CORVALLIS, Ore. – The No. 5-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team has advanced to the 2019 NCAA National Championships following its first-ever NCAA regional title on Saturday.
 
The Pioneers captured the program's first regional championship with a 197.375, now DU's highest-ever postseason score and its ninth-best mark overall.
 
DU upset No. 4-ranked Florida (196.700) for the Pioneers' first-ever win over the Gators. Denver also topped host and No. 15-ranked Oregon State (196.900) and No. 12 Boise State (196.075).
 
"I am incredibly proud of our team," head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. "They showed grit, resiliency, mental and physical toughness, and consistency in back-to-back days in the championship new format.
 
"They came out on floor with great energy and focus and joy, and then they stayed in the moment and blocked out the distractions. They took it one event at a time and one routine at a time, and they stayed completely focused on the process."
 
Denver opened the meet on floor with a 49.300, the program's third-highest score on the event at an NCAA Regional meet. Junior Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) and sophomore Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.) anchored the lineup with matching 9.900s that would tie for second overall. Sophomore Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) and senior Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Fla.) each added a 9.850, and freshman Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla.) had DU's final counted score with a 9.800.
 
In the second rotation, DU posted a 49.200 on vault with five scores of 9.800 or higher. Karr tied for second in the final event standings with a 9.875, and Brown added a 9.850. Schou tied her career high with a 9.850 as well. Sundstrom and senior Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, N.C.) scored a 9.825 and a 9.800, respectively.
 
DU kept building momentum with its 49.450 on bars, which is now the school's highest score on the event at NCAA Regionals and ties the fifth-highest all-time mark. Karr's 9.950 was the top score of the night and one of three 9.9+ scores for DU. Brown had a 9.925, and Ruiz set a new personal best with a 9.900. Senior Claire Kern (Charlotte, N.C.) led off the rotation with a 9.850 – just .025 off her career best – while Sundstrom, who was substituted into the lineup at the last minute, scored a 9.825.
 
The Pioneers secured their victory with a stellar beam rotation for the second night in a row, scoring a 49.425. Highlighting the rotation was Schou's career high-tying 9.950 in the anchor spot, which would be the highest beam score of the night. Freshman Alexis Vasquez (Arcadia, Calif.) added a 9.925 for her 10^th 9.9+ on the event this season and finished second overall. All four of Denver's remaining routines scored at least 9.800. Three DU gymnasts earned 9.850s – Ruiz, Sundstrom and Karr – and Brown added a 9.800.
 
Four Pioneers competed in the all-around on Saturday with Karr finishing tied atop the final standings with a 39.575. Brown was third with a 39.475. Sundstrom returned to the all-around for the first time since February 24 and was fourth overall while Ruiz added her ninth all-around appearance this season.
 
Reflecting on the meet, Kutcher-Rinehart said, "It's incredibly rewarding. This has been a special team from the beginning. And we wouldn't be in this position and accomplishing what we are without our tremendous alumni who helped build the foundation for this program and allowed us to keep building.
 
She added, "We're excited for nationals. We've trained for this for the whole year. This isn't a surprise, but it's still very exciting."

This will be Denver's fifth all-time team appearance at NCAA Nationals. DU last advanced in 2017, and at least one DU gymnast has now advanced to the NCAA National Championships in each of the last 20 seasons.
 
The 2019 NCAA National Championships will be held April 19-20 at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Denver will compete in the semifinals on Friday, April 19. More details about the NCAA National Championships will be announced in the coming days.
 
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