DENTON, Texas – The No. 12-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team made noticeable changes to its lineups in comparison to its season opener but still finished atop the final standings in a tri meet at No. 25 Texas Woman's on Friday night.
Coming off a short turnaround from its last meet and despite losing some tenths with steps on dismounts, Denver scored a 195.850 overall, placing ahead of No. 25 TWU's 195.275 and Arizona's 193.350.
SIGNIFICANT STATS
- Two Denver gymnasts made their full collegiate debuts in the meet: freshman Megan Aamold, doing so on beam, and sophomore Addie Hewitt, doing so on both floor and vault.
- Over the first two meets of the season, seven DU gymnasts have made the first full lineup appearances of their collegiate careers.
- Three DU student-athletes competed in the all-around: junior Maddison Reidenbach, who won the title in just her second-ever appearance; senior Cecilia Cooley, also competing all four events for just the second time; and freshman Shyla Bhatia, doing so for the first time in her young NCAA career.
- The trio swept the all-around podium.
- Denver made adjustments to its lineups on three of the four events when compared to the season opener against Stanford just five days ago.
- Of the 14 gymnasts on the roster, 13 have now made at least one full lineup appearance – and the 14th has competed in exhibition.
BARS RECAP
In a rotation that included an unusual delay, Denver started off the meet on bars with its same lineup as in the season opener. DU's first counted score came from Reidenbach in the No. 5 slot with a 9.750, just a quarter tenth off the marks from three more Denver gymnasts: Bhatia, Cooley and senior
Mila Brusch.
Due to an equipment malfunction during the middle of her routine in the No. 2 spot, freshman
Kaitlynd Kastl was allowed to repeat her routine in its entirety at the end of the lineup. As the unexpected pseudo-anchor to the lineup, she needed a hit to ensure DU would not count a fall. With controlled handstands and a stuck dismount, she not only hit the routine but finished with a 9.825, which matched the highest bars score of the entire meet.
BEAM RECAP
Denver shuffled its beam lineup from the season opener, welcoming two freshmen for the first time while also changing up both the lead off and anchor competitors. Cooley, who led off the lineup for much of the 2025 season, moved back into that spot on Friday and set the tone with a solid 9.800. Reidenbach, too, would earn a 9.800 later in the rotation while junior
Ashley Gallen contributed a 9.750.
DU's final two counted scores came from its two newcomers to the event. Bhatia, who competed in exhibition last weekend, took over the anchor spot and delivered a team-best 9.825. Fellow freshman
Megan Aamold made her overall collegiate debut, returning to competition after more than a year away due to injury and hitting her routine for a 9.725.
FLOOR RECAP
Without two of its top floor scorers from a season ago – including one who was in the season-opening lineup in Brusch – Denver still put up its strongest event score of the night with a 49.175. Once again, Cooley anchored with a meet-best 9.925, giving her the title in consecutive meets. She followed a 9.875 from Reidenbach, which equaled her mark from last week and just missed her career best by a quarter tenth. Juniors Gallen and
Amanda Hargraves each hit within the 9.800 range for the second lineup appearances of their careers: Gallen matching her 9.825 from the opener and Hargraves improving by a quarter tenth to a 9.800. Bhatia's 9.775 was the final counted score, though Hewitt rounded out the lineup, making her official NCAA debut after only having previously competed in exhibition.
VAULT RECAP
DU finished out the night on vault, again missing line-up mainstay Brusch and welcoming Hewitt to the full lineup for the first time in her place. Reidenbach led the way with a 9.850 for her Yurchenko full, and Bhatia followed with a 9.825 for her Yurchenko 1.5. Hargraves stuck her full cold to add a 9.775 in the first DU vault while Kasparian moved into the No. 6 slot and delivered a 9.750, despite competing while feeling under the weather. Cooley had the team's final counted score in just her second collegiate vault appearance.
EXHIBITION NOTES
Denver once again competed with exhibition routines on three of the four events. Freshman
Terra Rutter went on vault for the second meet in a row while also slotting in on floor for the first time. Two newcomers made exhibition appearances on beam, both true freshmen.
Abby Steeley did so while making her first post-injury appearance and earning a stellar 9.850. Classman Kastl also went in exhibition on beam, her first such appearance, and went 9.775.
PODIUM FINISHES
Vault
Reidenbach: First Place – 9.850
Bhatia: Second Place (tie) – 9.825
Bars
Kastl: First Place (tie) – 9.825
Beam
Bhatia: Third Place (tie) – 9.825
Floor
Cooley: First Place – 9.925
Reidenbach: Second Place (tie) – 9.875
All-Around
Reidenbach: First Place – 39.275
Bhatia: Second Place (tie) – 39.175
Cooley: Second Place (tie) – 39.175
NEXT UP:
Denver continues its two-meet streak away from home when it opens Big 12 Conference competition at West Virginia on Saturday, January 24.
TICKETS:
Tickets for the 2026 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.
