Sunday, January 12
Magness Arena
2:00 PM MT
University of Denver
vs
Minnesota
Photo by: Brittany Evans
No. 2 DU Set for Home Opener Against Minnesota
1/10/2020 12:20:00 PM | Gymnastics
Denver to host preseason No. 14 Gophers on Sunday in Magness Arena
DENVER – The No. 2-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team will host its 2020 home opener on Sunday, January 12, at 2 p.m. in Magness Arena against Minnesota.
DISNEY DAY & PROMOTIONS
Fans can enjoy Disney-themed fun for DU's annual Disney Day. Princesses Anna and Elsa from "Frozen" will be in attendance to take photos with fans from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
DU Gymnastics has also partnered with DU Hockey for Beauty & the Beast Weekend. For $20, fans get tickets for the DU Hockey game against St. Cloud State on Saturday and tickets for the gymnastics meet against Minnesota on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased using promo code BEAUTYBEAST online.
STANDING STRONG WITH SCSU
During Sunday's meet, both Denver and Minnesota gymnasts will wear blue ribbons to show support for the Southern Connecticut State University gymnastics team and to honor the life of SCSU gymnast Melanie Coleman, who passed away during the preseason.
PERFECTION FOR VASQUEZ
Sophomore Alexis Vasquez (Arcadia, Calif.) scored the first perfect 10.0 of the 2020 NCAA season with her beam routine in the Pioneers' season opener at the Collegiate Challenge. It was just the second perfect score on beam in DU history and first during head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart's tenure. The only other perfect 10.0 on beam belongs to Robyn King on March 14, 1997.
This is the second time that a DU gymnast has scored a perfect 10.0 during the first meet of the year. Nina McGee did so in 2016 on floor.
Vasquez was rewarded with Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week honors for her performance. It is the third Big 12 weekly award of her career.
RANKINGS RECORDS
For the first time in program history, Denver holds a No. 2 national ranking. The team's previous record for highest ranking was No. 4, achieved following DU's fourth-place finish at the 2019 NCAA National Championships.
Denver also attained the No. 1 ranking on beam for the first time ever, and the bars squad holds a program-record No. 3 national ranking.
Two DU gymnasts top the individual rankings simultaneously for the first time in school history. Vasquez leads the nation on beam and is the first DU gymnast to achieve a No. 1 ranking on beam since Jessica Lopez in 2009.
Junior Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.) is tied for the top spot on floor. The last DU gymnast to be ranked No. 1 on floor was eventual NCAA national champion McGee in 2016.
BIG 12 DOMINANCE
At the top of this week's national rankings are two Big 12 Conference teams in Oklahoma and Denver. It is the first time in conference history that the Big 12 holds the No. 1 and No.2 spots nationally.
The two teams also lead the beam rankings with DU at No. 1 and OU at No. 2. Denver and Oklahoma are both in the top three on bars as well.
The Big 12 was the only conference to have two teams in the 2019 NCAA team final with Denver and Oklahoma.
STRONG START
Denver continued its momentum from its fourth-place finish in 2019 with the best season opener in school history. DU's overall score (196.700), bars score (49.275) and beam score (49.425) were all program records for best marks in the first meet of the season.
FAB FRESHMEN
Three Denver newcomers made their collegiate debuts at the Collegiate Challenge on January 4. Amoree Lockhart (Fort Worth, Texas), who graduated high school early and began training with the Pioneers in January, notched a 9.825 on beam and a 9.875 on floor. Both scores tie the third-best marks by a DU freshman in her first collegiate meet. She also tied for second on floor.
AK Subject (Wayzata, Minn.) competed on vault, bars and floor for the Pioneers. Her 9.825 on bars tied for fifth overall on the event.
Emma Brown (Adel, Iowa.) made the floor lineup while also competing in exhibition on beam.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Vault: Junior Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) led the Pioneers on vault in the season opener and in the final 2019 rankings. Joining her with 10.0 start values are Lynnzee Brown and junior Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.). Junior Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) and freshman Subject rounded out DU's lineup at the Collegiate Challenge. Sophomore Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla.) was a last-minute scratch, putting Denver in a five-up, five-count scenario in the first meet of the season.
