DENVER – The No. 8-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team capped off a three-meet homestand with a 197.125 win over Big 12 Conference opponent West Virginia (195.575) on Sunday.
COACH'S NOTES:
From Joy S. Burns Head Women's Gymnastics Coach
Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart: "Today was a gritty, confidence-building team performance. We let people rest – and decided to let Jessica (Hutchinson) rest after she wasn't feeling well – and it speaks to our depth that our student-athletes can step into lineups and perform.
"On floor in particular, we were without three routines from last week while we rested Alexandria (Ruiz), Rosie (Casali) and Jessica. For Abbie (Thompson), Momoko (Iwai) and Lynnzee (Brown) to step up like they did was huge. Moving people and shifting lineups now will allow us to peak and be sharp when it matters most. We have so much opportunity, it's very exciting.
"I'm so proud of Lynnzee coming back on floor. It was another step in phasing her back into the all-around. Her determination, perseverance and resiliency is inspiring."
SIGNIFICANT STATS
- Denver mixed up all four of its lineups on Sunday, including on floor where it changed three competitors from its previous meet, among them graduate student Lynnzee Brown, who competed on the event for the first time since a season-ending injury in January 2022.
- Junior Abbie Thompson also competed on floor for just the second time this season while sophomore Momoko Iwai returned the lineup after a week off.
- DU's 49.350 on vault was its second-highest score of the season, achieved with tied career highs from juniors Bella Mabanta and Rylie Mundell.
- Denver swept the individual titles including Mundell's second-straight all-around win – the first two all-around titles of her career – and Thompson share of the beam title, which was just the second of her career on any event.
- DU rested multiple student-athletes including junior Rosie Casali on two of her three events and graduate student Alexandria Ruiz on floor. Junior Jessica Hutchinson was also rested on three events after not feeling well after vault.
VAULT RECAP
Denver started the day with a 49.350 on vault with just three 10.0 start values after resting Casali and her Yurchenko 1.5. Stepping into the lineup was Ruiz with a 9.825. Freshman
Mila Brusch and Hutchinson both scored 9.775s, and Brown added a 9.900 to match her top score of the season. Mabanta, too, scored a 9.900, and Mundell added a meet-best 9.950 to join Mabanta in tying her career high.
BARS RECAP
All six of Denver's bars scores were yet again at or above the 9.800 marking, starting with Casali's 9.800. Thompson scored a season-high 9.825, which freshman
Kiley Rorich and Mundell both would also earn. Ruiz led off the lineup with a 9.875, which tied her season's best. Brown added another season high for DU with a 9.950 – her best score on the event since a perfect 10.0 at the 2021 NCAA Regional Final.
BEAM RECAP
DU shuffled its beam lineup and finished with a 49.325 after earning five counted scores above 9.800. Brown and Mabanta led off with matching 9.825s before Denver welcomed back Iwai with her second-best score of the season with a 9.875. After a fall in the No. 4 spot, Thompson and Mundell delivered critical hit routines and each matched their season best of 9.900.
FLOOR RECAP
Denver changed out half of its floor lineup from its February 5 meet, moving Brusch to the lead off spot, where she scored a 9.750. Thompson added a 9.825 in just her second floor routine of the season, and Mundell would score the same in the No. 5 spot. Mabanta and Iwai were both just a quarter tenth from their career highs – the junior with a 9.875 and the sophomore a 9.850 on Sunday. Brown unexpectedly made her season debut on the event, anchoring the lineup for her first all-around appearance since a season-ending injury on January 30, 2022.
EXHIBITION NOTES
Even with all of the lineup changes and rested student-athletes, Denver was still able to compete with an exhibition routine on three events. Iwai (vault), Brusch (beam) and freshman
Ava Mabanta (floor) each made their first appearances of the season.
MORE FROM COACH:
Kutcher-Rinehart about Hutchinson's floor routine: "Jessica's perfect 10 is so well deserved. She's elegant and effortless in her tumbling. Her routine is a tribute to her mom, but it fits her movement and style. She's been worthy of big scores, and it's nice to see her rewarded for this routine."
PODIUM FINISHES
Vault
Mundell: First Place – 9.950
Brown: Second Place (tie) – 9.900
B. Mabanta: Second Place (tie) – 9.900
Bars
Brown: First Place – 9.950
Ruiz: Second Place – 9.875
Beam
Mundell: First Place (tie) – 9.900
Thompson: First Place (tie) – 9.900
Iwai: Third Place – 9.875
Floor
B. Mabanta: First Place – 9.900
Iwai: Second Place (tie) – 9.850
All-Around
Mundell: First Place – 39.500
Brown: Second Place – 39.450
NEXT UP:
Denver travels down I-25 for a meet at Air Force with UC Davis on Friday, February 17, at 6 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.
NCAA REGIONALS ARE COMING TO DENVER:
The University of Denver will host the 2023 NCAA Regional Gymnastics Championships on March 30 – April 2, 2023, in Magness Arena. All-session tickets are now on sale and can be
purchased online or by calling 303-871-4625.
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