COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado – The No. 10-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team posted the second-highest road score in program history at an Air Force tri meet on Friday.
 
Denver tallied a season-high 197.650 that also ties the program's fifth-highest overall mark. DU finished ahead of UC Davis (195.300) and host Air Force (195.125).
 
COACH'S NOTES:
From Joy S. Burns Head Women's Gymnastics Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart: "It was a strong night and a total team effort across the board. They created their own energy and enthusiasm, and they stayed together. They adapted well from warmups to competition, and built momentum throughout the meet. This is an indication of the strength of our team midseason and on the road. The confidence continues to grow, and it shows in their consistency."
 
SIGNIFICANT STATS

• DU's 49.550 on bars became a new program record at an away meet and now ranks third overall in the Denver record books.
• On beam, DU added a 49.525, which became the program's fourth-highest road score and tied the seventh-highest overall score.
• In addition to the team's overall score of 197.650, DU set or tied season highs on bars, beam and floor.
• All three of Denver's all-around competitors – juniors Rylie Mundell and Jessica Hutchinson, and graduate student Lynnzee Brown – scored at least a 39.575.
• A season-high 10 routines scored at least a 9.900.

FLOOR RECAP
Denver opened the meet with its best floor rotation of the season so far with all six routines scoring at least a 9.850. Graduate student Alexandria Ruiz and junior Rosie Casali set the tone with matching 9.850s, and junior Bella Mabanta kept the momentum building with a 9.875. All three of DU's remaining floor workers posted 9.900s, beginning with Mundell, who tied her career best. Hutchinson and Brown closed out the lineup with their own 9.900s.
 
VAULT RECAP
Denver moved to vault for the second rotation, posting a 49.150. Freshman Mila Brusch led off with a 9.825, which Hutchinson would match in the No. 3 spot. Mundell and Brown added a 9.850 and a 9.875, respectively with their Yurchenko 1.5s. Ruiz stepped into the final spot for DU at the last minute, scoring the team's final counted score of 9.775.
 
BARS RECAP
DU improved on its previous season high on bars by a full tenth with four scores above the 9.900 mark. Ruiz narrowly missed her best score of the season with a 9.850 in the lead off, and freshman Kiley Rorich tallied a 9.800 two routines later. Casali had the team's first 9.9+ routine, setting a new career high of 9.925. Brown, Hutchinson and Mundell would complete the rotation, all three scoring 9.925s as well.
 
BEAM RECAP
Denver finished the night with another 49.500+ score with its 49.525 to equal its best score of the season on the event. Brown and Mabanta led off with matching 9.875s while junior Callie Schlottman returned to the lineup with a 9.775. Juniors Abbie Thompson, Hutchinson and Mundell all scored a 9.925 – Thompson's and Hutchinson's within a quarter tenth of their career bests.
 
EXHIBITION NOTES
DU competed with exhibitions on three of the four events. Thompson went 9.800 on bars while freshman Ava Mabanta scored a 9.875 on beam and a 9.825 on floor.
 
PODIUM FINISHES
Vault
Brown: First Place – 9.875
Mundell: Second Place (tie) – 9.850
 
Bars
Brown: First Place (tie) – 9.925
Casali: First Place (tie) – 9.925
Hutchinson: First Place (tie) – 9.925
Mundell: First Place (tie) – 9.925
 
Beam
Hutchinson: First Place (tie) – 9.925
Mundell: First Place (tie) – 9.925
Thompson: First Place (tie) – 9.925
 
Floor
Brown: First Place (tie) – 9.900
Hutchinson: First Place (tie) – 9.900
Mundell: First Place (tie) – 9.900
 
All-Around
Mundell: First Place – 39.600
Brown: Second Place (tie) – 39.575
Hutchinson: Second Place (tie) – 39.575
 
NEXT UP:
Denver finishes February with its third Big 12 Conference meet of the year, visiting Iowa State on Friday, February 24, at 6:30 p.m. CT/5:30 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.

Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Gymnastics on Facebook.
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Gymnastics on Twitter.
Follow @DenverPioneers and @Denver_Gymnastics on Instagram.