Bars: Lynnzee Brown and Karr finished 1-2 at the Collegiate Challenge on bars with 9.9+ scores. Glynn, who finished the 2018 season nationally-ranked on the event, earned praise for her quick thinking after going over on a handstand but seamlessly recovering to finish with a 9.825. Ruiz and Subject both added scores at or above 9.800 in the season opener while Sundstrom completed DU's bars lineup.
Beam: Vasquez picked up where she left off on beam in 2019 with her first-career perfect 10.0 at the Collegiate Challenge. The sophomore is one of DU's two returning All-Americans on the event, joining Karr. All six DU beam workers scored above 9.800s in the season opener including freshman Lockhart in her first collegiate routine. Lynnzee Brown, Ruiz and Sundstrom rounded out the lineup while Emma Brown appeared in exhibition.
Floor: Reigning NCAA co-champion on floor Lynnzee Brown captured her first floor title of the season with a 9.950 to secure Denver's victory at the Collegiate Challenge. Karr and Lockhart posted matching 9.875s to tie for second and give DU a sweep of the event podium. Half of Denver's floor lineup featured freshmen in the season opener: Emma Brown, Lockhart and Subject. Glynn also competed on floor for the first time since February 16, 2019.
EYE ON THE RANKINGS
Denver earned the No. 2 spot in this week's national rankings, marking the first time DU has held a top-three national ranking. DU is ranked in the top 11 on all four events including No. 1 on beam and No. 3 on bars – both new program records.
Seven DU gymnasts hold at least one individual national ranking, which is a new school record for most in a single week. Lynnzee Brown and Karr lead the way, each owning national rankings in the all-around and on all four events. Lynnzee Brown is No. 3 nationally in the all-around and is tied for No. 1 on floor while Karr is tied for No. 4 in the all-around and is in the top 10 on vault, bars and beam.
Juniors Sundstrom and Glynn both returned to the national rankings, Sundstrom tied for No. 19 on beam and Glynn tied for No. 22 on bars.
Freshmen Lockhart and Subject hold the first top-25 rankings of their careers. Lockhart is tied for No. 15 on floor, and Subject is tied for No. 22 on bars.
LAST TIME OUT
Denver opened its 2020 campaign at the Collegiate Challenge in Anaheim, Calif., on January 4, winning the first session with a 196.700 to top Arizona State (195.675), Auburn (195.375) and Penn State (193.500). Lynnzee Brown captured three individual titles – on bars, floor and in the all-around – while Vasquez took home the beam win with her perfect 10.0.
ABOUT MINNESOTA
The Gophers entered 2020 ranked No. 14 in the preseason coaches' poll after finishing the 2019 season ranked No. 13. Minnesota's season ended with a third-place finish at the Baton Rouge Regional Final. Then-sophomore Lexy Ramler represented UM at the NCAA National Championships and finished as the runner-up in the all-around while adding All-American nods on vault, bars and beam.
Denver is 14-8 all-time against Minnesota. The teams last met at the 2018 Minneapolis Regional where DU topped UM 196.275-196.100.
The Gophers' last trip to Denver was also the teams' most recent regular-season meeting on February 18, 2019. Minnesota-native and then-DU freshman Karr scored a perfect 10.0 to help lead Denver to a 197.150-196.075 victory.
NEXT UP
The University of Denver women's gymnastics team, presented by Your Hometown Toyota Stores, will make its first trip of the season to the SEC with a visit to Arkansas on Friday, January 17.
DENVER TICKET OFFICE
Tickets for the 2020 DU Gymnastics season are now on sale. Season tickets are still available starting at $35, and single meet tickets are also on sale. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 303-871-4625.
SHOP PIONEERS
Get dressed for game day! Get your Pioneers gear at ShopPioneers.com, the official online store of University of Denver Athletics.
