FORT WORTH, Texas – The No. 4-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team tied for second at Saturday's Metroplex Challenge in a showdown of three top-five teams and four that were ranked in the top 20.
 
No. 4 Denver scored a 196.575, tying with No. 5 Alabama to place second overall. No. 1 Oklahoma was first with a 197.525, and No. 18 Georgia was fourth with a 196.300.
 
Senior Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) tied her career high on bars with a near-perfect 9.975 to help lead the Pioneers. In total, she captured four individual titles including a tie in the all-around.
 
"Tonight was great preparation for the postseason," head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. "The scores did not reflect the lessons we will take away from this meet. They were very adaptable to lineup changes, and we climbed back from the bottom at the start of the meet. It was great preparation for postseason."
 
DU began the meet on floor where Karr tied for the event win with a 9.900. Junior Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.) had DU's second-highest score with a 9.850, and junior Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) posted a new season's best with a 9.800 in the leadoff position. Sophomore Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla.) scored a 9.775, and freshman Amoree Lockhart (Fort Worth, Texas) had a 9.650 after going out of bounds on one of her tumbling passes.
 
Denver regrouped for its second-best vault rotation of the season, scoring a 49.225. Glynn stuck her Tsukahara full to earn a new career high with a 9.875. Karr, too, posted a 9.875 to share DU's top score on the event. All three of the Pioneers' counted scores were 9.800s or higher with a 9.850 from Brown, a 9.825 from junior Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) and a 9.800 from Ruiz.
 
The highlight of Denver's night came on bars where the Pioneers boasted a 49.500, the highest road score on the event in program history and the second-highest overall. It was also the top bars score of all four teams. Karr's near-perfect 9.975 matched her personal best and tied for third in DU history. Juniors Sundstrom and Brown each earned a 9.900, and Ruiz started the rotation with a 9.875. Glynn's 9.850 was Denver's final counted score.
 
For the third meet in a row, Brown tied her beam career high in the leadoff position with a 9.900 and shared the event title. Teammate Karr, too, scored a 9.900 for her fourth title of the evening. Sophomore Alexis Vasquez (Arcadia, Calif.) overcame a couple adjustments in her routine and scored 9.775. After a last-minute score change, Ruiz's beam score was raised to a 9.650, which Lockhart also scored.
 
Karr won her third-straight all-around title after tying for the top spot with a 39.650, just .025 off her season's best. Brown was third overall with a 39.500. Ruiz, too, competed in the all-around and earned a 39.100.
 
Speaking about the DU fans traveled to support the Pioneers for the meet, Kutcher-Rinehart added, "It was great to have so many Denver fans here in Fort Worth. They gave us energy and support throughout the meet, and we are incredibly thankful for them."
 
The University of Denver women's gymnastics team, presented by Your Hometown Toyota Stores, returns to Denver after two meets on the road. DU will host Air Force and Ball State on February 2 at 2 p.m. in Magness Arena.
 
DENVER TICKET OFFICE
Tickets for the 2020 DU Gymnastics season are on sale, starting at $9. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 303-871-4625.
 
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Get dressed for game day! Get your Pioneers gear at ShopPioneers.com, the official online store of University of Denver Athletics.
 
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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.
 
2020 DENVER ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME RECEPTION
Denver announced its 2020 Athletic Hall of Fame class in January. The inductees will be honored on the DU campus May 16. For more information, registration for the reception and donation information, click here.

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