AMES, Iowa – The No. 10-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team used a new program record on vault to secure its second-highest road score of the season at Iowa State on Friday.
For the second time in 2023, Denver set the program vault record – and did so at an away meet – scoring a 49.600 to improve on the previous record of 49.550, set at Michigan on January 13.
In the meeting between two Big 12 Conference teams, DU topped host Iowa State, 197.275-196.300.
COACH'S NOTES:
From Joy S. Burns Head Women's Gymnastics Coach
Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart:
"I'm really proud of how gritty and resilient this team is and how they keep fighting for every tenth. There was a calm confidence about them tonight. They weren't overly concerned about the scores and just stayed focused on the process. This is a great away score that will continue to move our NQS forward."
SIGNIFICANT STATS
- DU set the school record on vault for the second time this season with three scores of at least 9.950 – including two tied career highs: a near-perfect 9.975 from graduate student Lynnzee Brown and a 9.950 from junior Rylie Mundell.
- This becomes the eighth time that Denver has eclipsed the 49.600 mark on any event and only the third time on the road.
- The last time DU scored a 49.600+ was at home on March 7, 2021 (49.625 on bars and 49.600 on floor).
- The last time Denver did so at an away meet was at Illinois on March 1, 2019 (49.600).
- For the third-straight week, DU won at least a share of all five individual titles.
BARS RECAP
Denver began the day on bars, tallying a 49.125 anchored by a meet-best 9.900 from Mundell. Graduate student
Alexandria Ruiz led off the lineup with a 9.800, which junior
Rosie Casali and freshman
Kiley Rorich matched in the next two routines. Brown then added a 9.825 for the team's final counted score.
VAULT RECAP
DU's record-setting performance on vault featured six scores of at least 9.850, starting with freshman
Mila Brusch in the leadoff. Junior
Jessica Hutchinson, too, tallied a 9.850 following fellow junior
Bella Mabanta's 9.875. Mundell and Casali both scored 9.950s with their stuck Yurchenko 1.5s, and Brown capped off the record with her personal best-tying 9.975.
FLOOR RECAP
DU moved to floor for the third rotation and posted a 49.275. Ruiz and Casali started the rotation with a 9.850 and 9.775, respectively. Mundell would later add a 9.825. Hutchinson and Brown both hit the 9.9+ mark, the junior scoring a 9.900 – her third-straight score in the 9.900 range – and the graduate student a new season-best 9.925.
BEAM RECAP
The team finished off its night with its second-straight 49.275 on beam with all five counted scores at or above 9.800, starting with junior
Abbie Thompson and freshman
Momoko Iwai each scoring 9.800. Mundell added a 9.850, and Hutchinson anchored the lineup with a 9.900. The top beam score of the night came from Brown in the leadoff with her season high-tying 9.925.
EXHIBITION NOTES
DU competed with an exhibition on all four events for the third time this season: Iwai on vault, Thompson on bars, freshman
Ava Mabanta on beam and Brusch on floor.
PODIUM FINISHES
Vault
Brown: First Place – 9.975
Casali: Second Place (tie) – 9.950
Mundell: Second Place (tie) – 9.950
Bars
Mundell: First Place – 9.900
Brown: Second Place – 9.825
Casali: Third Place (tie) – 9.800
Rorich: Third Place (tie) – 9.800
Ruiz: Third Place (tie) – 9.800
Beam
Brown: First Place – 9.925
Hutchinson: Second Place – 9.900
Mundell: Third Place (tie) – 9.850
Floor
Brown: First Place (tie) – 9.925
Hutchinson: Third Place (tie) – 9.900
All-Around
Brown: First Place – 39.650
Mundell: Second Place – 39.525
Hutchinson: Third Place – 39.400
NEXT UP:
DU returns to Denver for its final regular-season home meet of the year to host Towson on Sunday, March 5, at 1:45 p.m. MT for Senior Day and Fan Appreciation Day.
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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