DONATE
Fans interested in making a donation to the gymnastics program can do so online. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.
- OUR JOURNEY, OUR TIME –
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Gymnastics on Facebook.
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Gymnastics on Twitter.
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Gymnastics on Instagram.
DISNEY DAY & PROMOTIONS
Fans can enjoy Disney-themed fun for DU's annual Disney Day. Princesses Anna and Elsa from "Frozen" will be in attendance to take photos with fans from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
DU Gymnastics has also partnered with DU Hockey for Beauty & the Beast Weekend. For $20, fans get tickets for the DU Hockey game against St. Cloud State on Saturday and tickets for the gymnastics meet against Minnesota on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased using promo code BEAUTYBEAST online.
STANDING STRONG WITH SCSU
During Sunday's meet, both Denver and Minnesota gymnasts will wear blue ribbons to show support for the Southern Connecticut State University gymnastics team and to honor the life of SCSU gymnast Melanie Coleman, who passed away during the preseason.
PERFECTION FOR VASQUEZ
Sophomore Alexis Vasquez (Arcadia, Calif.) scored the first perfect 10.0 of the 2020 NCAA season with her beam routine in the Pioneers' season opener at the Collegiate Challenge. It was just the second perfect score on beam in DU history and first during head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart's tenure. The only other perfect 10.0 on beam belongs to Robyn King on March 14, 1997.
This is the second time that a DU gymnast has scored a perfect 10.0 during the first meet of the year. Nina McGee did so in 2016 on floor.
Vasquez was rewarded with Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week honors for her performance. It is the third Big 12 weekly award of her career.
RANKINGS RECORDS
For the first time in program history, Denver holds a No. 2 national ranking. The team's previous record for highest ranking was No. 4, achieved following DU's fourth-place finish at the 2019 NCAA National Championships.
Denver also attained the No. 1 ranking on beam for the first time ever, and the bars squad holds a program-record No. 3 national ranking.
Two DU gymnasts top the individual rankings simultaneously for the first time in school history. Vasquez leads the nation on beam and is the first DU gymnast to achieve a No. 1 ranking on beam since Jessica Lopez in 2009.
Junior Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.) is tied for the top spot on floor. The last DU gymnast to be ranked No. 1 on floor was eventual NCAA national champion McGee in 2016.
BIG 12 DOMINANCE
At the top of this week's national rankings are two Big 12 Conference teams in Oklahoma and Denver. It is the first time in conference history that the Big 12 holds the No. 1 and No.2 spots nationally.
The two teams also lead the beam rankings with DU at No. 1 and OU at No. 2. Denver and Oklahoma are both in the top three on bars as well.
The Big 12 was the only conference to have two teams in the 2019 NCAA team final with Denver and Oklahoma.
STRONG START
Denver continued its momentum from its fourth-place finish in 2019 with the best season opener in school history. DU's overall score (196.700), bars score (49.275) and beam score (49.425) were all program records for best marks in the first meet of the season.
FAB FRESHMEN
Three Denver newcomers made their collegiate debuts at the Collegiate Challenge on January 4. Amoree Lockhart (Fort Worth, Texas), who graduated high school early and began training with the Pioneers in January, notched a 9.825 on beam and a 9.875 on floor. Both scores tie the third-best marks by a DU freshman in her first collegiate meet. She also tied for second on floor.
AK Subject (Wayzata, Minn.) competed on vault, bars and floor for the Pioneers. Her 9.825 on bars tied for fifth overall on the event.
Emma Brown (Adel, Iowa.) made the floor lineup while also competing in exhibition on beam.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Vault: Junior Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) led the Pioneers on vault in the season opener and in the final 2019 rankings. Joining her with 10.0 start values are Lynnzee Brown and junior Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.). Junior Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) and freshman Subject rounded out DU's lineup at the Collegiate Challenge. Sophomore Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla.) was a last-minute scratch, putting Denver in a five-up, five-count scenario in the first meet of the season.
