LAS VEGAS – The No. 10-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team began its 2024 campaign with the program's third-highest score in a season opener at the Mean Girls Super 16 Gymnastics Championships on Friday.
 
Denver topped the Session I leaderboard with a 196.850, the highest score the team has put up in a season premiere that was held on the road. DU finished ahead of Illinois (195.825), No. 21 Washington (195.000) and San Jose State (194.950).
 
COACH'S NOTES:
From Joy S. Burns Head Women's Gymnastics Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart: "It was a very strong and consistent start from warmups all the way through to competition. They were poised and did a great job adapting throughout the meet.
 
"We started the season a little earlier than we usually do, and we want to slowly progress throughout the season. We're building depth and had new faces stepping up in key positions today, and it's encouraging that the exhibitions challenged the lineup scores."
 
SIGNIFICANT STATS

• All four of Denver's event scores ranked among the top 10 in program history for season openers including new records on vault (49.250) and bars (49.350).
• Including its four exhibition performances, Denver hit all 28 of its routines.
• Senior Jessica Hutchinson won the all-around title with a 39.525, just one tenth off her career high.
• Two freshmen made their collegiate debuts in the meet with Madison Ulrich competing in the all-around and Maddison Reidenbach competing on floor.
  • Reidenbach also competed in exhibition on vault and beam while Amanda Hargraves competed in the floor exhibition.
  • Ulrich's 39.325 became the third-highest all-around tally by a DU freshman in her first meet – behind only Maddie Karr in 2017 and Lynnzee Brown in 2018.
  • Ulrich also tied for the second-highest vault score by a newcomer in her first meet, posting a 9.900 to tie for the title.
• Two returners also made collegiate debuts with senior Rosie Casali competing in the all-around for the first time after making her first appearance in the DU beam lineup while sophomore Kiley Rorich competed on floor for the first time.

BARS RECAP
Denver opened the meet with six scores of at least 9.800 on bars, sealed by a 9.925 and 9.900 from Hutchinson and fellow senior Rylie Mundell, respectively. Casali moved to the leadoff position for DU, setting the tone with her 9.800, which Rorich improved on by a quarter tenth. Ulrich continued to build the scores with her 9.850, which junior Mia Hebinck matched in her return to competition after missing the 2023 season with an injury.
 
BEAM RECAP
DU continued to settle into the meet on beam in the second rotation. The team kicked things off with a new leadoff competitor in junior Momoko Iwai, who began with a solid 9.825. Casali would later equal that mark in her first collegiate beam routine after competing in exhibition on the event just one previously. Hutchinson added a 9.850 in the anchor slot while the top score of the meet came from senior Bella Mabanta, who earned a 9.925 for her stunning routine in the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Ulrich and senior Abbie Thompson rounded out the lineup.
 
FLOOR RECAP
For the third rotation in a row, Denver welcomed a new leadoff with Rorich making her first appearance in the floor lineup of her career, smiling all the way through her routine and scoring a 9.800. Casali followed with a hit routine until she was unable to save her final landing and stepped out of bounds. Two freshmen followed, starting with Reidenbach in her official collegiate debut followed by Ulrich in her third of four routines on the day. Mabanta and Hutchinson wrapped up the meet with a 9.825 and 9.850, respectively.
 
VAULT RECAP
Denver concluded the meet with all six of its vaulters scoring at least 9.800, beginning with matching scores from sophomore Mila Brusch and Mabanta for their Yurchenko fulls. The final four vaults all featured 10.0 start values including a near-stuck front handspring front pike half from Ulrich in her debut for a 9.900. Hutchinson matched that score with a stuck Yurchenko 1.5. Casali and Mundell also competed their Y1.5s, and both scored 9.825.
 
EXHIBITION NOTES
Denver competed with an exhibition on all four events. Iwai scored a 9.825 for her bars routine with a reworked routine from her exhibitions in 2023. Reidenbach went on both vault (9.800) and beam (9.750). Hargraves filled the floor exhibition slot and earned a 9.575.
 
PODIUM FINISHES
Vault
Hutchinson: First Place (tie) – 9.900
Ulrich: First Place (tie) – 9.900
 
Bars
Hutchinson: First Place – 9.925
Mundell: Second Place – 9.900
 
Beam
B. Mabanta: First Place – 9.925
 
Floor
Hutchinson: First Place – 9.850
B. Mabanta: Second Place – 9.825
Rorich: Third Place (tie) – 9.800
Ulrich: Third Place (tie) – 9.800
 
All-Around
Hutchinson: First Place – 39.525
Ulrich: Second Place – 39.325
 
NEXT UP:
Denver hosts its 2024 home opener when it welcomes future Big 12 Conference opponent Arizona State on Sunday, January 14, at 1:45 p.m. MT in Magness Arena.
 
TICKETS:
Tickets for the 2024 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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