DENVER – The No. 13-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team began its 2023 season with a 196.925 performance on Sunday, ranking among the best season openers in program history.
DU topped visiting Penn State (195.875) and Texas Woman's (191.975) in front of one of Denver's largest-ever crowds.
COACH'S NOTES:
From Joy S Burns Head Women's Gymnastics Coach
Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart: "I'm pleased with our team. We had some nerves in areas, but it shows our strength that we were able to still have this kind of a performance even with mistakes. When we did make a mistake, the next person stepped up and got us right back on track. It showed the mental toughness this team has. I'm also looking forward to more people challenging for lineups in the next two-to-four weeks that will foster even more positive competition in the gym.
"I want to thank the Denver community for coming out and supporting us. It was electric and loud and so much fun for our student-athletes to compete in front of."
SIGNIFICANT STATS
- DU's 196.925 is less than one tenth from the largest score in a season opener, set just last season (197.000).
- Denver's 49.525 on beam tops the previous school record for season-opening beam score by a full tenth. It also ties the seventh-highest overall beam score in program history.
- All four of DU's team event scores now sit in the team's top 10 for season openers including the third-highest on floor (49.300).
- DU's beam and floor scores would have been the third- and fifth-highest scores in all of the 2022 season.
- Sunday's final attendance of 4,494 is the second-highest in a home opener in DU history, behind only 2018's 4,634, and is the program's seventh-largest crowd overall.
VAULT RECAP
Denver began the meet with what would be five of six highest vault scores of the entire competition, highlighted by junior
Jessica Hutchinson's meet-high 9.850 after she stuck her upgraded Yurchenko 1.5 the first time she competed in collegiately. Junior
Rosie Casali had DU's second-highest score, a 9.800, after opting for a Yurchenko full. Fellow juniors
Bella Mabanta and
Rylie Mundell each scored a 9.775, and freshman
Mila Brusch made her collegiate debut with a 9.750.
BARS RECAP
DU's top bars score in the leadoff position from graduate student
Alexandria Ruiz, a 9.875 that was just .025 from her career best. Casali was just off that pace with a 9.850. Graduate student
Lynnzee Brown made her return to the lineup following a season-ending injury in January 2022, earning a 9.825, which Mundell also scored. Junior
Abbie Thompson had the final counted DU score (9.775) after only competing on the event once in 2022.
BEAM RECAP
Denver overcame a two-fall routine in the second spot to hit four consecutive routines and finish with a massive 49.525, which is tied for the top beam score in the country through opening weekend. Iwai got things back on track with a 9.925 that was only a quarter-tenth from her career high. Thompson, a 2022 NCAA Nationals qualifier on beam, followed with a 9.900 to match her 2022 high score, and Mundell added a 9.850. Hutchinson anchored the lineup with a stellar career high-tying 9.950. Brown returned to the lineup as the leadoff competitor, scoring a 9.900.
FLOOR RECAP
Five counted scores above 9.800 gave DU a 49.300 to close out the meet on floor. Mabanta matched her career high of 9.900 to win her first career floor title, sharing it with teammate Hutchinson. Casali, who competed floor just once in 2022, scored a 9.850 that was just .025 from her career high. Ruiz and Iwai led off the rotation with matching 9.825s.
OTHER NOTES
DU fielded an exhibition performance on all four events: senior
Victoria Fitts on vault, Iwai on bars and freshman
Cecilia Cooley on beam and floor.
PODIUM FINISHES
All-Around
Hutchinson: Second Place – 39.075
Mundell: Third Place – 39.025
Vault
Hutchinson: First Place – 9.850
Casali: Third Place – 9.800
Bars
Ruiz: Second Place (tie) – 9.875
Beam
Hutchinson: First Place – 9.950
Iwai: Second Place – 9.925
Brown: Third Place (tie) – 9.900
Thompson: Third Place (tie) – 9.900
Floor
Hutchinson: First Place (tie) – 9.900
Mabanta: First Place (tie) – 9.900
NEXT UP:
Denver hits the road for its first away meet of the year, traveling to 2021 NCAA National Champion Michigan for a tri meet with Fisk on Friday, January 13, at 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT.
DU will return home on Sunday, January 29, for a Big 12 showdown when it hosts reigning NCAA National Champion and preseason-No. 1 Oklahoma in Magness Arena at 1:45 p.m. MT.
TICKETS:
Tickets for the 2023 University of Denver gymnastics season are now on sale and can be
purchased online, by calling 303-871-4625 or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office. Season ticket renewals can be purchased by calling 303-871-4625.
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