Bars: Lynnzee Brown and Karr finished 1-2 at the Collegiate Challenge on bars with 9.9+ scores. Glynn, who finished the 2018 season nationally-ranked on the event, earned praise for her quick thinking after going over on a handstand but seamlessly recovering to finish with a 9.825. Ruiz and Subject both added scores at or above 9.800 in the season opener while Sundstrom completed DU's bars lineup.
Beam: Vasquez picked up where she left off on beam in 2019 with her first-career perfect 10.0 at the Collegiate Challenge. The sophomore is one of DU's two returning All-Americans on the event, joining Karr. All six DU beam workers scored above 9.800s in the season opener including freshman Lockhart in her first collegiate routine. Lynnzee Brown, Ruiz and Sundstrom rounded out the lineup while Emma Brown appeared in exhibition.
Floor: Reigning NCAA co-champion on floor Lynnzee Brown captured her first floor title of the season with a 9.950 to secure Denver's victory at the Collegiate Challenge. Karr and Lockhart posted matching 9.875s to tie for second and give DU a sweep of the event podium. Half of Denver's floor lineup featured freshmen in the season opener: Emma Brown, Lockhart and Subject. Glynn also competed on floor for the first time since February 16, 2019.
EYE ON THE RANKINGS
Denver earned the No. 2 spot in this week's national rankings, marking the first time DU has held a top-three national ranking. DU is ranked in the top 11 on all four events including No. 1 on beam and No. 3 on bars – both new program records.
Seven DU gymnasts hold at least one individual national ranking, which is a new school record for most in a single week. Lynnzee Brown and Karr lead the way, each owning national rankings in the all-around and on all four events. Lynnzee Brown is No. 3 nationally in the all-around and is tied for No. 1 on floor while Karr is tied for No. 4 in the all-around and is in the top 10 on vault, bars and beam.
Juniors Sundstrom and Glynn both returned to the national rankings, Sundstrom tied for No. 19 on beam and Glynn tied for No. 22 on bars.
Freshmen Lockhart and Subject hold the first top-25 rankings of their careers. Lockhart is tied for No. 15 on floor, and Subject is tied for No. 22 on bars.
LAST TIME OUT
Denver opened its 2020 campaign at the Collegiate Challenge in Anaheim, Calif., on January 4, winning the first session with a 196.700 to top Arizona State (195.675), Auburn (195.375) and Penn State (193.500). Lynnzee Brown captured three individual titles – on bars, floor and in the all-around – while Vasquez took home the beam win with her perfect 10.0.
ABOUT MINNESOTA
The Gophers entered 2020 ranked No. 14 in the preseason coaches' poll after finishing the 2019 season ranked No. 13. Minnesota's season ended with a third-place finish at the Baton Rouge Regional Final. Then-sophomore Lexy Ramler represented UM at the NCAA National Championships and finished as the runner-up in the all-around while adding All-American nods on vault, bars and beam.
Denver is 14-8 all-time against Minnesota. The teams last met at the 2018 Minneapolis Regional where DU topped UM 196.275-196.100.
The Gophers' last trip to Denver was also the teams' most recent regular-season meeting on February 18, 2019. Minnesota-native and then-DU freshman Karr scored a perfect 10.0 to help lead Denver to a 197.150-196.075 victory.
NEXT UP
The University of Denver women's gymnastics team, presented by Your Hometown Toyota Stores, will make its first trip of the season to the SEC with a visit to Arkansas on Friday, January 17.
DENVER TICKET OFFICE
Tickets for the 2020 DU Gymnastics season are now on sale. Season tickets are still available starting at $35, and single meet tickets are also on sale. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 303-871-4625.
SHOP PIONEERS
Get dressed for game day! Get your Pioneers gear at ShopPioneers.com, the official online store of University of Denver Athletics.
DONATE
Fans interested in making a donation to the gymnastics program can do so online. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.
- OUR JOURNEY, OUR TIME –
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Gymnastics on Facebook.
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Gymnastics on Twitter.
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Gymnastics on Instagram.
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