver moved to bars with a 49.350, tying the sixth-highest score in program history. Four Pioneers set or tied their career highs on the event, beginning with 9.900s from Karr, Sundstrom and Glynn to share the event title. Junior Claire Kern (Charlotte, N.C.) also tied a career best with a 9.875. Chesnok's 9.775 was DU's final counted score, keeping the team from counting a fall.
The Pioneers finished the meet on beam, overcoming a rough start with three consecutive scores of at least 9.900 to sweep the podium. Sundstrom started the run with a 9.900, and Schou added a 9.925, both scores just .025 off each gymnast's career high. Karr capped off her career night with a 9.950, which is a new personal best and ties the fifth-highest beam score in program history.
"It's going to take some time for us to get to full strength, but tonight certainly shows where our potential is," Kutcher-Rinehart added. "It was a gritty performance by a depleted roster that is building depth as the season progresses. Once we're at full strength, we should be even stronger heading into postseason."
Denver competes on the road again next weekend, traveling to Toledo, Ohio, for the Elevate the Stage meet on Friday, February 23, against No. 6 Michigan, Utah State and Bowling Green.
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