ANAHEIM, Calif. – The No. 7-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team started the 2020 season with a 196.700 on Saturday to win the first session of the Collegiate Challenge.
Sophomore
Alexis Vasquez (Arcadia, Calif.) recorded the first perfect 10.0 of the 2020 NCAA season with her stunning beam routine to help lead the Pioneers over No. 21 Arizona State (194.675), No. 13 Auburn (194.375) and No. 25 Penn State (193.500).
"Only our team can make our philosophy of teamwork, character and excellence be more than words; they put action behind the words," head coach
Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. "They showed a level of grit and toughness that is honestly inspiring. Even not being at full strength, our athletes stepped up and rose to the challenge. We will only continue to improve from here."
Denver kicked off the meet on vault, earning a 48.850 with five up, five count. Senior
Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) led the rotation with a 9.875, and junior
Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.) posted a 9.850. Juniors
Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) and
Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) scored a 9.750 and 9.700, respectively. Freshman
AK Subject (Wayzata, Minn.) led off the lineup with her first appearance at a DU gymnast, posting a 9.675.
The Pioneers rebounded with a strong bars rotation, scoring a 49.275, which ties DU's best score on the event in the season opener.
Lynnzee Brown's 9.925 led the scoring for DU while Karr's 9.900 was close behind. Subject earned a 9.825 for her first collegiate bars routine, which Glynn matched later in the rotation. Sophomore
Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla.) had the team's final counted score with a 9.800 in the leadoff position.
Vasquez recorded a perfect 10.0 on beam – the first of her career and only DU's second ever on the event – to help lead Denver to a 49.425 overall, which becomes the new program record for the first meet of the year. Karr added a 9.900, and juniors
Lynnzee Brown and Sundstrom posted 9.850s. In her collegiate debut, freshman
Amoree Lockhart (Fort Worth, Texas) scored a 9.825, which Ruiz also tallied.
Reigning NCAA floor co-champion
Lynnzee Brown had the meet's highest floor score with a 9.950, contributing to Denver's 49.150 overall. Lockhart added a 9.875 for her first-ever DU floor routine, which Karr also scored. Freshman
Emma Brown (Adel, Iowa) also made her collegiate debut, earning a 9.750 while Glynn returned to the floor lineup and scored a 9.700.
Denver earned two all-around scores above the 39.500 mark with
Lynnzee Brown's 39.575 and Karr's 39.550.
Denver's final mark of 196.700 becomes the new DU record for highest season opener score, topping the previous record of 196.425 from 2003.
Discussing the collegiate debut for freshmen
Emma Brown, Lockhart and Subject, Kutcher-Rinehart added, "All three freshmen who competed did a tremendous job. They embraced and excelled the pressure."
The University of Denver women's gymnastics team, presented by Your Hometown Toyota Stores, next hosts its home opener on Sunday, January 12, at 2 p.m. in Magness Arena against No. 14 Minnesota.
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.
