COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 5-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team posted a 196.600 in its first away meet of the season, highlighted by a strong final rotation on beam.
 
DU topped host No. 17 Ohio State (195.750) despite missing multiple routines due to COVID-19 health/safety and "return to play" protocols.
 
COACH'S NOTES:
From head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart: "As we continue to build back to full strength, I'm incredibly proud of how this team performed in our first road meet of the year. Even with lineup changes and delays in the meet, our team stayed composed. There could have been many distractions, but they maintained their focus.
 
"One of the most important things our team did tonight was finish as strong as they did on beam. That's the mark of a championship team."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
 
SIGNIFICANT STATS

• Denver finished the day with a meet-best 49.375 on beam in the final rotation, which matches the eighth highest road score in program history.
• Freshman Momoko Iwai made her collegiate debut after being a late addition to the vault lineup. She also added an exhibition performance on beam.
• Sophomore Bella Mabanta had the highest score of any team on any event with her career-best 9.950 on beam.
• Three DU gymnasts won individual titles: graduate student Lynnzee Brown and sophomores Mabanta and Rylie Mundell.
• Senior Alexandria Ruiz returned to the all-around after only competing on vault and bars in the season opener.

BARS RECAP
Denver opened the competition with meet-high 9.850s from Lynnzee Brown and Mundell. Sophomore Rosie Casali improved over her score in the season opener, earning a 9.825, and graduate student Emily Glynn added a 9.800 to help get DU to a 49.100 team total.
 
VAULT RECAP
Ruiz tied her career high to lead Denver's vault scoring with a 9.850. Graduate students Mia Sundstrom and Lynnzee Brown both contributed 9.825s with classmate Glynn scoring a 9.800. Iwai was substituted into the lineup following warmups and led off the rotation with a 9.750 in her first collegiate appearance.
 
FLOOR RECAP
Lynnzee Brown had the sole 9.900 of the meet on floor. For the second meet in a row, Mabanta led off Denver's lineup and scored a 9.850, just .025 off her personal best. In her first floor routine of the year, Ruiz delivered a 9.775 following a lengthy wait, a score that Glynn and sophomore Abbie Thompson would also earn.
 
BEAM RECAP
Denver stayed loose and energized for the final rotation, which paid off with DU's strongest team performance of the meet. Lynnzee Brown started the lineup with a 9.925 that was just .025 from her career high. Thompson, too, hit the 9.900 mark while Mabanta's career-best 9.950 sealed a 1-2-3 finish for DU in the final standings. Ruiz posted a 9.825 in her return to the beam lineup, and junior Callie Schlottman had the team's final counted score with a 9.775.
 
PODIUM FINISHES
All-Around
Lynnzee Brown: First Place – 39.500
Ruiz: Second Place – 39.225
Mundell: Third Place – 38.775
 
Vault
Ruiz: Second Place – 9.850
Lynnzee Brown: Third Place (tie) – 9.825
Sundstrom: Third Place (tie) – 9.825
 
Bars
Lynnzee Brown: First Place (tie) – 9.850
Mundell: First Place (tie) – 9.850
 
Beam
Mabanta: First Place – 9.950
Lynnzee Brown: Second Place – 9.925
Thompson: Third Place – 9.900
 
Floor
Lynnzee Brown: First Place – 9.900
Mabanta: Third Place – 9.850
 
NEXT UP:
Denver continues its three-meet road trip with its first Big 12 Conference meet of the year when DU visits West Virginia on Friday, January 21.
 
DU will return home on Sunday, February 6, against New Hampshire. Season tickets, single meet tickets and group tickets are all on sale and can be purchased online or by calling 303-871-4625.
 
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES
Masks are required at all indoor athletic events. For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.
 
TICKETS
Tickets for the 2022 DU Gymnastics season are now on sale. Season tickets are available starting at $40, and single meet tickets begin at $12. 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.