DENVER – University of Denver gymnasts Cecilia Cooley and Mia Hebinck earned two of the Big 12 Conference's first weekly gymnastics awards of the 2025 season, the conference announced on Tuesday.
 
Cooley was named the Big 12 Gymnast of the Week while Hebinck earned Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week honors.
 
Cooley made her return to competition for Denver in the season opener on January 5 after missing the entire 2024 campaign with an injury. She made her collegiate debut on both beam and floor while also competing on bars for just the third time in her career. On floor, she won the event title – the first of her career on any event – with a 9.875. Her 9.850 on bars was part of DU's lineup that set a new program record for a season opener with a 49.450, and her hit beam set came immediately following a fall in previous routine.
 
Hebinck was one of only four gymnasts to score in the 9.9+ range in Sunday's season opener with the senior hitting her bars set for a 9.900 in helping Denver to its record-setting rotation. She won a share of the title as well, bringing her career total to four on the event.
 
This is the first Big 12 award of Cooley's career and the third Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week nod for Hebinck.
 
No. 11 Denver hosts No. 5 Missouri, Georgia and LIU in its first quad meet of the season on Sunday, January 12, at 1:45 p.m. MT.
 
TICKETS:
Tickets for the 2025 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.
 
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