DENVER – The No. 17-ranked University of Denver women's gymnastics team tallied a 196.525 in its return to Magness Arena for its Big 12 Conference home opener against Iowa State on Sunday afternoon.
 
In a nationally-televised meet on ESPN2, DU came away with the win over Iowa State (192.550), recovering from mistakes in two of its lineups to again not count a fall during the entire meet.
 
COACH'S NOTES:
From Joy S. Burns Head Women's Gymnastics Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart: "There were opportunities that people capitalized on today. It was a fast-paced meet – being on national television – and that was an opportunity for the student-athletes to adapt and block our distractions. We continue to focus on getting big and stepping up in pressure situations as we keep working toward getting more people into future lineups. It's all part of this segment of the season that we've identified for this year.
 
"Thank you to our fans, too. It was a high-energy, loud arena that added a lot of excitement and energy. It was electric."
 
SIGNIFICANT STATS

• Denver's 49.500 on floor in the final rotation became the team's highest single event score of the season.
• DU's bars squad also set a new season high with its 49.150.
• DU gymnasts combined for 10 new or tied personal bests, led in part by junior Maddison Reidenbach on floor (9.925).
• Senior Cecilia Cooley won the all-around title for a second consecutive meet after again resetting her personal best with a 39.400, DU's highest all-around score so far in 2026.

VAULT RECAP
DU kicked off the meet on vault and saw scores build over its first five competitors, starting with a 9.750 from junior Amanda Hargraves. Denver then posted three consecutive 9.775s from freshman Sevana Kasparian, Cooley and Reidenbach, all for their Yurchenko fulls. Freshman Shyla Bhatia added a 9.850 for her Yurchenko 1.5 in what was DU's first of two 10.0 start value vaults after senior Kiley Rorich debuted her front handspring front pike half in the anchor spot and added a 9.800.
 
BARS RECAP
Denver saw four scores above the 9.800 mark on its way to the team's strongest bars rotation of the year thus far, anchored by Rorich with the meet's only 9.900 score on the event. Bhatia led off the rotation with a 9.750 before freshman Kaitlynd Kastl and senior Mila Brusch added matching 9.825s – Kastl's equaling her personal best in her young NCAA career. Cooley continued to build scores with a 9.850, a new season high for the senior. Immediately following  a fall in the No. 5 spot, Rorich stepped up at the anchor and delivered a 9.900 to allow DU to not count the fall.
 
BEAM RECAP
For the first time this season, DU repeated a beam lineup after matching its assignments from a week ago. Freshman Terra Rutter led off the rotation and once again hit her set. Junior Ashley Gallen followed with a slightly shakier routine but a hit one nonetheless before Cooley started to build scores with a 9.850 that was just a quarter tenth from her best of the season so far. In her third NCAA routine, freshman Megan Aamold again improved on her previous appearance, this time rising to a 9.875 that would go on to win the title. Fellow freshman Abby Steeley made it back-to-back anchor appearances and this time was faced with the pressure of a fall in the previous routine. Despite it being only her second time in a full lineup, she hit the routine and once again allowed DU to drop the fall.
 
FLOOR RECAP
Denver saved its best for last, seeing all six of its floor scores hit at least the 9.850 mark on its way to a big 49.500 final team score. Gallen and Hargraves each improved on their previous personal bests with a 9.850 and 9.875, respectively, before DU entered the 9.900 range. First up was Bhatia, who also reset her career high with a 9.900, setting up Reidenbach and Cooley for matching 9.925s – Reidenbach's becoming a new personal best as well. Sophomore Addie Hewitt capped off the rotation with yet another personal best of a 9.875, showing improvement over each of the last three meets since making her collegiate debut on January 16.
 
EXHIBITION NOTES
Due to the meet being broadcast live on ESPN2, exhibitions were not allowed.
 
PODIUM FINISHES
Vault
Bhatia: First Place  – 9.850
 
Bars
Rorich: First Place – 9.900
Cooley: Second Place – 9.850
Brusch: Third Place (tie) – 9.825
Kastl: Third Place (tie) – 9.825
 
Beam
Aamold: First Place – 9.875
Cooley: Second Place – 9.850
 
Floor
Cooley: Second Place (tie) – 9.925
Reidenbach: Second Place (tie) – 9.925
 
All-Around
Cooley: First Place – 39.400
Reidenbach: Second Place – 37.925
 
NEXT UP:
Denver heads back on the road for its first visit to Arizona State as Big 12 Conference opponents on Saturday, February 7, at 2 p.m. MT.
 
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.