AMES, Iowa – The No. 5-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team concluded its regular season with a 197.225 win at Big 12 opponent Iowa State (195.925) on Friday. It was the seventh consecutive score of at least 197 for DU, extending the program's record streak.
 
Sophomore Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.) captured the all-around win after recording her third near-perfect 9.975 on floor this season. Junior Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) was second in the all-around and won the vault and bars titles.
 
"The physical and mental toughness of this team is outstanding," head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart. "Getting in at 3:30 in the morning, completely throwing off our sleeping and overall schedule for the day – that takes a lot. We've preached the ability to excel through adversity all season long, and this meet helped demonstrate that.
 
"I can't reinforce enough the tremendous character that this team has. I continue to be impressed with their performance, especially when you consider the illness on the team and the academic demands with finals week coming up and the weather altering our schedule all week."
 
Denver began the evening on bars with a 49.350 performance after all six scores earned at least a 9.800. Karr's 9.925 was the highest of the night for either team, and Brown finished second with a 9.900. Freshman Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla.) matched her career high with a 9.875 to tie for third. Sophomore Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) and senior Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, N.C.) each posted 9.825s while senior Claire Kern (Charlotte, N.C.) had a 9.800.
 
DU moved to vault for the second rotation, which was highlighted by Karr's event-winning 9.900. Sophomore Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) returned to competition for the first time in two weeks and earned DU's second-highest score with a 9.850, placing second overall. Brown added a 9.825, and Chesnok had a 9.800. Ruiz's 9.775 was DU's final counted score.
 
Brown's near-perfect 9.975 led the floor rotation for DU. Karr and senior Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Fla.) tied for second with 9.875s. Junior Courtney Loper (West Des Moines, Iowa) once again appeared in the floor lineup with a 9.825, matched later by Ruiz. In her first floor routine in two weeks, Sundstrom tallied a 9.800 to give Denver six scores at or above the 9.800 mark.
 
The Pioneers closed out the meet on beam, sweeping the podium with a 9.925 from Schou and matching 9.875s from Brown and Ruiz. Sundstrom's 9.850 was just .025 off her season best, and Karr added a 9.825 to round out Denver's counted scores.
 
The University of Denver women's gymnastics team, presented by Your Hometown Toyota Stores, begins its postseason next week with the 2019 Big 12 Championship on Saturday, March 23, hosted by No. 1 Oklahoma.
 
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